skydivingninja's Top 50 Dream Theater Songs! (Starts at Page 9)

[contest_sanity]

Why should you have to listen to the two minutes of silence for it to be your favorite song? Especially if all your skipping is silence.

Octivarium is one of my favorite DT songs but sometimes I skip the four minute intro just because I'd rather get to a more interesting part of the song. Does this mean it's not worthy of being my favorite song?

It's really only your favorite if you made a loop of nothing but Jordan's intro to the song on Score and you listen to nothing but that.  That's a true fan.  Likewise an 80 minute loop on cd of nothing but the last 2 minutes of Six Degrees would also show true fandom.  And, by the way, that outro is even longer if you count "As I Am."

[Quadrochosis]

I guess I am just different; I can't imagine one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands being one where I routinely skip a certain part of the song, assuming I have the time to listen to the song, if it is a long one.

I actually usually don't even skip it. I don't mind it at all.

[Plasmastrike]

I love "Voices," and I also love Quad's list. Thanks for the read dude.

[glaurung]

So, the last two minutes of your favorite song by the band don't really have to be listened to?  Okay.  

Why should you have to listen to the two minutes of silence for it to be your favorite song?

Octivarium is one of my favorite DT songs but sometimes I skip the four minute intro just because I'd rather get to a more interesting part of the song. Does this mean it's not worthy of being my favorite song?

I'm saying I don't like the intro by the way. I love it, I just am sometimes not in the mood for it.

That is more about time probably than the content of the song.  Heck, sometimes, if pressed for time, I listen to just the first two parts of "2112."  I guess I am just different; I can't imagine one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands being one where I routinely skip a certain part of the song, assuming I have the time to listen to the song, if it is a long one.

You're right, in my case it's more about time because I do like the intro.

But I can't imagine why something can't be your favorite song because you skip two minutes of silence at the end. Because the silence contributes so much to the song. 

[PlaysLikeMyung]

No Voices... that is highly disappointing...

At least point I can freely say that I hate both "Voices" and "Scarred".

Both would be in my Bottom 10 DT songs, right with "Constant Motion", "You Not Me", and some other classic failgems.

Hate?

Nobody hates Voices. Not even Blobbers. Why don't you like it so much?

Because it is a bad song. (By DT standards)

This isn't a valid reason. There has to be something more specific

[KevShmev]

But I can't imagine why something can't be your favorite song because you skip two minutes of silence at the end. Because the silence contributes so much to the song. 

You just agreed with my point.  The long fadeout doesn't really contribute to the song, therefore making it unnecessary, which is what I have said it is all along.  

[Quadrochosis]

And Kev, "Glass Arm Shattering" has like 5 minutes of silence at the end, and yet it is still a great PT tune.

[Birch Boy]

Awesome list Quad. 

[Quadrochosis]

No Voices... that is highly disappointing...

At least point I can freely say that I hate both "Voices" and "Scarred".

Both would be in my Bottom 10 DT songs, right with "Constant Motion", "You Not Me", and some other classic failgems.

Hate?

Nobody hates Voices. Not even Blobbers. Why don't you like it so much?

Because it is a bad song. (By DT standards)

This isn't a valid reason. There has to be something more specific

Um, it just never clicked with me? I don't know what to say. I've listened to it, and never ever enjoyed it.

[PlaysLikeMyung]

One of James' best vocal moments:


"..being laughed at and confused keeps us pleasantly amused enough to STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY"

[hefdaddy42]

I would just like to point out that it isn't really two minutes of silence.

[glaurung]

I would just like to point out that it isn't really two minutes of silence.

It might as well be.

[Quadrochosis]

OK, gave another honest listen to Awake. It's been quite a while since I've spun it (about a year).

After one "new-listen" I'd say it still ranks in 9th. SC is definitely worse. But at the same time I can't say it's better than anything else by them.

I think it was one of those things where the lat time I listened to it, I wasn't that happy with it, so never went back, and always remembered it being way worse than it was.

