Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 2 revealed!!)

[Cool Chris]

Chris?   You sang this to your kid?   This is such a sad song! 

She was like 5 months old, she didn't know what the heck I was saying, and I just wanted to get her to sleep!! 

[jammindude]

Chris?   You sang this to your kid?   This is such a sad song! 

She was like 5 months old, she didn't know what the heck I was saying, and I just wanted to get her to sleep!! 

 

This almost reminds me of that scene from three men and a baby when Tom Selleck was reading the results of the boxing match to the little kid.

 

[Cool Chris]

I guess in retrospect, if getting her to sleep was my goal, I could have easily just played her some Genesis.

[nobloodyname]

Really interesting thread to follow, thanks Kev.

People have mentioned a ranking engine on a few occasions but I've not been able to find a link to it from an admittedly quick look. Could someone point me in the right direction, please?

[Elite]

Really interesting thread to follow, thanks Kev.

People have mentioned a ranking engine on a few occasions but I've not been able to find a link to it from an admittedly quick look. Could someone point me in the right direction, please?

Yes, here you go:

I will join, sounds fun!

I think an easy way to do this is to copy and paste the list of songs earlier in the thread into this website (https://rankingengine.pubmeeple.com/). Just click “Music” as your category, paste the full list of songs in one shot, and it will separate them all into individual choices. Then it randomly puts 2 songs at a time for you to choose from and will automatically rank them for you based on your responses.

[devieira73]

70 S2N (#34)
Incredible bass lines, amazing drumming and interaction between JM/MM/JP and I love the "enhanced new version" of the TDEN outro.

69 Hollow Years (#90)
Great ballad, amazingly well produced on FII.

68 A New Beginning (#19)
My third favorite Mangini era song (until the release of View anyway), instant classic - that outro groove/solo is one the best things DT ever recorded.

67 Beneath the Surface (#100)
A very touching song, James is amazing here.

[nobloodyname]

Really interesting thread to follow, thanks Kev.

People have mentioned a ranking engine on a few occasions but I've not been able to find a link to it from an admittedly quick look. Could someone point me in the right direction, please?

Yes, here you go:

I will join, sounds fun!

I think an easy way to do this is to copy and paste the list of songs earlier in the thread into this website (https://rankingengine.pubmeeple.com/). Just click “Music” as your category, paste the full list of songs in one shot, and it will separate them all into individual choices. Then it randomly puts 2 songs at a time for you to choose from and will automatically rank them for you based on your responses.

That's brilliant, thank you! Been wanting one of those for years.

[Wim Kruithof]

70 S2N #-
69 Hollow Years #35 (yep, Budokan in mind)
68 a New Beginning #-
67 Beneath the Surface #11

Cool Chris, beautiful story. Beneath the Surface is so touching and moving, my hair raises each time I spin the vinyl. It is at 11 in my list, but could be a top 10 as well. So close and mood-depending. For sure the best and most emotional ballad Dream Theater ever made.

[Ben_Jamin]

Continuing from where I left off at....

82 - Constant Motion: (Did Not Rank)

This is the song where I felt Dream Theater started getting some recognition out there due to this being released as a single and given a music video. I personally thought the song was alright when it was released, the only redeeming factor for me now is the guitar solo and that is because of the Dimebag high pitch squeal. It was alright live, but then I wasn't into the song much either and wanted a different song in the set. I would like to see this song played live just to hear what Mangini can do with this song.

81 - Honor Thy Father:  #88

Now because this song ranks 88 in my rankings does not mean I think it's bad or I don't enjoy it much. It's a really great energetic song and one I wish Dream Theater would've played live more often. I considered it their heaviest and grooviest song, until the release of the A View From...album. I do not have problem with the lyrics as they're not as personal as The Best of Times and can be taken as just someone who was in your life that has constantly mistreated you or neglected you. The instrumental section is awesome and reminds me of the Aztec Dancers and their rhythms of their drums.  (here's a video to give you an example....Aztec Dancers )  I also like the samples here because they represent that Anger and what they symbolize. For MP being a movie buff, he utilized these movie samples to show how he feels towards his step-father, and also it has a sort of 90's rap tone and style to the vocal style. I am glad this made the top 100 and at a spot that's higher than my own ranking...

80 - The Silent Man:  #93

If I were able to combine songs that are part of a suite, this song would be in my top 5. The studio version is a nice simple song, that I actually prefer over the more energetic live version on Live Scenes. The meaning of the song gets lost in the live versions. The simple and calm acoustics of it are what generate that meaning to me. That laid back atmosphere represents The Silence of the man. This is a great ending to the A Mind Beside Itself suite which is about those thoughts and questions you have when you are sitting there beside your own mind questioning and pondering things. Of which those thoughts, questions, and also feelings are described in Voices.  I love the Live at Luna Park version due to the strings as well.

