We started a discussion about song titles in another thread. I found it interesting and decided to start this topic. I still have to think what's mine... Still undecided between AMBI and LSOAD.
That's a good question.
Looking over all of them, I'd have to say that for me it's "The Ministry Of Lost Souls", the title of the song is way cooler than the actual subject matter of the song.
And if there wasn't already a band called Ministry, I'd say, "The Ministry Of Lost Souls" would make for a kick ass band name as well.
Quote from: TheGreatPretender on August 27, 2013, 02:26:31 PM
That's a good question.
Looking over all of them, I'd have to say that for me it's "The Ministry Of Lost Souls", the title of the song is way cooler than the actual subject matter of the song.
This. Or In the Presence of Enemies, because I appreciate the religious imagery that invokes.
Can't think of a favorite right now, but the badassery of In the Presence of Enemies comes to mind.
EDIT: Myung'd by Whatsername ☼_o
The Count of Tuscany
Probably Under a Glass Moon.
Either In The Presence of Enemies or Octavarium.
Build Me Up Break Me Down, and A Nightmare to Remember are a couple of my favorites.
why: BMUBMD- it's sort of clever and I like the idea conveyed in that short phrase, plus it has that direct contrast between the two subphrases.
ANTR- I like the idea that it reminds us how powerful scary dreams can be. it's sort of a play on things that we want to remember, but nightmares usually aren't. so I think it's clever.
Trial Of Tears -> I like the alliteration
The Dance Of Eternity -> A stormy, apocalyptic title. Preludes to something out of the ordinary
Under A Glass Moon -> Dreamy and evocative. The ultimate title-metaphor
Lifting Shadows -> Another mood setting title.
Enigma Machine -> ??????
I love 6:00 because if I happen to look at the clock at that time (which occurs surprisingly often, both am and pm), it always starts playing in my head.
Enigma Machine sounds cool, just gotta overcome the urge to call it Enigmachine.
Ytse Jam is also neat and it was a big revelation when I found out what it actually stands for. They should have shelved the idea at that point though, Raw Dog is a sin. :)
Learning to Live, The Dance of Eternity, Lines in the Sand, Under a Glass Moon, to name a few.
There really are a lot of very good ones. I think I'll have to agree with In the Presence of Enemies, The Ministry of Lost Souls, Trial of Tears, 6:00 and Octavarium as contenders. I also have to add to the list Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper, Bridges In the Sky, A Change of Seasons, and To Live Forever.
Also, a couple of controversial picks: Constant Motion and The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun.
But I think the winner for me is ITPOE. It really sets a standard for a level of awesome that is almost attained by the song (damn you, Reckoning). For months before I'd ever heard the song, whenever I looked at a list of DT songs or the tracklist of SC and saw that name, I remember being so excited to hear what the song could be about and how good it would sound. And that is the mark of a great song name, IMO. It should get you intrigued in the song (and sometimes by extension, the band). As you can tell from my list, all of the ones I like are somewhat mysterious and don't come right out and tell you what they are about. While I love the song, "Learning to Live" doesn't really conjure a lot of imagery or leave much to the imagination. And titles like "Panic Attack" or "The Great Debate" are just downright boring IMO (I think the latter would have been far better off with the original title of "Conflict at Ground Zero," but they really couldn't use that one in 2002, so I definitely don't hold that one against them).
Lifting shadows off a dream and Space-dye vest were always cool to me. I like abstraction.
Lines In The Sand and Bridges In The Sky.
Learning To Live is really badass too.
Off Existing Albums
Learning to Live
Lifting Shadows Off A Dream
Octavarium
The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun
Off DT12
False Awakening Suite
Enigma Machine
Behind The Veil
Surrender to Reason
Illumination Theory
Quote from: Obfuscation on August 27, 2013, 02:40:04 PM
Either In The Presence of Enemies or Octavarium.
This.
Also fond of Breaking All Illusions, On the Backs of Angels and A Fortune in Lies.
Most of my favorites have already been mentioned, so I'm just going to show a little love for As I Am.
Lots of good ones, but I think I'll have to go with Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Very clever word play in taking an existing pop culture phrase and making it very unsettling. And I love how the twist at the end of the song turns back to the Six Degrees concept in a very surprising way. This has to be, far and away, my favorite.
