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Dream Theater => Dream Theater => Topic started by: bosk1 on October 12, 2020, 10:23:18 AM

Title: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: bosk1 on October 12, 2020, 10:23:18 AM
Choose your top 10 Portnoy-era songs.  I only used album tracks, plus A Change of Seasons.  If you want to discuss other songs, feel free.  But the poll is what it is.  I ultimately went with listing ITPOE as one song, as it was written vs. two songs as they choose to divide it on the album.  Judgement call.

BONUS QUESTION:  If you participated in the "Top 10 Mangini Era Songs" thread (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=55773.0) as well, which list is your favorite and why?  Which songs, if any, made it more difficult to choose?
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Setlist Scotty on October 12, 2020, 10:46:16 AM
Have to think carefully about this one before I answer. But aren't you missing a few songs? While I doubt they'd get many votes, shouldn't To Live Forever, Don't Look Past Me, Raw Dog and the FII outtakes be included, too? Maybe even the Majesty demos?
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: bosk1 on October 12, 2020, 10:51:40 AM
I only used album tracks, plus A Change of Seasons. 
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: pg1067 on October 12, 2020, 10:52:31 AM
I didn't give it a massive amount of thought, but:

Met1
LTL
Scarred
ACOS
Fatal Tragedy
Home
Blind Faith
SDOIT
Stream of Consciousness
8VM

I prefer this list for a very simple reason.  With the MM list, there were nine songs that made it fairly easily, but I had to struggle to think of a tenth song, which was Beneath the Surface, and every song on this list is better than BTS.  With this list, I had to struggle to narrow it to ten.  I very easily could have included Take the Time, Voices, Beyond This Life, Finally Free, Misunderstood, ITNOG, Panic Attack, and a few others (all of which are also better than BTS).
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: bosk1 on October 12, 2020, 10:57:52 AM
With the MM list, there were nine songs that made it fairly easily, but I had to struggle to think of a tenth song, which was Beneath the Surface, and every song on this list is better than BTS. 

I didn't have that problem, but I get it.  For me, I struggled to narrow it to ONLY 10 for both lists.  And while this list of choices definitely has more "honorable mentions" that could have made a top 10 list than the MM one, I still come back to both lists being really strong. 
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Revenge319 on October 12, 2020, 11:09:57 AM
1. A Change of Seasons
2. Octavarium
3. The Count of Tuscany
4. The Best of Times
5. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
6. Voices
7. Finally Free
8. Blind Faith
9. A Nightmare to Remember
10. Trial of Tears

I'd say my Portnoy-era list is better, because it has eight of my Top 10 Dream Theater songs whereas my Mangini-era list only contains two (Illumination Theory and Breaking All Illusions).
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Mladen on October 12, 2020, 11:27:52 AM
Metropolis--Pt. I
Learning To Live
Scarred
A Change of Seasons
Beyond This Life
The Dance of Eternity
The Great Debate
Disappear
Octavarium
The Ministry of Lost Souls

As much as I like the Mangini era, my top 10 songs overall are all from the first nine albums.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: emtee on October 12, 2020, 11:31:05 AM
Very hard!
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on October 12, 2020, 11:45:16 AM
In no particular order:

Learning To Live
Trial Of Tears
The Glass Prison
Blind Faith
Endless Sacrifice
Honor Thy Father
These Walls
Panic Attack
Octavarium
In The Presence Of Enemies

No songs from the Mangini era would break into my overall top ten for the band. Bridges In The Sky, Breaking All Illusions and Fall Into The Light would come the closest, but I'm not even sure if all of those would make it into my top twenty.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: krands85 on October 12, 2020, 01:26:01 PM
1. Learning to Live
2. Metropolis
3. Octavarium
4. In the Name of God
5. Take the Time
6. In the Presence of Enemies
7. A Change of Seasons
8. The Count of Tuscany
9. Endless Sacrifice
10. Trial of Tears

I'd say my Portnoy-era list is better, because it has eight of my Top 10 Dream Theater songs whereas my Mangini-era list only contains two (Illumination Theory and Breaking All Illusions).
Exactly the same for me. My lowest ranked song overall in the Portnoy list is #13, but on the Mangini list it's not even in the top 25.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: darkshade on October 12, 2020, 02:08:35 PM
Under a Glass Moon
Learning To Live
Caught in a Web
Scarred
A Change Of Seasons
Fatal Tragedy
The Glass Prison
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Octavarium
The Count of Tuscany

These are all some of my favorite DT songs ever. With the Mangini era, maybe half of my top 10 is songs I really like, the others are ones that I think are fine but nothing crazy, but none are as good as anything on the above list and perhaps a top 20 as well.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: lovethedrake on October 12, 2020, 02:40:35 PM
Not in any order mine were:

Learning to Live
Change of Seasons
SDOIT
Fatal Tragedy
Take the Time
Trial of Tears
Overture 1928
Spirit Carries on
Glass Prison
Metropolis

I will go do the Mangini thread now.  But my answer will be an easy one.

