Oh, here's a controversial opinion: I think the label restructuring the songs on FII was mostly a good thing. With the exception of TAMP, I prefer every album track to its demo version (even YNM).
In fact, I also prefer the radio edits of the three singles to the album versions. I enjoy how much catchier they feel in their shorter form.
I don't know how controversial it is to think (as I do) that "You Not Me" is vastly superior to "You or Me." MP notes on his web site that, once the label declined to release a two-CD set, they weren't going to use YOM, but they obviously did choose to include it after it became YNM.
That said, I'm not sure that the "label restructur[ed] [any of] the songs on FII." Citing
Lifting Shadows, the Wikipedia article for the album notes that
Kevin Shirley "made significant alterations to some of [the songs]; most notably, he took the middle section of 'Burning My Soul' and turned it into what would become 'Hell's Kitchen.'" Shirley also suggested the collaboration with Desmond Child on YOM/YNM. This is consistent with what's on MP's web site. I think the label's biggest direct involvement with the music was the refusal to release a two-CD set, which resulted in the poorest songs being omitted. That's certainly a good thing IMO.
Maybe the distinction between Kevin Shirley editing the songs and the label doing it is one that's meaningful only to me, but I think it's a big distinction (especially when you consider that DT continued to work with Shirley throughout MP's tenure with the band). With the exception of YOM, I've probably only listened to the demo versions once or maybe twice, but I don't recall any of them being so significantly different or better or worse than what ended up on the album (other than, obviously, BMS being a lot different with HK in the middle).
Yeah, but they just weren't working with great material to begin with.
Exactly.
Here's one that will no doubt have the majority disagreeing with.
Anna Lee is a top-20 song in Dream Theater's catalog.
There is so much to love in a song that has such a simple instrumentation. John's playing (lap steel, if I am not mistaken -- guitarists correct me) is just FULL of soul, Derek paints such an emotional landscape with his opening chords and throughout that song, and James singing is simply beautiful. And it is one of the few times when I hear Portnoy playing a very slow song, that he's not overplaying. He provided the absolute perfect percussion to the tune.
I know its not something typical for Dream Theater to do. Something simplistic like this. (Although they have similar simplistic songs, they are more rare, obviously). But its so incredibly emotional, and a high point, at least for me, in their huge catalog of tunes. Sometimes, less is more. They nailed that on this one.
I'll just ignore the "top-20" part of your post and say that it's a wonderful song that I like a lot. That way, it can feel like I'm agreeing with you.
That's about where I am. "Top 20" goes WAY too far for me, but I like it a lot, and it's one of my favorite songs on FII (which, given my opinion about that album as a whole, isn't saying a lot, but I do enjoy the song).