Why don’t people like BMUBMD?

[npiazza91]

I always see it as a hated DT song around these parts, but I think it’s great and it even makes my top 50. Yeah it’s a bit on the simple side, but the main riff is badass and the chorus, especially the vocal melody is fantastic. The chorus here is almost on BITS level. The solo isn’t bad either. Overall it’s a very well constructed prog metal song that fun to listen to. It’s better than half the album to me, and I love ADTOE.

[DTA]

I like it quite a bit, but it just feels kind of run-of-the-mill and nu-metalish. They also have way more interesting songs so it's natural that the straightforward ones will fall behind the others.

[Fritzinger]

I don't think it's hated.

At least I don't hate it, I'd rank it among other - let's say - simpler structured DT songs like Forsaken, Never Enough, A Rite Of Passage. And I'd rate it a lot higher than Paralyzed (which for me falls into that category but is a lot weaker because it just doesn't have a chorus).

I think it's good but it falls short a little because it's surrounded by a shitload of even better songs. Preceded by On The Backs, followed by Lost Not Forgotten. Of those three, it is definitely the weakest.

[npiazza91]

I don't think it's hated.

At least I don't hate it, I'd rank it among other - let's say - simpler structured DT songs like Forsaken, Never Enough, A Rite Of Passage. And I'd rate it a lot higher than Paralyzed (which for me falls into that category but is a lot weaker because it just doesn't have a chorus).

I think it's good but it falls short a little because it's surrounded by a shitload of even better songs. Preceded by On The Backs, followed by Lost Not Forgotten. Of those three, it is definitely the weakest.

Hot take, but I think it’s way better than LNF tbh. I find LNF to be dry and boring, and it feels so much longer than it actually is. UAGM does the same thing soooo much better. I don’t dislike the song, but I do think it’s the weakest link on the album.

[KidInTheDark666]

I have to agree, Build Me Up, Break Me Down is definitely one of the most underrated DT songs imo.

[Lupton]

I like it. For being what it is it still has plenty of DT instrumental stamps on it. Good arrangement. Nice chorus. A solid tune.

[Bentower]

JLB shrieks on it. That's never good.

[Mladen]

Except that the shrieks are among the song's highlights.

But then again, there is also a pounding riff, refreshing electronic samples, thoughtful lyrics, anthemic chorus, glorious unison and a sinister outro. There's plenty to love about the song. I just think it was overshadowed by the remaining songs on the album that featured the classic Dream Theater sound and became classics.

[cminor]

And I'd rate it a lot higher than Paralyzed (which for me falls into that category but is a lot weaker because it just doesn't have a chorus).

Something I'm wondering about: Why exactly wouldn't you call the a heart that feels no pain... part a chorus? Because it doesn't fell like one?

[geeeemo]

I love BMUBMD!!  Great work out tune.

[SystematicThought]

I like the breakdown in the middle of it. I don’t think the song fits the production of ADTOE, BMUBMD would benefit from more bass, louder guitars and booming drums, but I thought it worked better live.

[Northern Lion]

Except that the shrieks are among the song's highlights.

But then again, there is also a pounding riff, refreshing electronic samples, thoughtful lyrics, anthemic chorus, glorious unison and a sinister outro. There's plenty to love about the song. I just think it was overshadowed by the remaining songs on the album that featured the classic Dream Theater sound and became classics.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

I also love the screams.

And when ever it comes on in a playlist, I turn that volume UP!

[IDontNotDoThings]

I really dislike it because it strikes me as DT at its most generic & uninteresting. That's really not a term I throw around lightly (as I do enjoy some of DT's more "formulaic" songs), but this is the only song in their discography that I can't see as anything but a group of cliches.

[gzarruk]

I've been doing a full DT discography listen for the last couple weeks and I just finished ADTOE today, so the album and this song are fresh in my mind right now.

In my case, it's not that I don't like it, but it's surrounded by top quality DT songs, so it's the "least good" of the bunch. Yes, it's a "formulaic" and more "mainstream metal" song, but I'd take it any day over songs like Never Enough, Prophets of War, A Rite of Passage, half of FII... the list goes on. However, there's something about that song that just doesn't connect with me as some others, it just doesn't flow too well to me.