The only song I would even consider for top 10 DT songs during Mangini era is "At Wit's End" but it wouldn't make the list.

Still love the band now and loved Astonishing and Distance Over Time but the era from I&W through SDOIT has all of my top 10 and probably top 15 songs.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: pg1067 on October 12, 2020, 02:43:53 PM
With the MM list, there were nine songs that made it fairly easily, but I had to struggle to think of a tenth song, which was Beneath the Surface, and every song on this list is better than BTS. 

I didn't have that problem, but I get it.  For me, I struggled to narrow it to ONLY 10 for both lists.  And while this list of choices definitely has more "honorable mentions" that could have made a top 10 list than the MM one, I still come back to both lists being really strong.

Very strong, yes, but...

No songs from the Mangini era would break into my overall top ten for the band.

My MM list was

Bridges
Outcry
Illusions
Beneath the Surface
Looking Glass
Along for the Ride
Illumination
Barstool
Out of Reach
S2N

While that is, indeed, a very strong list, none of those songs would beat out any of the ten on the MP era list.

And let's be fair and acknowledge that the MM era only includes four albums (or, for me, only three that had songs in the running), whereas the MP era has ten albums plus ACOS.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: MirrorMask on October 12, 2020, 03:19:33 PM
A too vast selection of awesome songs to have a proper and definite top 10.

For sure I can pinpoint my favorite DT songs ever, Metropolis, Voices and A Change of Seasons, then I have rounded it up with Take the Time, The Mirror, Scarred, Strange Deja Vu, Home, Finally Free and Octavarium.

Obviously half of the other songs could be contenders as well.

So far scrolling through the votes we can notice:

- No love for the debut album

- An almost uninterrupted string of at least one choice for songs from Images and Words and Awake

- A gap in Falling Into Infinity territory

- Another basically consecutive streak of choices for Scenes and Six Degrees

- Not much else from that point on with the obvious exception of the song Octavarium.

As I reply The Count of Tuscany has six votes, which makes it the most voted songs since Finally Free if we exclude the two mammoth tracks of Six Degrees and Octavarium.

So, basically, people are favoring the four classic albums in their entirety (Images, Awake, Scenes and Six Degrees) and love the longest songs that came after.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: 54_diplomats on October 12, 2020, 03:56:45 PM
1. Learning to Live
2. A Change of Seasons
3. Scarred
4. Metropolis
5. The Glass Prison
6. Lines in the Sand
7. The Killing Hand
8. Trial of Tears
9. The Mirror
10. 6:00

Way harder to compose this list than the MM-era ones. These are probably my top 10 DT songs overall so I'd easily pick this over the other list. The only song on the other list that would come close to my top 10 would be Breaking all Illusions but I'd put several other Portnoy-era songs over that as well. Half of my list comprises of Kevin Moore era songs which is my favorite one to listen to.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Peter Mc on October 12, 2020, 04:54:37 PM
Top ten are

Another Day
Take The Time
Surrounded
Metropolis pt. I
Learning To Live
SDV
A Change Of Seasons
Trial Of Tears
The Sprit Carries On
Finally Free

In answer to the bonus question, there’s no comparison for me.  Don’t get me wrong, I like the Mangini era albums, including The Astonishing, but those albums are not on the same level as the Images to Scenes period imo, which I consider to be the classic period of the band.  That’s not anything to do with Mangini’s drumming, I just feel they’ve stagnated a little in the songwriting stakes.  They’re still putting out high quality stuff but not quite the magic of the early years for me. Still some really good songs on the Mangini list though.

One thing I will say on the whole stagnating thing though is that Petrucci’s recent solo album has given me hope that the magic is still in there.  I thought that was fantastic and featured his best playing for many years. I honestly wasn’t sure he still had that insane level of playing in him.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: TAC on October 12, 2020, 06:01:18 PM
I voted..chronologically:

The Killing Hand
Learning To Live
Take The Time
Scarred
Space Dye Vest
A Change Of Seasons
Lines In The Sand
Endless Sacrifice
Octavarium
The Count Of Tuscany




Chronological..