Oh jeez, a lot to mention in this one. I really like, in album order, A Fortune in Lies, Under a Glass Moon, Learning to Live, Lifting Shadows off a Dream, Space Dye Vest, Hollow Years, Lines in the Sand, The Dance of Eternity, Blind Faith, Stream of Consciousness, The Root of All Evil, The Answer Lies Within, On the Backs of Angels, Bridges in the Sky, Breaking All Illusions, Far from Heaven, Beneath the Surface, Surrender to Reason and Illumination Theory.
I'll keep it short to that and rather not say why to all of those :lol
Quote from: bosk1 on August 27, 2013, 03:29:38 PM
Lots of good ones, but I think I'll have to go with Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Very clever word play in taking an existing pop culture phrase and making it very unsettling. And I love how the twist at the end of the song turns back to the Six Degrees concept in a very surprising way. This has to be, far and away, my favorite.
100% Agreed.
The Dance Of Eternity. Without hearing or knowing the context of the song, it is the most ambiguously satisfying title the band has created yet. Is this "dance" meant to be about a romance between two people for all of eternity? Or is it an eternal struggle between enemies? How on earth DO they do whatever they're doing for all time? Oh my god! Is their dance salsa? Or ballet? SO MANY QUESTIONS, FUCK.
Quote from: m0hawk on August 27, 2013, 04:26:28 PM
The Dance Of Eternity. Without hearing or knowing the context of the song, it is the most ambiguously satisfying title the band has created yet. Is this "dance" meant to be about a romance between two people for all of eternity? Or is it an eternal struggle between enemies? How on earth DO they do whatever they're doing for all time? Oh my god! Is their dance salsa? Or ballet? SO MANY QUESTIONS, FUCK.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it is meant to symbolize sex. Sex is the "Dance of Eternity"
Hard to really separate the titles from the songs as there are certain song titles that sound great but probably only because of their association with the song, e.g. In The Name Of God wouldn't sound bad ass at all if it was from some Christian rock album.
My list of ones that are great, as they pop into my head:
The Glass Prison
Breaking All Illusions
Lines In The Sand
Octavarium (despite being a made up word it just seems so fitting for such an epic)
In The Presence Of Enemies
Honor Thy Father (maybe a case where it is only good because I know it is a dark song, and not a hymn or something).
Stream Of Consciousness
The Ones Who Help To Set The Sun (to be honest I barely listen to this but the title is cool quite cool)
Have to agree with ITPOE. I also think Misunderstood is a great song name. Off DT12 I think if they dropped the "Suite" in "False Awakening Suite" it would be really cool. "False Awakening" is a badass song name. Of well...
The Dance Of Eternity
Octavarium
Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
Ytse Jam
Goodnight Kiss because it's so romantic :'(
In all seriousness though, I'm not sure. There have been some great song titles over the years.
Lifting Shadows Off A Dream . I've always liked it :3
Some honorable mentions for me are Endless Sacrifice, Erotomania, and Wait For Sleep.
Erotomania just sounds really creepy to me. It sounds like some sick form of insanity. I think my brain associates "Eroto" with words like "erode" and "rot" and makes me think of some kind of deteriorating sense of reality, or even a physically eroding brain or something. ??? But that is what makes it cool.
Wait for Sleep I like personally, because I have struggled with insomnia for at least 10 years, and those words sum it up perfectly. I always find myself lying around just waiting and waiting to doze off.
Endless Sacrifice is cool because, at first glance, you could interpret that as being something religious (sacrifice), or just something based on reality.
Most of titles are pretty decent. But my favorite title would probably be The Glass Prison.
Metropolis, Part One - The Miracle and the Sleeper: try to remember the very first time you all saw this title-- it carries a majestic and mysterious allure.
Erotomania - love the concept, the weirdness and it sooo fits the music.
The only thing I thought of when I saw that title was, "Yay, prequel to SFAM!"
My favorite song by Dream Theater? I can't decide between The Count Of Tuscany and Learning To Live
TCOT - Love the lyrics,the lenght and the final part (Could this be the end?...)
LTL - Still because of the lyrics that Myung wrote and DAT BASS AT 10:02 :O
This is about the actual titles though, not the songs themselves.
Quote from: TheGreatPretender on August 28, 2013, 12:04:51 AM
This is about the actual titles though, not the songs themselves.
Oh,my bad....
My favorite song title then is The Shattered Fortress ;D
I'd say 6:00, Bridges In The Sky, Space-Dye Vest, The Glass Prison, Endless Sacrifice, This Dying Soul
Quote from: adastra on August 27, 2013, 09:52:59 PM
Lifting Shadows Off A Dream . I've always liked it :3
This.
