Solve the Six Degrees dilemma (make the album a single disc)

[TAC]

My title doesn't have parenthesis.

[Setlist Scotty]

I'd just stick with disc 1 and leave the title track off (which is probably my favorite of all of DT's catalog). Then the title track could've been released later.

That begs the question: What would you title the album if it was just Disc 1?

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Duh!   

Just like Grizz said with that KC song and album, as well as Led Zeppelin releasing "Houses of the Holy" the album, with the song "Houses of the Holy" appearing on the following album (Physical Graffiti).

[Cool Chris]

The thought that anyone would remove Disappear saddens me.

I remember the first time I heard the first disc I was blown away as I rarely am listening to music. Then I popped the second disc in and was massively underwhelmed.

[DTA]

Get rid of The Glass Prison and Overture and dismantle the title track into a bunch of separate songs since it never really worked as a complete epic for me. They'd need to be reimagined in order to make sense as standalone songs

1. About To Crash/About To Crash (Reprise)/Losing Time (edit and combine these into one badass 10+ minute opening track)
2. Blind Faith
3. War Inside My Head
4. Misunderstood
5. The Test That Stumped Them All
6. Goodnight Kiss
7. Solitary Shell
8. The Great Debate
9. Disappear

[JayOctavarium]

Release Disc 1 as a stand alone album (Maybe write one more song to go with it), and then later that year release Disc 2 as an EP (Or vice versa... release the EP first then the "album".

[The Curious Orange]

I'd cut the Overture down to 2 main repeats of the main theme, get it done in about a minute and a half, then I'd stick the ending straight after About to Crash (Reprise), as that's the point the whole thing starts to drag. As a rough calculation, I think I could get it down to about 32 minutes. Lose Disappear and about 2 minutes off the end of Misunderstood and you're there.

[mikeyd23]

Count me into the crew who wouldn't change a thing about this record. Most days, it's my favorite DT record and I wouldn't remove a single song from it.

[Max Kuehnau]

Count me into the crew who wouldn't change a thing about this record. Most days, it's my favorite DT record and I wouldn't remove a single song from it.

I agree. It's not my favourite DT album (even if I were to enjoy the MP era), but I wouldn't want to change it, because it represents what they were at the time (as all their albums are IMHO, D/T is too)

[Dublagent66]

Count me into the crew who wouldn't change a thing about this record. Most days, it's my favorite DT record and I wouldn't remove a single song from it.

Yeah, removing any of the tracks would just take away from the masterpiece it already is.  A dilemma doesn't exist as the thread title suggests.

[Ben_Jamin]

As it's in the top spot of my favorite DT albums, I wouldn't change a thing. I've been trying to think of something but just can't.


Edit: Ok, I lied. I thought harder and this is what I came up with.

1. Overture (cut out about 2 min.)
2. About to Crash
3. War Inside My Head/The Test That Stumped Them All (combined into one track called War Inside That Stumped Them All)
4. Blind Faith
5. Misunderstood
6. The Great Debate (Shorten Intro and Outro to make the song less than 13 min)
7. Disappear
8. Goodnight Kiss
9. About To Crash (Reprise)
10. Losing Time (without 1:48 Grand Finale, song ends with the Gong)

Without the cuts it totals 83 min (1:22:21 to be exact). With cuts should total around 75-80.

[Dream Team]

Since they're recorded as individual tracks . . .

Blind Faith
Misunderstood
The Great Debate
Disappear
Overture
About to Crash
Goodnight Kiss
Solitary Shell
ATC (R)
Losing Time

[Ben_Jamin]

I modified my post with my Single Disc 6DOIT.

[Max Kuehnau]

I'd just stick with disc 1 and leave the title track off (which is probably my favorite of all of DT's catalog). Then the title track could've been released later.

That begs the question: What would you title the album if it was just Disc 1?

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Duh!   

Just like Grizz said with that KC song and album, as well as Led Zeppelin releasing "Houses of the Holy" the album, with the song "Houses of the Holy" appearing on the following album (Physical Graffiti).

probably because LZ wanted to release Physical Graffiti and HOTH as a (vinyl) triple album and the record company didn't allow that and so the songs were released the way we know now. (I may be wrong about that though, never was a LZ fan and never will be. They were and are as overrated as can be IMHO)

[pg1067]

probably because LZ wanted to release Physical Graffiti and HOTH as a (vinyl) triple album and the record company didn't allow that and so the songs were released the way we know now. (I may be wrong about that

Yeah...that's not at all accurate.

There was never any intent for HOTH to be anything other than a single album.  As had been the case with the two prior album, LZ recorded more material for HOTH than the songs that made it onto the album (including the "title track"), but there was never any interest or desire for HOTH to be a multi-LP album.  When LZ started recording for PG in early 1974, they found themselves again with more material than could fit on two album sides, so they decided to use outtakes from the three prior albums and make PG a double album.  Eight of the fifteen songs on PG were recorded during the early 1974 sessions for PG, and they added Bron-Yr-Aur (outtake from III), Down by the Seaside, Night Flight and Boogie with Stu (outtakes from IV), and The Rover, HOTH and Black Country Woman (outtakes from HOTH).

[Max Kuehnau]

probably because LZ wanted to release Physical Graffiti and HOTH as a (vinyl) triple album and the record company didn't allow that and so the songs were released the way we know now. (I may be wrong about that

Yeah...that's not at all accurate.