Breaking All Illusions
Lost Not Forgotten
Outcry
Surrender To Reason
The Enemy Inside
The Gift Of Music
Ravenskill
The X Aspect
Fall Into The Light
At Wits End



Comparing the lists, only Breaking All Illusions cracks the Top 10 from the Mangini Era.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Cool Chris on October 12, 2020, 07:47:26 PM
Not in to rankings, but doing this very fast:

Learning to Live
Caught in a Web
Innocence Faded
Voices
A Change of Seasons
Finally Free
Disappear
Endless Sacrifice
In the Presence of Enemies
Octavarium
In the Presence of Enemies

This list is my favorite, and it isn't really close, but I cannot determine how much of that to attribute to the nostalgia of DT being my favorite and most listened to band in the 90s, getting me through some pretty tough times. I do not relate to music now as I did then, as I have different, and thankfully less significant, life challenges, and do not rely on music to get me through the day as I did back then.

There is only 1 song over the past 4 albums that is my overall Top 10 (Beneath the Surface) but while this era lacks elite material, I appreciate that it is still solid and enjoyable.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Ben_Jamin on October 12, 2020, 09:44:43 PM
This is a great idea...

1. Scarred
2. Finally Free
3. Trial of Tears
4. Learning to Live
5. The Count of Tuscany
6. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (Thank you for listing it as one song, it made my list way easier, I consider it all one song.)
7. Voices (I consider this one song as well, just because they flow into each other so well, It's their Tenement Funster/Flick of The Wrist/Lily of The Valley. So I chose the main piece to represent the suite.)
8. Stream of Consciousness
9. Surrounded
10. Octavarium

My number 10 spot is actually Don't Look Past Me. I bought the Lifting Shadows First Edition that came with the bonus cd. It had this song on it, I listened and instantly fell in love with it. I never understood why it was never played live, and was elated to find it played live on our stop of the I&W&B tour, and even more astonished they decided to drop it all together, along with To Live Forever.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Bentower on October 12, 2020, 11:31:25 PM
Surrounded
Under a Glass Moon
Learning to Live
Voices
Scarred
Space-Dye Vest
A Change of Seasons
Lines in the Sand
Trial of Tears
Fatal Tragedy

DT's music from '92 to '99 is something I'll treasure for the rest of my life, so the MP era is largely where it's at for me. However, I prefer TA and DoT over the albums from 6DoIT to DT12.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: NoFred on October 12, 2020, 11:53:12 PM
I understand the separation of lists but really, there’s no comparison and I think the difference can be summed up as MP creative tension. I don’t even care who plays, and admit the output got stale in albums 9 and 10, but everything after is lower. Only BAI (naturally since LTL is my #1) makes the top 10 overall.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: MirrorMask on October 13, 2020, 02:27:24 AM
Other considerations:

- Images and Words and Six Degrees are the only album that got votes for all of their songs.

- SFAM, Awake and Train of Thought have reasonable excuse for missing the all-in: the intro and two soft short acoustic pieces were the only ones who didn't make the cut, ironic how Through My Words managed to get a vote  :D
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Zydar on October 13, 2020, 02:43:29 AM
In chronological order:

Another Day
Surrounded
Metropolis
Learning To Live
Strange Deja Vu
The Spirit Carries On
Finally Free
Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
In The Name Of God
Sacrificed Sons

Yes, 4 songs from Images And Words.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Trav86 on October 13, 2020, 06:58:04 AM
Chronologically..

Surrounded
Metropolis
Learning to Live
Voices
The Silent Man
A Change of Seasons
Home
The Spirit Carries On
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
As I Am

Bonus:  I prefer these ten. There’s probably only one song from the “Mangini era” that would crack this top ten, and that is Breaking All Illusions.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: genome on October 13, 2020, 08:04:47 AM
Learning to Live
The Mirror
Trial of Tears
Spirit Carries On
Finally Free
Glass Prison
6DOIT
Octavarium
Dark Eternal Night
Count of Tuscany
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: pg1067 on October 13, 2020, 09:33:04 AM
My number 10 spot is actually Don't Look Past Me. I bought the Lifting Shadows First Edition that came with the bonus cd. It had this song on it, I listened and instantly fell in love with it. I never understood why it was never played live

It was never played live before I&W&B for the same reason that most of the FII reject songs (I'm including DLPM and TLF in this category even though they're from much earlier) were rarely/never played:  Casual fans don't know them, a large percentage of fans don't really like hearing songs live that they're not familiar with (this is especially true once a band builds a large enough catalog that there isn't room in a set for all of the favorites), the songs weren't deemed good enough to make it onto an album, and lots of folks who are familiar with them don't think they're very good.  That's a big part of why DLPM was dropped from the I&W&B tour.  Of course, TLF and Eve were regulars on the I&W tour, so this doesn't apply to those songs at that time.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: hefdaddy42 on October 13, 2020, 09:55:36 AM
In chronological order:

Metropolis Pt. 1
Learning to Live
Lifting Shadows Off A Dream
Scarred
A Change of Seasons
Lines in the Sand
Trial of Tears
The Spirit Carries On
The Glass Prison
Octavarium

I prefer this list over my Mangini list because this is basically my DT Top 10 list.  I admit that nostalgia could be a big factor in that.