Ytse Jam, SDOIT and Stream Of Consciousness as well :)
6:00
Lifting Shadows
Stream Of Consciousness
Surrender To Reason
False Awakening Suite
Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
6:00 has to be my favorite: the time doesn't tell much until you hear the song or read the lyrics and makes you wonder what the song will be about. Other favorites:
Learning to Live
Lie (straightforward yet effective)
Lifting Shadows off a Dream
Lines in the Sand
Peruvian Skies
Space-Dye Vest
Surrounded
The Glass Prison
The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun
Trial of Tears
Under a Glass Moon
Quote from: ? on August 28, 2013, 02:34:30 AM
6:00 has to be my favorite: the time doesn't tell much until you hear the song or read the lyrics and makes you wonder what the song will be about. Other favorites:
hmm.. I've never really concentrated that much on the lyrics. I don't have a slightest clue what 6:00 is about :P
6:00 is in essence about realizing that where you are in life is not where you want to be and the "stuck" feeling that results from that.
Oh I forgot Trial Of Tears, that's definitely one of my favourite titles as well.
Quote from: adastra on August 28, 2013, 02:37:28 AM
Quote from: ? on August 28, 2013, 02:34:30 AM
6:00 has to be my favorite: the time doesn't tell much until you hear the song or read the lyrics and makes you wonder what the song will be about. Other favorites:
hmm.. I've never really concentrated that much on the lyrics. I don't have a slightest clue what 6:00 is about :P
It's about KM wanting to go on a five year hiatus
Most of mine have already been covered, but I absolutely love 'The Mirror'. It just conveys a wealth of images to what is this 'mirror' showing, or are the 'images' actually in the mind, or on another level - just really thought provoking. Probably a top 10 song for me too just quietly..
Alright, I'm done pondering. I think I'll choose LSOAD, simply because of its great poetic value. Also, it's one of my favorite songs from DT.
Aside from this, I also really like titles that have a hidden story/meaning behind them. SDV and AMBI come to my mind.
I really like Bridges in the Sky. The Glass Prison is simply genius and I like the wordplay on Prophets of War.
The Glass Prison.....being an alcoholic (in recovery) this is how I felt alot of the time
My favorite song title from DT is The Ones Who Help To Set The Sun. However, I don't really like the song itself very much at all.
Quote from: wkiml on August 28, 2013, 06:56:36 AM
The Glass Prison.....being an alcoholic (in recovery) this is how I felt alot of the time
Just out of curiosity, even if you'll never have another drink again, will you still be calling yourself "recovering alcoholic" for the rest of your life? I see that quite often and it seems strange.
I think that the concept is that alcoholism is an incurable chronic disease. (I think that there are a lot of misdiagnosed alcoholics, but true alcoholics have a major alcohol addiction.) Therefore, you're never really cured, but recovering. Similar concept to former vs ex-marine.
I like Illumination Theory, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, The Glass Prison, Breaking All Illusions, Learning To Live, and Finally Free
A Fortune in Lies
Endless Sacrifice
Bridges in the Sky
The Looking Glass
I like pretty much all of DT's song titles, but I guess if I had to pick a few that stick out it off the top of my head they'd be Beyond This Life and Lines In the Sand. They seem like pretty cool and original track names to me :lol I also love both songs so I guess that influences my decision as well ;D
Lifting Shadows off a Dream
Under a Glass Moon
Bridges in the Sky
The Ministry of Lost Souls
A Fortune in Lies
A Change of Seasons
...And an honorable mention to Paradoxe de la Lumière Noire :D
Space Dye-Vest.
The story behind the song is so cool.
Quote from: 425 on August 28, 2013, 03:25:53 AM
6:00 is in essence about realizing that where you are in life is not where you want to be and the "stuck" feeling that results from that.
That's too deep man.... it should be something more simple. Like a trip to Italy and Drinking some wine or sumthing.
Lines in the sand
Stream of consiousness
The dance of eternity
Breaking all illusions
It's dificult to just think of a song by its title and not by the song itself, but my favorite titles are: On the back of angels, LSOAD, SoC, The dance of eternity.
I really like A Fortune In Lies, I don't really know why. I really like the lyrics to that song as well, and again I don't really know why. They're just pretty cool :tup
I think I'll have to go with 'Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper', because of the insane progginess and pretentiousness that title provokes.
Other good ones I think are Bridges in the Sky, Innocence Faded, Trial of Tears, In The Presence of Enemies and Stream of Consciousness.
Illumination Theory
Octavarium
Enigma Machine
Disappear
Trial of Tears