But then again, there is also a pounding riff, refreshing electronic samples, thoughtful lyrics, anthemic chorus, glorious unison and a sinister outro. There's plenty to love about the song. I just think it was overshadowed by the remaining songs on the album that featured the classic Dream Theater sound and became classics.

This is a great description, imo. The song does have all those things, but for whatever reason it falls short compared to the others. I also bolded the amthemic chorus part because, while listening to the album today, I noticed that most (if not all) songs on ADTOE have that amazing anthemic element in their choruses that just makes them sound super epic. Jordan's sound choiches and playing really highlight this too

And just to add, I hadn't listened to ADTOE in a while, but man has it aged well. I consider this song and FFH to be the weak links of the album (not bad tho), but the rest of the songs are wonderful classic DT.

[The Walrus]

BMUBMD is really good but I don't like those awful shrieks

[MirrorMask]

BMUBMD is really good but I don't like those awful shrieks

You mean the BUILD - ME - UP!!! parts? I completely removed them playing around with a sound editor and the songs works just fine without them.

[Mladen]

I am surprised so many people are having issues with the screaming section. In eight and a half years that the song has been discussed, I do not remember a single person complaining about the vocals. It was quite the opposite when the song came out, actually.

[The Walrus]

I mean I never minded them so much when the album first came out but 9 years later I hear it and I'm like why did they choose to include that

[Buddyhunter1]

I liked it when it when the album first came out but it's aged terribly for me. Composition-wise it's just very underwhelming, and the album's weak production lessens its heaviness and makes that chunky main riff hit far less hard than it should.

Also, the parallels to Red's Feed The Machine that were brought up a while back didn't help the song's case for me, either. Structure and sound-wise they're just so similar that it's hard for me to ignore. It'd be one thing if the song was an improvement over the Red one, but while I don't think either song is particularly great, I'd probably say Feed The Machine's at least a little bit better.

Interestingly, I quite like Paralyzed, which mostly just feels like a second attempt at the same type of song. It's much chunkier, the main riff is better, and the vocal melodies are a big improvement, if you ask me.

[gzarruk]

Also, the parallels to Red's Feed The Machine that were brought up a while back didn't help the song's case for me, either. Structure and sound-wise they're just so similar that it's hard for me to ignore.

It's so ironic that it was Mike Portnoy who pointed this out at first, when he did it way worse with Never Enough / Stockholm Syndrome

[Fritzinger]

And I'd rate it a lot higher than Paralyzed (which for me falls into that category but is a lot weaker because it just doesn't have a chorus).

Something I'm wondering about: Why exactly wouldn't you call the a heart that feels no pain... part a chorus? Because it doesn't fell like one?

That's definitely a pre-chorus for me.

The tension from the verses is just starting to be released and when you think "yes, explode into some anthemic chorus!", the intro riff just comes back.

Imagine if the chorus of Forsaken would follow this section. A chorus like that would have made the song a lot better.

By the way, for the same reason I think that Coming Home by Sons Of Apollo is an absolutely superfluous song. Nobody would miss this bunch of senseless, melodyless riffs. Now, if instead of the main riff a nice soaring chorus would have followed that "is it me, is it you"-part, Coming Home would have at least been a cool, memorable rocker a la Elevate (Windery Dogs).

[Dublagent66]

I have never not liked this song.

[Peter Mc]

Not listened to BMUBMD in a while but have no recollection of it having an anthemic chorus unless I’m mistaken as to what anthemic is. From memory, it’s a shouty chorus with little or no melody to speak of. When I think of anthemic choruses, I’m thinking Livin On A Prayer or something of that ilk, huge singalong melodic chorus.

I don’t hate it but would never make any kind of DT playlist for me, it’s not remotely a favourite.

[bosk1]

I have never not liked this song.

This.  I have always thought it was actually pretty great. 

But to happily jump on another bandwagon point I've seen raised a couple of times in this thread, I think it's an easy song to overlook or downplay because it is surrounded by so many other songs that are just better.  And that isn't necessary a negative at all.  Not to sound like a broken record, but I'll go back to what I always say about this album:  It is by far DT's most consistent album ever, IMO.  There are so many strong songs that even the "weakest" are still very good.