My 2 favorite Mangini-era songs, Illumination Theory and Breaking All Illusions, would do no better than 11 and 12 here, most likely.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: goo-goo on October 13, 2020, 10:58:57 AM
You missed Raw Dog!
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: emtee on October 13, 2020, 11:31:13 AM
Pretty amazing how many different songs have votes. I think only 19 have zero.

My outlier top 10 was These Walls. One of the most underrated gems in DT's catalog. I always thought it could break through on FM radio but I was wrong.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Evermind on October 13, 2020, 12:09:33 PM
My outlier top 10 was These Walls. One of the most underrated gems in DT's catalog. I always thought it could break through on FM radio but I was wrong.

Mine was The Ministry of Lost Souls.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: devieira73 on October 13, 2020, 12:17:21 PM

BONUS QUESTION:  If you participated in the "Top 10 Mangini Era Songs" thread (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=55773.0) as well, which list is your favorite and why?  Which songs, if any, made it more difficult to choose?

My favorite phase of the band is still the 90's, so... but I think they managed to keep the quality very high through all the albums, sincerely.
Anyway, besides that, it's much more difficult to choose the top 10 DT best songs from 10 albums than from 4! :D
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: kirksnosehair on October 13, 2020, 12:50:38 PM
I participated in both threads and I'd have to say this list is definitely my preference.  For me, Dream Theater's creative peak was SDOIT. 



01. Lines In The Sand
02. The Spirit Carries On
03. The Count of Tuscany
04. Honor Thy Father
06. The Great Debate
07. Dance of Eternity
08. A Change of Seasons  (this would rank higher if they used a snare drum instead of a paint can when they recorded the drums)
09. The Killing Hand
10. Learning to Live
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Nachtmerrie on October 13, 2020, 01:12:50 PM
Metropolis
Learning to Live
Scarred
Lines in the Sand
A Change of Seasons
Home
The Glass Prison
Blind Faith
Stream of Consciousness
In the Presence of Enemies

Bonus Question: Portnoy era, no brainer.
Only Mangini song in my top 10 is Breaking All Illusions
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Setlist Scotty on October 13, 2020, 02:34:33 PM
I only used album tracks, plus A Change of Seasons. 
Oops.  :blush

Not really into ranking all the songs, altho I did it for the MM-era songs, so might as well here. It was definitely very difficult, and there's several others that I could've easily selected, but these are the ones that I went with in chronological order:
Light Fuse and Get Away
Learning to Live
The Mirror
A Change of Seasons
Lines in the Sand
Trial of Tears
Home
The Glass Prison
Disappear
The Count of Tuscany

As for the bonus question, my answer is the MP-era for several reasons. I followed them from the beginning, and I believe that the younger you are, the more impact the music has on you, so the attachment I have for the older material is stronger than the newer stuff with MM. Of course, there's more material to select from (10 albums and 1 EP vs. 4 albums). And I do think that there's a certain X factor that is missing since MP's been gone, since he was heavily involved in the writing/arranging of the albums. That's not to say I don't like the MM-era albums (I do to varying degrees), but in general, I don't think that they resonate with me to the same extent that the MP-era albums do.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: PixelDream on October 13, 2020, 03:08:40 PM
Learning to Live
Voices
Scarred
A Change of Seasons
The Spirit Carries On
The Glass Prison
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
In the Name of God
Octavarium
The Count of Tuscany

Notes:

- I ended up with one too many, so I had to kill 'Misunderstood'. It's not a regular favorite I think among fans, but it's been a top track for me forever. If I had one more spot, I would choose Another Day.

- Looking at this list, I now realize I really ended up with 10 tracks that mean the world to me.

- Scarred is my number one song by the band, and also my number one track from my number one album of all time. I totally worship this album. I also adore Images & Words, but Awake removes the glossy production and replaces it with a more cinematic mood, rough edges, increased heaviness and a super cool production style. In that respect, SFAM echoes I&W, while 6DOIT is more reminiscent of Awake. Kind of.