There was never any intent for HOTH to be anything other than a single album.  As had been the case with the two prior album, LZ recorded more material for HOTH than the songs that made it onto the album (including the "title track"), but there was never any interest or desire for HOTH to be a multi-LP album.  When LZ started recording for PG in early 1974, they found themselves again with more material than could fit on two album sides, so they decided to use outtakes from the three prior albums and make PG a double album.  Eight of the fifteen songs on PG were recorded during the early 1974 sessions for PG, and they added Bron-Yr-Aur (outtake from III), Down by the Seaside, Night Flight and Boogie with Stu (outtakes from IV), and The Rover, HOTH and Black Country Woman (outtakes from HOTH).

ok, makes sense

[TAC]

Oh, I did not know all of that. Thank you. Led Zep's best two album run in my book.

[Sebastián Pratesi]

I would have increased the album's distance over time speed by 20%.

[Max Kuehnau]

I would have increased the album's distance over time speed by 20%.

perfect

[Sebastián Pratesi]

perfect

Thanks! Although, I just realised it's actually 21%.

Or more! The tempo of "The Glass Prison" is never enough.

[Max Kuehnau]

perfect

Thanks! Although, I just realised it's actually 21%.

Or more! The tempo of "The Glass Prison" is never enough.

here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB5fDpirjAc

[Sebastián Pratesi]

here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB5fDpirjAc

Oh my John Petrucci!

[jammindude]

I've done this.  It was pretty easy.

The Glass Prison 13:52
Blind Faith 10:21
Misunderstood (Single Edit from the "Four Degrees of Radio Edits" promo) 5:13
Disappear 6:46
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence 42:02

Total 78:14

[ytserush]

Count me into the crew who wouldn't change a thing about this record. Most days, it's my favorite DT record and I wouldn't remove a single song from it.

Yeah, removing any of the tracks would just take away from the masterpiece it already is.  A dilemma doesn't exist as the thread title suggests.

I totally agree. This is a top three Dream Theater album for me and I'm not sure they have ever pushed the envelope as far as they have with this album.

[pg1067]

The thought that anyone would remove Disappear saddens me.

I had to sit and wait while picking up my kid from marching band camp yesterday, so I gave Disappear another listen.  I really tried to find something to like but couldn't.  It's just bland and boring.  Sorry.

[Dublagent66]

The thought that anyone would remove Disappear saddens me.

I had to sit and wait while picking up my kid from marching band camp yesterday, so I gave Disappear another listen.  I really tried to find something to like but couldn't.  It's just bland and boring.  Sorry.

No apologies.  Everyone has a right to be wrong. 

[Dream Team]

Absolutely gut-wrenching lyrics and delivery.

[MirrorMask]

Absolutely gut-wrenching lyrics and delivery.

And it's "just" a story James came up with, pure fiction. For quite some years I was so sure he must have referred to his mother because what else such a hauntingly sad song could be about if not something so personal? but it was a fictional story about a sudden tragedy coming into the life of a happy couple. Unreal performance from James.

[Podaar]

Absolutely gut-wrenching lyrics and delivery.

And it's "just" a story James came up with, pure fiction. For quite some years I was so sure he must have referred to his mother because what else such a hauntingly sad song could be about if not something so personal? but it was a fictional story about a sudden tragedy coming into the life of a happy couple. Unreal performance from James.

Especially this bit here:

So I'm moving on
I'll never forget
As you lay there and watched me
Accepting the end
I knew you were scared
You were strong I was trying
I gave you my hand
I said it's okay letting go time to leave here
And I'll carry on
The best that I can without you here beside me
Let him come and take you home

Chills every time!

[The Walrus]

On songmeanings.net there's a bit of trivia I was previously unaware of: apparently Disappear's working title was "Move On." Fitting. There's also a bunch of love for the song in the comments for it, so I'm glad to see it getting the respect it deserves.

[Ben_Jamin]

Absolutely gut-wrenching lyrics and delivery.

And it's "just" a story James came up with, pure fiction. For quite some years I was so sure he must have referred to his mother because what else such a hauntingly sad song could be about if not something so personal? but it was a fictional story about a sudden tragedy coming into the life of a happy couple. Unreal performance from James.

Especially this bit here:

So I'm moving on
I'll never forget
As you lay there and watched me
Accepting the end
I knew you were scared
You were strong I was trying
I gave you my hand
I said it's okay letting go time to leave here
And I'll carry on
The best that I can without you here beside me
Let him come and take you home

Chills every time!

I prefer the somber backing vocals over the lead vocals. They fit way better and have that emotion.

[pg1067]

Absolutely gut-wrenching lyrics and delivery.

For me, while a bad vocal performance can ruin an otherwise good song (e.g., lots of songs I've heard with cookie monster vocals), it is virtually impossible for a great vocal performance to elevate a musically uninteresting song into something worth listening to.

[JLa]

I'd just stick with disc 1 and leave the title track off (which is probably my favorite of all of DT's catalog). Then the title track could've been released later.

Here we go. Perfect.

[IDontNotDoThings]

1. The Glass Prison
2. Blind Faith
3. The Great Debate
4. Overture
5. About to Crash
6. War Inside My Head
7. The Test That Stumped Them All
8. Goodnight Kiss
9. Solitary Shell
10. About to Crash (Reprise)
11. Losing Time (fades by 4:20)
(78:21)

Misunderstood is my least favourite song on the album, & I may just be a heartless asshole but Disappear does absolutely nothing for me emotionally.

[MirrorMask]

11. Losing Time (minus Grand Finale)

So the album ends with an abrupt cut after "She learned to detach from herself, a behavior that kept her alive"?

[IDontNotDoThings]

11. Losing Time (minus Grand Finale)

So the album ends with an abrupt cut after "She learned to detach from herself, a behavior that kept her alive"?

Oh, I thought "Grand Finale" was the extended 100-second note at the end