Still though, Neither "Scarred" or "Voices" would make my top 50. I just can't get into those songs. "Erotomania" might have been a bit higher now though.

[glaurung]

As long as you have Awake above SC I'm happy.

[Perpetual Change]

As long as you have Awake above SC I'm happy.

This.

Also, Awake is one of those albums I can't listen to regularly. When I do, I absolutely love it and always listen to it all the way through. But I listen to it very rarely, and almost never listen to just one or two songs.

[moffatt]

Excellent choice my friend. SDOIT is my 2nd favourite song. I just think the whole way through (including overture) it never drags on, it never gets boring, and it keeps me excited the whole way through. About to Crash(both of em) are the highlights for me. But i would normally always listen to it the whole way through.

[Zydar]

Great choice, SDoIT is very high on my own list.

[AwakeFromOctavarium]

Not an agreeable list, but interesting nonetheless. Six Degrees is amazing, although I have a hard time listening through the whole epic.

[RoeDent]

 Being the complete and utter geek that I am, and for purely personal interest, I have taken this Top 50, and split it into eight playlists on a fairly well-known music streaming site. I've split the songs so that each playlist makes an average-length CD album. The tracklistings are as follows:

Disc 1 - #50 - #41
1. The Silent Man - 3:48
2. Overture 1928 - 3:37
3. These Walls - 6:59
4. New Millennium - 8:20
5. The Shattered Fortress - 12:49 (X. Restraint/XI. Recieve/XII. Responsible)
6. The Mirror - 6:45
7. Hollow Years - 5:53
8. A Fortune in Lies - 5:12
9. Another Day - 4:23
10. The Best of Times - 13:09

Disc 2 - #40 - #34
1. Only a Matter of Time - 6:35
2. Through Her Eyes - 5:29
3. Sacrificed Sons - 10:42
4. The Dark Eternal Night - 8:53
5. Strange Deja Vu - 5:12
6. The Root of All Evil - 8:09 (VI. Ready/VII. Remove)
7. In the Presence of Enemies - 25:38 (I. Prelude/II. Resurrection/III. Heretic/IV. Slaughter of the Damned/V. The Reckoning/VI. Salvation)

Disc 3 - #33 - #26
1. Ytse Jam - 5:43
2. Stream of Consciousness - 11:16
3. The Killing Hand - 8:43 (I. The Observance/II. Ancient Renewal/III. The Stray Seed/IV. Thorns/V. Exodus)
4. The Ministry of Lost Souls - 14:57
5. Afterlife - 5:27
6. Beyond This Life - 11:22
7. Anna Lee - 5:52
8. Lifting Shadows off a Dream - 6:05

Disc 4 - #25 - #20
1. Lines in the Sand - 12:09
2. Disappear - 6:46
3. Erotomania - 6:45
4. The Glass Prison - 13:53 (I. Reflection/II. Restoration/III. Revelation)
5. Under a Glass Moon - 7:03
6. A Change of Seasons - 23:09 (I. The Crimson Sunrise/II. Innocence/III. Carpe Diem/IV. The Darkest of Winters/V. Another World/VI. The Inevitable Summer/VII. The Crimson Sunset)

Disc 5 - #19 - #14
1. Trial of Tears - 13:05 (I. It's Raining/II. Deep in Heaven/III. The Wasteland)
2. A Nightmare to Remember - 16:10
3. Misunderstood - 9:22
4. Home - 12:53
5. Take the Time - 8:21
6. Endless Sacrifice - 11:24

Disc 6 - #13 - #7
1. Surrounded - 5:30
2. Blind Faith - 10:21
3. The Dance of Eternity - 6:15
4. Space Dye Vest - 7:30
5. The Spirit Carries On - 6:38
6. In the Name of God - 14:15
7. The Count of Tuscany - 19:17

Disc 7 - #6 - #2
1. Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper - 9:32
2. Octavarium - 24:00 (I. Someone Like Him/II. Medicate (Awakening)/III. Full Circle/IV. Intervals/V. Razor's Edge)
3. Fatal Tragedy - 6:49
4. Learning to Live - 11:31
5. Finally Free - 12:00

Disc 8 - #1
1. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence - 42:01 (I. Overture/II. About to Crash/III. War Inside My Head/IV. The Test That Stumped Them All/V. Goodnight Kiss/VI. Solitary Shell/VII. About to Crash (Reprise)/VIII. Losing Time/Grand Finale)

-------------

There ya go. Fifty songs, on eight new DT albums. Really enjoyed reading the list, well done Quad for compiling it.  

