Take The Time

[glaurung]

I disagree.

[reneranucci]

It´s clear, but it´s not true. The studio version has plenty of interesting things. A really well-constructed song plus all the brilliant elements already mentioned in this thread.

Regarding live versions, from the ones I´ve heard I like the Once in a Livetime the most. I know James was not in top form but I don´t care about vocals that much, and the ending part is very rocking, and all the instrumental breaks and piano sections are really good. The Live in Tokyo version is good, and I´d take it over the Chaos in Motion version.

[Perpetual Change]

While I can see how Take the Time is overshadowed by the better long songs on the album (Pull Me Under, Metropolis, and Learning to Live), I can't see how it's lacking in energy. It's just the weakest out of 4 songs which could all easily be in any DT fan's top 5.

In My Opinion, of course.

[Darkes7]

Don't want to start another TTT debate (except that it's not even close to my top 30, not to say top 5), but I really prefer the live version. It just sounds more energetic, more powerful, it just manages to grab me. I don't know the exact reason, but that's the general impression I have.

Vocals aren't as perfect but I don't mind at all.

[Marvellous G]

While I can see how Take the Time is overshadowed by the better long songs on the album (Pull Me Under, Metropolis, and Learning to Live), I can't see how it's lacking in energy. It's just the weakest out of 4 songs which could all easily be in any DT fan's top 5.

In My Opinion, of course.

You'd rank PMU above TTT? Each to their own, but I've always thought of PMU as one of the weaker links on Images & Words.

[Plasmastrike]

Actually I think PMU is thee weakest link on Images.

Speaking of TTT live, I really love the performance on CiM. The ending drags a bit, but whatever it's a live show and it looks like they were having a blast.

[Perpetual Change]

While I can see how Take the Time is overshadowed by the better long songs on the album (Pull Me Under, Metropolis, and Learning to Live), I can't see how it's lacking in energy. It's just the weakest out of 4 songs which could all easily be in any DT fan's top 5.

In My Opinion, of course.

You'd rank PMU above TTT? Each to their own, but I've always thought of PMU as one of the weaker links on Images & Words.

What can I say? It's the song that made me fall in love with DT and give their album, Awake (which was my first and collecting dust on my shelf), another try. Even though I didn't see the video until at least 2002.  

As far as Images ranking goes, mine is probably something like:

Learning to Live
Metropolis
Pull Me Under
Surrounded
Take the Time
Wait for Sleep
Another Day
Under a Glass Moon

[Marvellous G]

Actually I don't know why I'm questioning you here, PMU got me into DT too and that's actually very close to my I&W rankings. I'm not really sure which I prefer out of the two now, TTT has that awesome funk but PMU is one of the better straightforward songs they've written. [/indecision]

[hefdaddy42]

Studio version has nothing really interesting.

The live version actually has energy and the whole song really springs to life.

Is this clearer?

Well, I definitely understand preferring a live version of a song to a studio version.  I just don't understand the studio version of this particular song "melting together with the rest of the album."  But I don't want another fucking debate.

[antigoon]

How isn't the studio version interesting? It has the best verse in the song and the least extra bullshit. The version they play now is fun and all, but really? There's no comparison in my opinion.

[orcus116]

The studio version is definitely interesting. It's arguably the most fun song they've ever recorded.

Nothing special on the album. The live version is way better in every possible way.

Except for when Jordan solos.

[antigoon]

[Perpetual Change]

The studio version is definitely interesting. It's arguably the most fun song they've ever recorded.

Nothing special on the album. The live version is way better in every possible way.

Except for when Jordan solos.

Pretty much this. I don't mind Jordan having fun with it, but there's nothing wrong with the original solo, and it'd be nice to see him play it properly.

[KevShmev]

Between James singing it all gravely on the Images tour, terribly after his accident (See: OIALT) and awesomely (but abridged) lately (see: CiM), I can't imagine how anyone could like a particular live version better than the studio one. But yeah. 

The problem with the newer live version is a) Portnoy singing the opening verse is just a really bad decision, and b) the "take the time" harmonies sound not good at all.  My brother has the CIM DVD, and a while back I was at his house watching it, and when "Take the Time" came on, we reached a point in the song where we both realized they were butchering an absolute classic, we both looked at each other with a WTF look, my brother said, "Next!," and we went on to the next song.

You'd rank PMU above TTT? Each to their own, but I've always thought of PMU as one of the weaker links on Images & Words.

Heh, we'll let's be honest...being the weakest link on I&W is like being the least attractive woman at the Miss Universe pageant.  Something or somebody has to be in last, but they are all top notch, relatively speaking.

[BRGM]

I've never really liked PMU, don't know why really, it's the most boring DT song since JLB joined.

[orcus116]

Whaaaaaaat? Never heard that one before.

[Perpetual Change]

The problem with the newer live version is a) Portnoy singing the opening verse is just a really bad decision, and b) the "take the time" harmonies sound not good at all.  My brother has the CIM DVD, and a while back I was at his house watching it, and when "Take the Time" came on, we reached a point in the song where we both realized they were butchering an absolute classic, we both looked at each other with a WTF look, my brother said, "Next!," and we went on to the next song.

Well, the obvious problem with this is that regardless of how poorly it came across on the CiM DVD, I'm sure that performance was a blast for whoever was in the audience that night. As for pretty much all the other songs on the CiM DVD.  That goes for lots of live albums though. It's just so hard to capture the energy and magic on film or CD. Plus, all the mistakes the band or the singer made become obvious, whereas members of the audience probably would not have been able to tell.