79 - Ytsejam:  #91
 
"AHHHH....LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE"....I first heard bits of this song from Instrumedley. Then I borrowed my uncles dvd of Live in Tokyo and the energy they played this song during the early years was immense. Their youthful passion shows in this song and in that specific live version, including Portnoy's drum solo. I just outgrew my love for it, but still enjoy it when I do listen to it. It's sort of nostalgic for me as it brings me back to those memories of my uncle.

78 - The Dark Eternal Night:  (Did Not Rank)

I do not enjoy how the studio verse vocals sound at all. The chorus vocals are great though. It's a fantastic song live and was a interesting way to start a show. I am one that liked the outro pacing they did on the I&W&B tour, along with JR's keytar solo.

77 - The Best of Times:  #54

I enjoy the lyrics to this song, and can hear it as a nice memorial to MP's father. I hear it not only in the lyrics, but also the music by MP's Rush influence shining. It is reminiscent of Red Barchetta in how it describes this cherished past with a close relative. Because of the emotion felt in the music and how it relates to the lyrics, it works. It's really personal lyrically, but yet you can feel how much MP's dad meant to him and how much he influenced his life. The song takes you on a journey through many emotions as well, and it's a reason why I enjoy it a lot to rank it at 54. Glad it made it in onto that many people's lists, in the 70's at least, and in someone's top 10 at number 3. It really is deserving of it.

[HOF]

I've seen a couple people reference the lyrics in The Silent Man as if they are connected to Voices or have some other deeper meaning. I was never able to make heads or tails of them and thought they were kind of similar to the Metropolis Pt. 1 lyrics where John always said they didn't mean anything. Can anyone expand on what they think TSM is about?

I guess there is the stained glass imagery, and the "a voice never heard" line which call back to Voices, as well as similar themes of questioning religion. Is it supposed to be a reason v. faith sort of thing (with Voices being about struggles with one's faith, and TSM being about reason giving clarity or something)?

[Ben_Jamin]

I've seen a couple people reference the lyrics in The Silent Man as if they are connected to Voices or have some other deeper meaning. I was never able to make heads or tails of them and thought they were kind of similar to the Metropolis Pt. 1 lyrics where John always said they didn't mean anything. Can anyone expand on what they think TSM is about?

I guess there is the stained glass imagery, and the "a voice never heard" line which call back to Voices, as well as similar themes of questioning religion. Is it supposed to be a reason v. faith sort of thing (with Voices being about struggles with one's faith, and TSM being about reason giving clarity or something)?

Voices is about what a person with schizophrenia experiences in their mind, and also the effect it has on others. Because of this, the person remains silent in order to avoid further confrontation. This persons delusions relate to Christianity as it's their religion and they are relating their life with these biblical personas and their own beliefs. Him exerting his beliefs as if he is a Messiah is causing a disconnect with the people, so he decides to remain "a voice never heard" to avoid upsetting the congregation, even though the person truly believes what he hears from these Biblical figures in his own mind.

[HOF]

I've seen a couple people reference the lyrics in The Silent Man as if they are connected to Voices or have some other deeper meaning. I was never able to make heads or tails of them and thought they were kind of similar to the Metropolis Pt. 1 lyrics where John always said they didn't mean anything. Can anyone expand on what they think TSM is about?

I guess there is the stained glass imagery, and the "a voice never heard" line which call back to Voices, as well as similar themes of questioning religion. Is it supposed to be a reason v. faith sort of thing (with Voices being about struggles with one's faith, and TSM being about reason giving clarity or something)?

Voices is about what a person with schizophrenia experiences in their mind, and also the effect it has on others. Because of this, the person remains silent in order to avoid further confrontation. This persons delusions relate to Christianity as it's their religion and they are relating their life with these biblical personas and their own beliefs. Him exerting his beliefs as if he is a Messiah is causing a disconnect with the people, so he decides to remain "a voice never heard" to avoid upsetting the congregation, even though the person truly believes what he hears from these Biblical figures in his own mind.

Thanks, Ben_Jamin, that makes more sense than what I was thinking. I knew there was a mental health aspect to it (due to the name), but hadn't really thought about TSM in that way before. Of course, I found this on Wikipedia, which tracks with what you're saying about Voices but not so much about TSM:

"Erotomania", "Voices" and "The Silent Man" form a three-part suite titled "A Mind Beside Itself". Portnoy stated that the instrumental "Erotomania" was written "off the cuff"[14] as "a bit of a joke and parody".[14] Petrucci penned the lyrics to "Voices", dealing with the subject of mental illness. He researched schizophrenia and similar disorders and used religious terms "to make things more vivid".[15] "When I was writing it, I saw these terms and medical things that were just brilliant," he said. "Like there was a guy who felt that his skin was inside out. I read that and was like 'Oh my God! That's unbelievable; I've got to write about that.'"[15] Petrucci wrote the music and lyrics to the acoustic "The Silent Man". LaBrie described the lyrics as dealing with "communication breakdown, for instance between a father and a son. We feel that we have to play certain roles when around one of our parents, and we never really get to know the real person. I'm lucky that I behave with my own father like I would a friend. We can joke around and go for a beer."[14]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awake_(Dream_Theater_album)

Looks like that all came out of the Lifting Shadows book. Not sure how much we should trust James as the authoritative interpreter of JP's lyrics though!