[ScioPath]

The only drawback of 6DOIT for me is Goodnight Kiss. The guitar solo is sick, but the song itself is torture for me to listen to...

Yes! I also like the piano arpeggios before the verse, but thats it.

[BRGM]

It's okay Quad, Voices and Scarred doesn't click for me either, But I really like SDOIT though! and SC is much better than Awake -.-

[Mladen]

Interesting number 1. 

[Pirate]

Being the complete and utter geek that I am, and for purely personal interest, I have taken this Top 50, and split it into eight playlists on a fairly well-known music streaming site. I've split the songs so that each playlist makes an average-length CD album. The tracklistings are as follows:

Disc 1 - #50 - #41
1. The Silent Man - 3:48
2. Overture 1928 - 3:37
3. These Walls - 6:59
4. New Millennium - 8:20
5. The Shattered Fortress - 12:49 (X. Restraint/XI. Recieve/XII. Responsible)
6. The Mirror - 6:45
7. Hollow Years - 5:53
8. A Fortune in Lies - 5:12
9. Another Day - 4:23
10. The Best of Times - 13:09

Disc 2 - #40 - #34
1. Only a Matter of Time - 6:35
2. Through Her Eyes - 5:29
3. Sacrificed Sons - 10:42
4. The Dark Eternal Night - 8:53
5. Strange Deja Vu - 5:12
6. The Root of All Evil - 8:09 (VI. Ready/VII. Remove)
7. In the Presence of Enemies - 25:38 (I. Prelude/II. Resurrection/III. Heretic/IV. Slaughter of the Damned/V. The Reckoning/VI. Salvation)

Disc 3 - #33 - #26
1. Ytse Jam - 5:43
2. Stream of Consciousness - 11:16
3. The Killing Hand - 8:43 (I. The Observance/II. Ancient Renewal/III. The Stray Seed/IV. Thorns/V. Exodus)
4. The Ministry of Lost Souls - 14:57
5. Afterlife - 5:27
6. Beyond This Life - 11:22
7. Anna Lee - 5:52
8. Lifting Shadows off a Dream - 6:05

Disc 4 - #25 - #20
1. Lines in the Sand - 12:09
2. Disappear - 6:46
3. Erotomania - 6:45
4. The Glass Prison - 13:53 (I. Reflection/II. Restoration/III. Revelation)
5. Under a Glass Moon - 7:03
6. A Change of Seasons - 23:09 (I. The Crimson Sunrise/II. Innocence/III. Carpe Diem/IV. The Darkest of Winters/V. Another World/VI. The Inevitable Summer/VII. The Crimson Sunset)

Disc 5 - #19 - #14
1. Trial of Tears - 13:05 (I. It's Raining/II. Deep in Heaven/III. The Wasteland)
2. A Nightmare to Remember - 16:10
3. Misunderstood - 9:22
4. Home - 12:53
5. Take the Time - 8:21
6. Endless Sacrifice - 11:24

Disc 6 - #13 - #7
1. Surrounded - 5:30
2. Blind Faith - 10:21
3. The Dance of Eternity - 6:15
4. Space Dye Vest - 7:30
5. The Spirit Carries On - 6:38
6. In the Name of God - 14:15
7. The Count of Tuscany - 19:17

Disc 7 - #6 - #2
1. Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper - 9:32
2. Octavarium - 24:00 (I. Someone Like Him/II. Medicate (Awakening)/III. Full Circle/IV. Intervals/V. Razor's Edge)
3. Fatal Tragedy - 6:49
4. Learning to Live - 11:31
5. Finally Free - 12:00

Disc 8 - #1
1. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence - 42:01 (I. Overture/II. About to Crash/III. War Inside My Head/IV. The Test That Stumped Them All/V. Goodnight Kiss/VI. Solitary Shell/VII. About to Crash (Reprise)/VIII. Losing Time/Grand Finale)

-------------

There ya go. Fifty songs, on eight new DT albums. Really enjoyed reading the list, well done Quad for compiling it.  

