Favorite & Least Favorite Lyrics Per Album

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

We've done a few album and song rankings, but how about lyrics? I have always considered myself not-a-lyrics guy but in the past few years I found that I care a lot more about them. I feel JP has really improved as a lyricist and is quite good. JLB is underrated and I wish JR would take a stab! What about you?

What are your favorite lyrics per album? It's interesting how different this can be from your favorite song on the album. I'll post my least favorite later. I never thought about it on a per album basis.

The Ones Who Help the Sun
Under a Glass Moon (honorable mention: Take the Time)
Lifting Shadows Off a Dream
Trail of Tears
Through My Words
The Test That Stumped Them All
Honor Thy Father
I Walk Beside You
Repentance
The Shattered Fortress
Breaking All Illusions
The Bigger Picture
Pale Blue Dot (honorable mention: Out of Reach)
Answering the Call (honorable mention: Sleeping Giant and title track)

Favorite album for lyrics: Images and Words
Least: Systematic Chaos

[Uncle Rico]

Favorite lyrics are Awake; least favorite The Astonishing.

[SeRoX]

Fav. / Least Fav.

Only A Matter Of Time / Light Fuse & Get Away
Learning To Live / Under A Glass Moon
Voices / Caught In A Web
Trial Of Tears / You Not Me
Finally Free / Beyond This Life
Blind Faith / About To Crash
In The Name Of God / Honor Thy Father
Sacrificed Sons / Never Enough
Prophets of War / Constant Motion (The Dark Eternal Night)
Wither / The Count Of Tuscany
Breaking Of All Illusions / Build Me Up, Break Me Down
Surrender To Reason / Along For The Ride
Heaven's Cove / Astonishing
At Wit's End / Pale Blue Dot
Answering The Call / Awaken The Master


Overall Lyricist: Petrucci's writing ability has not matured well over the years. LaBrie is criminally underrated lyricist. Rudess must give a shot at writing. Portnoy is good but not that much. Myung is poetric and amazing story teller.

Overall album:
Fav- Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (Mostly Disc 1)
Least: Systematic Chaos

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Least:

A Fortune in Lies
Pull Me Under
Lie
New Millenium
Finally Free
The Great Debate
In the Name of God
Never Enough
Dark Eternal Night
The Count of Tuscany
Build Me Up, Break Me Down
Behind The Veil
Savior in the Square
Fall Into the Light
Invisible Monster

What makes the 'least' list interesting is that there is a mix between good lyrics, corny ones, and probably fine but set to the wrong melody or wrong chorus etc. It feels like the right delivery can take whatever lyrics and make them sound great.

[Ben_Jamin]

WDADU:
Fav - Only A Matter of Time
Least - Status Seeker

I&W:
Fav - Surrounded
Least - Under a Glass Moon

Awake:
Fav - Scarred
Least - 6:00

FII:
Fav - Speak to Me
Least - Burning My Soul

SFAM: (This was difficult as I think the lyrics are all good in telling the story)
Fav = Home
Least - Fatal Tragedy

6DOIT: (This was difficult because I enjoy all of the lyrics on this album, the lyrics are one reason I consider it my favorite DT album)
Fav - Misunderstood
Least - The Glass Prison

ToT:
Fav - Endless Sacrifice
Least - As I Am

8vm:
Fav - These Walls
Least - The Answer Lies Within

SC:
Fav - Repentance
Least - Forsaken

BC&SL:
Fav - A Nightmare to Remember
Least - A Rite of Passage

ADTOE :
Fav - Beneath The Surface
Least - Lost Not forgotten

DT12:
Fav - The Bigger Picture
Least - The Looking Glass

TA:
Fav - Begin Again
Least - Our New World

D/T:
Fav - Barstool Warrior
Least - Untethered Angel

AVFTTOTW
Fav - Awaken The Master
Least - The Alien

[Stadler]

I don't care about lyrics much... until I care about them.  I don't really have any DT lyrics I really don't like. I don't like the negativity of "Never Enough", even if it's honest.  I don't really care for what I think are silly phrases/titles - "dark master", "Invisible Monster" come to mind - but generally I think the lyrics are fine.

I would rank the lyricists:
1. Moore
2a. LaBrie
2b. Myung
2c. Petrucci
2d. Portnoy


(Line 2 is in alphabetical order...)

[Dream Team]

Only a Matter of Time / Light Fuse & Get Away
Under a Glass Moon / none
Scarred / Lie
Trial of Tears / Just Let Me Breathe
One Last Time / Through Her Eyes
Misunderstood / Six Degrees
Endless Sacrifice / Honor thy Father
I Walk Beside You / Panic Attack
Repentance / The Dark Eternal Night
Wither / A Rite of Passage
This is the Life / Far From Heaven
Illumination Theory / none
A Life Left Behind / A Better Life
Barstool Warrior / Untethered Angel
A View / Invisible Monster