- I do like FII and SC, but song-wise the other albums have more to offer.

- SFAM is one of their best for sure, but works best as a whole, that's why there's only The Spirit Carries On. The performance of this song at the Score show solidified this track as the ultimate DT sing-along track for me.

- I still like DT with Mike Mangini (Distance Over Time is super dope) and he's such a cool dude (as is Portnoy), but it does feel a lot different. But that's okay. My heart is in the Portnoy era, but every time I've seen them live with MM it was amazing as always.

- My last concert before corona virus came around was DT, January 11th in Amsterdam, when they played SFAM in its entirety. Totally amazing, and I really wish to see them live again.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: bosk1 on October 13, 2020, 03:59:51 PM
Light Fuse and Get Away

Even though this song wouldn't make my top 10, and probably not top 20, I am glad to see it.  Nice pick!  :tup
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Cool Chris on October 13, 2020, 08:18:43 PM
Two things I would not have expected: Scarred and Count of Tuscany are doing well. No other major surprises.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: ZirconBlue on October 14, 2020, 08:58:15 AM


Have to think carefully about this one before I answer. But aren't you missing a few songs? While I doubt they'd get many votes, shouldn't To Live Forever, Don't Look Past Me, Raw Dog and the FII outtakes be included, too? Maybe even the Majesty demos?



I would have voted for "The Way it Used to Be" and maybe 1-2 of the others if included.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: pg1067 on October 14, 2020, 09:40:44 AM
Two things I would not have expected: Scarred and Count of Tuscany are doing well. No other major surprises.

Why does Scarred surprise you?  It was a top performer in the DT "league" that was done within the last year.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Setlist Scotty on October 14, 2020, 11:45:07 AM
Light Fuse and Get Away
Even though this song wouldn't make my top 10, and probably not top 20, I am glad to see it.  Nice pick!  :tup
Thanks! I figure that I'll be the only one to pick that track, but I am glad to see that some of the other songs from WDaDU are getting a few votes.  :)
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: bosk1 on October 14, 2020, 12:21:35 PM
I understand the place it holds in your history with the band, and that's cool.  For me, even though the WDADU songs don't crack my tops, I have grown to really like about 2/3 of the album (even if it did take me awhile, and took more modern versions with JLB singing).  In particular, TKH, LFAGA, and OAMOT stand up well to the rest of their catalog.  Really, the only songs on that album I don't care for at all are Afterlife and TOWHTSTS, and I find TYJ to be the least interesting of their instrumentals (ignoring the abomination known as Hell's Kitchen for purposes of this discussion). 
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Freeze on October 14, 2020, 12:51:07 PM
In chronological order:

Only A Matter of Time
Metropolis pt. 1
Under A Glass Moon
Learning To Live
Scarred
Space Dye-Vest
A Change of Seasons
Strange Deja-Vu
Finally Free
Octavarium

This list is my favorite of the two. Classic stuff simply put.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: pg1067 on October 14, 2020, 02:19:40 PM
I understand the place it holds in your history with the band, and that's cool.  For me, even though the WDADU songs don't crack my tops, I have grown to really like about 2/3 of the album (even if it did take me awhile, and took more modern versions with JLB singing).  In particular, TKH, LFAGA, and OAMOT stand up well to the rest of their catalog.  Really, the only songs on that album I don't care for at all are Afterlife and TOWHTSTS, and I find TYJ to be the least interesting of their instrumentals (ignoring the abomination known as Hell's Kitchen for purposes of this discussion).

Hell's Kitchen an "abomination"?  I quite like it, and it obviously has a far different vibe than any other of their instrumentals.

My first exposure to WDADU was the first DT show I saw in November 1992.  They played TYJ, OAMOT and TKH (with the "Another Hand" intro), and AFIL and SS were swapped in on the second and third legs of the I&W tour.  I think I finally tracked down WDADU around the same time I got Live at the Marquee (shortly after its September 1993 release).  I probably also wouldn't have any of the WDADU songs in a top 25, but I like them all to varying degrees (with TOWHTSTS being on the bottom).  It's a solid album and, even with Charlie singing, I likely would have been a fan if I had heard it before PMU.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: MirrorMask on October 14, 2020, 03:10:01 PM
Hell's Kitchen is not an abomination, but it's just a random instrumental section lifted off from a song where it didn't belong... and whose best part, the ending, was written just to have a nice segue into Lines in the Sand.