Disc 2 and Disc 4 would be epic

[Marvellous G]

Great list Quad! While SDOIT isn't my number 1 by any stretch, I still think it's at least a very fitting number 1. While I'm upset at the lack of Voices as it is one of my top 10 DT songs, I'm not gonna rant at you about it, each to their own. Aside from Voices, I also agree with you about Awake, it's in my bottom 2 DT albums.

[Silver Tears]

Nice list. I'd probably put Six Degrees as number one too 

[skydivingninja]

Interesting choice for number 1.  However, like everyone has said, you do fail horribly for not including "Voices"

[Quadrochosis]

Interesting choice for number 1.  However, like everyone has said, you do fail horribly for not including "Voices"

Did you want to do your list now SDN?

[MetalManiac666]

Cool list, and nice #1.  Actually, I think I'll listen to it right now.

[skydivingninja]

Interesting choice for number 1.  However, like everyone has said, you do fail horribly for not including "Voices"

Did you want to do your list now SDN?

Yeah, that would be cool.  Only thing that's kinda weird is that Pirate has his own top 50 DT thread, but I'll gladly start and take over this one.  Writeup of first five should be up tonight.

[antigoon]

Nobody cares about him anyway.

[Pirate]

Nobody cares about him anyway.

I do! 

[antigoon]

[skydivingninja]

Well, I got it done early.  Here we go!

50. Forsaken-Systematic Chaos
Behold!  One of the two tracks from SC that will show up on this list.  Is it pop-metal?  Yes.  Do I care?  Absolutely not.  Any instance in which Jordan uses a piano on a DT song is great, in my opinion, its just a great sound combined with the darkness of the rest of the song.  As an added bonus, the lyrics about vampires don't sound completely ridiculous like certain other songs DT have released lately, even if that video is very WTF.

49. Wither-Black Clouds & Silver Linings
I like this song because its Dream Theater's big "fuck you" to anyone who thinks a good power ballad can't be written anymore.  Despite that, I think the piano version appearing on the Wither EP is a massive improvement.  It gives James his chance to shine with great emotional vocals without needing to go into the stratosphere in the awesome way he usually does.  Plus, like I've already said: JR + Piano + DT = Flawless victory.

48. Misunderstood-Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
All I have to say is "Thank God for radio edits."  This song has some awesome instrumentation, like all those little played-backwards bits before the pre-chorus.  Plus it features some of John Petrucci's best lyrics, and that chorus is awesome.  My only beef with it is the outro (like you couldn't see that coming).  The scales on the keys and the riff in the background is fine, but when the guitars just start making noise...not really a fan.  It just sort of drags, but the entire first half is enough for this song to be included.

47. Only a Matter of Time-When Day and Dream Unite
Really the best reason why this is on the list are the vocals/lyrics, how everything just sort of runs together, I always thought it was pretty cool, not to mention the epic ending that DT is pretty much known for now.

46. Scarred-Awake
Oh God! *raises flame shield*  So listen, its not that I hate the song, its just that there are lots of times where it just doesn't work for me.  Yes, it has some of James' best vocal moments, and the intro/outro are amazing, but those are some of the most abrupt transitions I've ever heard in a song.  For example, the super-grind/balls/chunk section starting at 7:02, its just not that interesting to me.  I'm also not too big a fan of the "blood change me" sections until the end of that middle section that starts around 5:12.  Despite those flaws, its benefits are enough to put it here.

[Mladen]

Thumbs up for Wither.  Scarred should be MUCH higher, though...

[AcidLameLTE]

Ten Speed better be on that list some where.