But I agree that John and Mike on the chorus is pretty weak. James should just do a "You sing here" part with the fans, since that's likely to be the song most people are excited to hear on the more recent setlists anyway.

[hefdaddy42]

The problem with the newer live version is a) Portnoy singing the opening verse is just a really bad decision, and b) the "take the time" harmonies sound not good at all.  My brother has the CIM DVD, and a while back I was at his house watching it, and when "Take the Time" came on, we reached a point in the song where we both realized they were butchering an absolute classic, we both looked at each other with a WTF look, my brother said, "Next!," and we went on to the next song.

Agreed.  That's one reason I much prefer the studio version.

[KevShmev]

In regards to PC's point,, I have never understood why the crowd has never collectively done the "take the time" chorus at live shows.  I mean, it makes perfect sense, yet they never do it (or enough don't do it to where it is noticeable).

I don't doubt that the song is fun live in any form, but that says probably more about the overall crowd being excited about the song itself than the actual performance.  I could probably name some songs by various bands that I got into big time live, simply because it was that song being played, and I couldn't honestly say if the actual performance was any good or not; sometimes, you are just so excited to hear a song, that you zone out, rock out, and your own personal enjoyment of the song being played makes it more difficult to focus on how well the song is actually being performed. 

[Pirate]

One of the eight reasons why IaW is my favourite album ever. Among even the top three reasons, for sure.

[Perpetual Change]

In regards to PC's point,, I have never understood why the crowd has never collectively done the "take the time" chorus at live shows.  I mean, it makes perfect sense, yet they never do it (or enough don't do it to where it is noticeable).

I hate the crowds at DT shows. They're sad.  No one is willing to give the band the obsess over 24/7 any love when they're finally at the concert. I don't even want to get started.  Both times I saw them I was the only one around me who seemed to like the band.

[orcus116]

I can easily see most people that go to a DT show being timid people so just cause they're not pumping fists or singing along doesn't mean they're into it. That being said for as much as the band might try to be active they've never come across as being as interactive as most bands are. Their concerts are more recitals than rock shows in that regard.

Maybe that's one of the reasons why I love OIALT because even on CD the show sounds fun as all hell. The band seems like they're having a blast and you can hear the energy in the audience. I just don't get that vibe anymore, though it could be for a number of reasons from the complexity of the songs to the age of the bands to just the setlist maybe being dull.

[hefdaddy42]

In regards to PC's point,, I have never understood why the crowd has never collectively done the "take the time" chorus at live shows.  I mean, it makes perfect sense, yet they never do it (or enough don't do it to where it is noticeable).

I hate the crowds at DT shows. They're sad.  No one is willing to give the band the obsess over 24/7 any love when they're finally at the concert. I don't even want to get started.  Both times I saw them I was the only one around me who seemed to like the band.

Nerds.

[antigoon]

Newer live DT audio mixes also have barely any crowd noise. It's annoying as hell.

[Azyiu]

Newer live DT audio mixes also have barely any crowd noise. It's annoying as hell.

By "newer" are you referring to something like Chaos In Motion onward? If so, I agreed. I am not sure if I am the only one who feel this way, but I thought the mixing in both Score and Live @ Budokan are way better examples of how DT should sound live!

[MirzekDT]

Newer live DT audio mixes also have barely any crowd noise. It's annoying as hell.

By "newer" are you referring to something like Chaos In Motion onward? If so, I agreed. I am not sure if I am the only one who feel this way, but I thought the mixing in both Score and Live @ Budokan are way better examples of how DT should sound live!

Are you serious??? As far as I know it's because it wasn't recorded for majority of concerts from those five on CIM It doesn't have anything to do with how loud the crowd was there...

BTW I prefer the ATCO Demos TTT to the ordinary IAW version it has so much more energy but even IAW version has a lot of energy

[Scar]

You know, the if I have to pick the candidate for most memorable Images and Words song, the award would have to go to TTT.

Why you may ask?

"We decided to write a song about everything we'd been going through for the past three years - looking for a new singer, a new label & new management - just all the changes we made & all the frustrations we went through...but, have it coming from each of our four different perspectives. So, we broke it up, and said 'Okay, you take the 1st verse, you take the 2nd verse,' went away, wrote lyrics about our feelings about all the stuff we were going through, and then put it together. Then [we] wrote the chorus together. That was the 1st time we had ever done that, and it's the only song on the album where the lyrics were actually written by everybody."
-Mike Portnoy

The ONLY song to be written by all the band members and it is hella good. You have to love everything about the song. The introduction, the bass hook, the sampling, the solo's, the verse, and much more!

You can see the aggressiveness in the first verse, the mellowness of the bridge, the epic unison and instrumental section, and Kevin Moore's solo.

Dream Theater didn't give up and they prospered and they created a wonderful song. If I was forced to rank Take the Time, I'd put it at #1 with the rest of the songs. 

If I wasn't cheating and had to brutally honest, this song would be my third favorite song. Though they are all perfect one way or another.

[Dream Team]

Holy thread bump Batman!

[seasonsinthesky]

Yeah, that's a super old post per song for the first side of I&W. When will side 2 be resurrected?!

[Scar]

Pretty soon I hope