I don't regret it having heard it live in the Images and Words and Beyond tour but it's nothing to write home about.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: hefdaddy42 on October 14, 2020, 03:21:46 PM
Hell's Kitchen is not an abomination, but it's just a random instrumental section lifted off from a song where it didn't belong... and whose best part, the ending, was written just to have a nice segue into Lines in the Sand.

I don't regret it having heard it live in the Images and Words and Beyond tour but it's nothing to write home about.
Respectfully disagree.  Fantastic composition.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Cool Chris on October 14, 2020, 08:49:00 PM
I remember hearing the ending of Hell's Kitchen at the end of the Instrumedley on the Budokan DVD, and thought "That is amazing, what the heck song is that?" I had so rarely listened to FII at that point I completely forgot all about Hell's Kitchen.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: HOF on October 14, 2020, 10:31:42 PM
I accidentally left out Take Away My Pain from my vote. In chronological order, I voted:

1. Another Day
2. Learning to Live
3. 6:00
4. Lifting Shadows off a Dream
5. Scarred
6. Hollow Years
7. Hell’s Kitchen
8. Lines in the Sand
9. Trial of Tears
10. Blind Faith (I’d probably bump this for Take Away My Pain)

The only Mangini era songs I’ve heard enough to say that I like them are The Looking Glass, The Gift of Music, and Our New World. None would rank in my top 10 over all though.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: bosk1 on October 14, 2020, 10:51:06 PM
Hell's Kitchen is not an abomination

You're right.  But I couldn't think of a strong enough word to describe how bad it is when I wrote that, so I just chose the best word that came to mind.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: HOF on October 14, 2020, 10:55:37 PM
I’m amazed to find there are people who dislike Hell’s Kitchen. What a beautiful, majestic instrumental.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: lovethedrake on October 14, 2020, 11:07:37 PM
Hell’s Kitchen is beautiful and harmless... what about it do you dislike?

I’m surprised at the lack of love for Fatal Tragedy... a candidate for my favorite DT song. 

Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: MoraWintersoul on October 15, 2020, 04:46:54 AM
@ the 2-4 other people who have voted for Wait For Sleep and Lie: where are you? we could be good friends  :angel:
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: MirrorMask on October 15, 2020, 04:53:28 AM
I’m surprised at the lack of love for Fatal Tragedy... a candidate for my favorite DT song.

9 votes on such a vast poll with so many great songs as an option doesn't qualify to me as a "lack of love", the competition is tough and still near 10 people found that there aren't, in that long and awesome list, 11 songs better than Fatal Tragedy, it's an average-to-good result for the song I'd say.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: HOF on October 15, 2020, 07:04:04 AM
@ the 2-4 other people who have voted for Wait For Sleep and Lie: where are you? we could be good friends  :angel:

I’ve always loved Wait for Sleep. Lie is cool too.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: bosk1 on October 15, 2020, 08:47:46 AM
@ the 2-4 other people who have voted for Wait For Sleep and Lie: where are you? we could be good friends  :angel:

Wasn't me, but I have to say that it was CLOSE, and it kinda hurt not including those songs in my list.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Ben_Jamin on October 15, 2020, 09:30:25 AM
I remember hearing the ending of Hell's Kitchen at the end of the Instrumedley on the Budokan DVD, and thought "That is amazing, what the heck song is that?" I had so rarely listened to FII at that point I completely forgot all about Hell's Kitchen.

I first heard Hell's Kitchen on Budakon, then heard the while song when I borrowed my friends FII CD and ripped it. It was a good listen but when it came to the ending, I was disappointed there were no Tubular Bells. I was even more disappointed JR didn't keep them for the I&W&B tour. Those Tubular Bells make the ending more majestic.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: pg1067 on October 15, 2020, 09:51:14 AM
I’m surprised at the lack of love for Fatal Tragedy... a candidate for my favorite DT song.

I voted for it, but I didn't really expect it to be among the top songs here.  It's not a "lack of love" as much as it is an abundance of great songs.


@ the 2-4 other people who have voted for Wait For Sleep and Lie: where are you? we could be good friends  :angel:

I’ve always loved Wait for Sleep. Lie is cool too.

Wait for Sleep is great, but top 10 among MP era songs?

And Lie barely cracks the top 10 songs on Awake.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Evermind on October 15, 2020, 10:06:02 AM
I've almost voted Wait for Sleep, but went with The Ministry of Lost Souls instead.

Lie I don't really care for though.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: lovethedrake on October 15, 2020, 10:19:45 AM
Yeah I just figured more people would choose Fatal Tragedy as a Top 10 song.   Lack of Love was maybe the wrong term choice.

Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: kirksnosehair on October 15, 2020, 11:44:31 AM
I think Hell's Kitchen is one of Dream Theater's best instrumentals.  Such a well-crafted piece with soaring melodies that linger in my head for days after listening to the album.  In fact, in my opinion the three final tracks of that album should have been Hell's Kitchen >> Lines in the Sand >> Trial of Tears.   Other than New Millennium and Peruvian Skies those are the only tracks I care for on that album.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: MoraWintersoul on October 15, 2020, 03:33:51 PM
And Lie barely cracks the top 10 songs on Awake.
It's only the lead single of the album!

But I can survive Lie trash talk, it's slightly less heretical than bosk talking trash about Hell's Kitchen, one of my favorite instrumentals of all time.

There's just something I noticed in the fandom, where everyone is really specific about what they appreciate DT for, and everything else is "eh". It's like we go to them to fulfill very specific needs, and short simple songs aren't high on the list of needs of people who are really into DT. But I really like them and I think they have some great ones, Lie and WFS included.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: pg1067 on October 15, 2020, 04:39:03 PM
And Lie barely cracks the top 10 songs on Awake.
It's only the lead single of the album!

But I can survive Lie trash talk, it's slightly less heretical than bosk talking trash about Hell's Kitchen, one of my favorite instrumentals of all time.

There's just something I noticed in the fandom, where everyone is really specific about what they appreciate DT for, and everything else is "eh". It's like we go to them to fulfill very specific needs, and short simple songs aren't high on the list of needs of people who are really into DT. But I really like them and I think they have some great ones, Lie and WFS included.

Being the "lead single" doesn't make a song good.  However, I seem to like Lie better than a lot of folks here.  However, it's a good song on an album full of great songs.  I think I put it ahead of Innocence Faced and The Mirror but behind everything else.

I think your second paragraph here is full of truth.  Some songs are universally well-regarded, but just about everything else has folks who love it all the way to folks who don't like it.  For example, I think Repentance is DT's single worst song, but I think it got at least one vote in this poll.  I think one of DT's biggest strengths is whether it's songs like ACOS and 8VM or stuff like Surrounded and Hollow Years, they have, at one point or another, done just about every style of song really well.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: bosk1 on October 15, 2020, 05:22:33 PM
I tend to be all over the place and really like the vast majority of what they do.  I like the really long mega-epics and well as the short songs.  I like the heavy as well as the proggy as well as the ballady stuff.  For my tops on I&W, I probably go in this order:
1.  Metropolis
2.  Learning To Live
3.  Wait for Sleep

I don't even hate HK.  I do find it to be a bit pedestrian compared to their other instrumentals, and it is probably my least favorite (or bottom 2) of album instrumentals (don't get me started on Eve--I actually DO hate that one).  But it's not bad at all.  I just kind of get a kick out of seeing people's heads explode when I don't fawn over it like a lot of people do.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: YtseJam on October 15, 2020, 06:05:19 PM
1.   Under a Glass Moon
2.   Innocence Faded
3.   New Millennium
4.   Hell's Kitchen
5.   Strange Déjà vu
6.   Fatal Tragedy
7.   Home
8.   The Glass Prison
9.   Blind Faith
10.   The Count of Tuscany
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: ThatOneGuy2112 on October 15, 2020, 09:06:46 PM
@ the 2-4 other people who have voted for Wait For Sleep and Lie: where are you? we could be good friends  :angel:

Greetings!

I voted for Wait For Sleep. It's just such a beautiful and intricate composition that both stands strong on its own and works well as a segue into Learning to Live.

My top 10 in chronological order were:

Metropolis Pt. 1
Wait For Sleep
Learning to Live
Voices
Scarred
A Change of Seasons
Home
Finally Free
Blind Faith
Misunderstood
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Setlist Scotty on October 15, 2020, 10:06:43 PM
I don't even hate HK.  I do find it to be a bit pedestrian compared to their other instrumentals, and it is probably my least favorite (or bottom 2) of album instrumentals (don't get me started on Eve--I actually DO hate that one).  But it's not bad at all.  I just kind of get a kick out of seeing people's heads explode when I don't fawn over it like a lot of people do.
How do HK and Eve rate in comparison to Raw Dog for you?
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: SleeperAwake on October 16, 2020, 09:07:32 AM
Chronologically...