[The Walrus]

Not listened to BMUBMD in a while but have no recollection of it having an anthemic chorus unless I’m mistaken as to what anthemic is. From memory, it’s a shouty chorus with little or no melody to speak of. When I think of anthemic choruses, I’m thinking Livin On A Prayer or something of that ilk, huge singalong melodic chorus.

I don’t hate it but would never make any kind of DT playlist for me, it’s not remotely a favourite.

This is objectively incorrect. It has a noticeable melody - a stronger melody than in the verses - and the contour of the song takes a noticeable upward spike when the chorus kicks in. The only 'shouty' part is the 'BUILD! ME! UP!' part at the end, but "You build me up, you break me down and leave me fallen to pieces" is melodic af.

[Adami]

The drumming.

[gzarruk]

The drumming.

I'm a huge Mangini fan, but I would agree that this isn't one of his best drumming performances on ADTOE (or DT overall). There's a couple amazing fills in there, tho.

[goo-goo]

For me, the issue lies with the production. It wants to  sound like an aggressive heavy song, but the production makes it wimpy. I personally like the structure and the shrieks and the electronics that JR used. The live version on the Live at Luna Park release is pretty kick ass though.

[Herrick]

The song's all right. I only listen to it when I'm listening to the full album.

The whole thing with the Christian rock band was kind of embarrassing though.

[Volante99]

Definitely bottom of the barrel DT.

-Generic electronic sample #5 intro
-Nondescript Nu-Metal riff that would have fit right in on a Limp Bizkit album circa 2000
-Weird effects slathered all over LaBrie’s vocals
-Overbearing keys/synths that honestly don’t even need to be there
-BUUUIIILD MEEEEEH AAAAAHP BRRRREEEAAAAK MEEEH DAAAAAAWN!!!!
-Uplifting “anthemic” chorus which is a jarring transition to the rest of the song
-Even the usually reliable Petrucci lays down an unimaginative solo which sounds more like an arpeggio exercise more than anything

As a DT fan I don’t personally find it offensively bad, it’s just not good, and I can see plenty of reasons why it might turn someone off to the band. It’s the sort of thing I feel like the band could (and probably did) churn out in a few hours.

[lovethedrake]

I'm always glad when people like DT songs.... however, to me BMUBMD is by far the worst song on by far the worst album by DT. 

It is probably top 3 worst DT songs IMO.     It actually makes me cringe thinking of the chorus right now.

Sorry!     

Listen to Learning to Live or About to Crash and then ask yourself why might a DT fan not like BMUBMD?

[bosk1]

Listen to Learning to Live or About to Crash and then ask yourself why might a DT fan not like BMUBMD?

Okay, done!

So...why might a DT fan not like a fantastic song like BMUBMD?

[TAC]

Listen to Learning to Live or About to Crash and then ask yourself why might a DT fan not like BMUBMD?

Okay, done!

So...why might a DT fan not like a fantastic song like BMUBMD?

Um...he said ask yourself! 

[hefdaddy42]

It's an OK song, on its own.

However, I have also heard the Red song which it inspired it, and it's a little too close for my tastes.

Also, kind of like bosky said, every other song on the album is better than BMUBMD.  So, yeah.

If I'm playing the whole album, I usually listen to it.  Otherwise, I never listen to it.

[pg1067]

-Generic electronic sample #5 intro
-Nondescript Nu-Metal riff that would have fit right in on a Limp Bizkit album circa 2000
-Weird effects slathered all over LaBrie’s vocals
-. . .
-BUUUIIILD MEEEEEH AAAAAHP BRRRREEEAAAAK MEEEH DAAAAAAWN!!!!
-Uplifting “anthemic” chorus which is a jarring transition to the rest of the song
-. . .

As a DT fan I don’t personally find it offensively bad, it’s just not good. . . .

I can't really disagree with all of this (although the "jarring" nature of the chorus compared to the rest of the song isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I don't even know if I'd say it's "not good," and I don't think I'd say I don't like it.  It's certainly better than stuff like Repentance and Disappear, but it's definitely a bottom third DT song.

The whole thing with the Christian rock band was kind of embarrassing though.

Huh?