Take the Time
Surrounded
Wait for Sleep
Learning to Live
Voices
Space Dye Vest
A Change of Seasons
Lines in the Sand
Trial of Tears
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence


The Mangini era can't really compete with these songs, though they've written some good, solid material with him in the band.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: bosk1 on October 17, 2020, 03:29:11 PM
I don't even hate HK.  I do find it to be a bit pedestrian compared to their other instrumentals, and it is probably my least favorite (or bottom 2) of album instrumentals (don't get me started on Eve--I actually DO hate that one).  But it's not bad at all.  I just kind of get a kick out of seeing people's heads explode when I don't fawn over it like a lot of people do.
How do HK and Eve rate in comparison to Raw Dog for you?

Hard to say.  When Raw Dog came out, I listened to it a couple of times, and it didn't really click.  I remember liking some of it, and some not really clicking.  I didn't dislike it, but it didn't grab me.  But I don't really have a clear recollection of it.  I would definitely rank it above Eve.  But not sure where I would put it in relation to HK.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: TAC on October 17, 2020, 04:41:34 PM
Raw Dog is awesome, and not deserving of the shit it gets.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Ben_Jamin on October 17, 2020, 08:13:48 PM
I would probably listen to Raw Dog more if it had the ending it was supposed to have.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Cool Chris on October 17, 2020, 08:52:42 PM
I have probably not listened to Raw Dog more than twice. Will remedy that now.

Boy, does everyone get a rather... unique... top result when searching for "Raw Dog" on YT?
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: TAC on October 17, 2020, 08:57:37 PM
Oh wait. Are we talking about another Raw Dog? :D
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: HOF on October 17, 2020, 09:05:25 PM
I have probably not listened to Raw Dog more than twice. Will remedy that now.

Boy, does everyone get a rather... unique... top result when searching for "Raw Dog" on YT?

I’m glad you said this because I’m not sure what Raw Dog is and this confirms I probably don’t want to search for it.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Cool Chris on October 17, 2020, 09:16:41 PM
I would probably listen to Raw Dog more if it had the ending it was supposed to have.

The ending where it stopped 5 minutes sooner?
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: pg1067 on October 17, 2020, 09:50:49 PM
I would probably listen to Raw Dog more if it had the ending it was supposed to have.

The ending where it stopped 5 minutes sooner?

 :lol :lol
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Mojado Ilegal on October 19, 2020, 11:48:51 AM
[REDACTED]
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: hefdaddy42 on October 19, 2020, 12:10:05 PM
I would probably listen to Raw Dog more if it had the ending it was supposed to have.

The ending where it stopped 5 minutes sooner?
I would definitely prefer that version.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Dublagent66 on October 21, 2020, 02:45:16 PM
Pull Me Under
Metropolis--Pt. I
Learning To Live
Scarred
A Change of Seasons
Trial of Tears
Home
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Octavarium
The Ministry of Lost Souls

BONUS ANSWER:  The MP era songs are my favorite, but more difficult to choose because there are more of them and more of them are better than MM era songs.  MM era songs much easier to choose for the opposite reason.  Less to choose from and less good songs.  My choice has nothing to do with who is the better drummer.  I think the overall songwriting was better during the MP days.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Peter Mc on October 22, 2020, 12:23:27 PM
I think Hell's Kitchen is one of Dream Theater's best instrumentals.  Such a well-crafted piece with soaring melodies that linger in my head for days after listening to the album.  In fact, in my opinion the three final tracks of that album should have been Hell's Kitchen >> Lines in the Sand >> Trial of Tears.   Other than New Millennium and Peruvian Skies those are the only tracks I care for on that album.

This is like you’re in my head, exactly my feelings on FII right down to the songs listed being the only ones I care for.
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: Dublagent66 on October 22, 2020, 03:01:10 PM
I like every song on FII.  Some of them that were not mentioned above, I just happen to like a lot less.  ;)
Title: Re: Top 10 Portnoy-era songs, and a bonus question
Post by: mariner on November 08, 2020, 03:16:26 PM
In order:

1.  The Spirit Carries On.  Still can't listen to it without tearing up.
2.  Octavarium.  Love the many twists and turns in this, and love how each section of the one part of the song evokes the others on the record.
3.  6 Degrees.  Just can't get tired of this.  Ever.
4.  Pull Me Under.  My first favorite DT song.  Wasn't it everyone's?
5.  Fatal Tragedy.  The song that got me re-interested in DT in 1999.
6.  Learning to Live.  I think of WFS as the first part of this, but I get goosebumps from the reprise... every time.
7.  Metropolis Pt 1.  My first favorite epic.
8.  As I Am.  My favorite lyrics, and love the metal riff in this.
9.  The Count of Tuscany.  My favorite newer MP epic.
10. Hollow Years - I wanted a ballad in here and love the Peruvian Skies off of the 2005 tour bootlegs, but went with HY, especially after the L@B version.