[425]

Alright, I left off at The Silent Man, so I have 13 more to go to catch up. Getting the majority of the way there in this post, and then I'll try to finish tonight or tomorrow.

One thing I noticed with the bottom 20 is that many of those were not on my list, which means a lot of songs that were on my list didn't make it. I'll try to go back at the end and recap all the ones I had that did not make the overall list. It looks like we're moving into a phase now where pretty much everything is going to have at least made my list, even if it's in a different place.


79. Ytse Jam
My ranking: #85

It seems to me this is a song that gets a lot of love and attention from longtime fans, and less so from newer fans. I'm in the newer camp chronologically, and I tend toward it in my evaluation of this song. It's a really good piece of music, and I put it around this part of the list, but it's less special for me because I prefer many of their later instrumentals. It deserves credit for being the most mature piece on WDADU, although that's probably due to it being an instrumental, since their biggest issue at that time was integrating vocals.


78. The Dark Eternal Night
My ranking: #71

Another song that's not far off from my placement. I know this one is reviled by people who dislike the late Portnoy era, but I think this is a really fun song. A lot of really unusual rhythms that feel like they're staying under control only owing to the skill and attention of the band, a surprisingly melodic chorus, and one of the heaviest riffs in their discography.

On the opposite side, I may be in a minority, and I wouldn't have held this opinion a few years ago, but I think MP should have just done growls instead of these distorted vocals on the lines like "Amidst fallen ruins, grotesque creatures battle." I guess it was still a bit unusual for a "regular" prog metal band to do that at the time, but I think it would have fit better.


77. The Best of Times
My ranking: #94

This is a good song with a lot of excellent musical passages, particularly the acoustic guitar in the first section and, of course, the massive closing solo. The reason it's not higher for me is that don't think it coheres as well as it could, particularly compared to most of the band's other songs in the 10-15 minute range. The divisions between the three sections (quiet intro, Spirit of Radio part, dramatic final section) are just so apparent and make it feel a little more like a suite than a single song.

I also kind of agree with Kev about James's performance being a bit lackluster. Part of that, I imagine, is that MP wrote vocal melodies that he would be able to sing himself, for understandable reasons. I have no problem with the lyrics, though.


76. A Fortune in Lies
My ranking: #53

I think this is a really cool song. It has a little bit of the disjointedness and overly obvious Rush/Metallica influence of the WDADU era, but the whole package is a catchy and progressive 5-minute piece. Great instrumental section.

This is the first song where I feel it's worth mentioning my preference for a version other than the studio one. I don't mind CD on this one, but I prefer JLB's performance, and off the top of my head, the Live at the Marquee version is my go-to. He absolutely nails the second verse in that way that only pre-'94 JLB could: "HERE is a poor man, the heart of this monster creation..." But the Luna Park version is also very good.


75. Only a Matter of Time
My ranking: #12

Here's the second song for which I thought I might have the highest placement. Turns out, Dream Team beat me by putting it at #4. Cool to see some more appreciation for this song, and because Dream Team and I don't always see eye-to-eye, but we do here.

I think this is just a near-perfect song. You can argue that the vocal melodies are practically unsingable, and I won't disagree, but to the extent that they're pulled off, they're lovely. The lyrics are amazing, some of my favorite DT lyrics. And the outro is beautiful. I like songs that go from the beginning to end without much repetition, while still feeling cohesive and telling a sort of story—a disproportionate number of my favorite DT songs have this feature.

I like both CD and JLB on this. If I had to pick a definitive version, I'd pick the studio version, but the Budokan performance is a near-equally good interpretation of the song. I think if JLB had gotten into the studio and done this in the early 90s or mid 00s—and maybe even if he did it today—that would be the definitive version. Oh well.

Disappointed but not surprised to see it this low. This just seems to be a very hit-or-miss song, where some people love it, and others just don't get it. There are other songs where I'm on the miss side, so I get it.


74. This is the Life
My ranking: #83

I have a similar sense about this one as Kev. It was on my top 50 that I did about 9 years ago, and I still do like the song. But I feel like there's a little something missing. I'm not sure if it's the mix for me, or something else, but it's not one I feel I can put much higher than this. Maybe a little higher, if I was refining the list, though—I'm listening to it for this post, and quite enjoying it.

Still, a lot of really good little parts here. The instrumental break between the first chorus and second verse is a highlight. Overall this is a good example of Petrucci's subtler side.


73. On the Backs of Angels
My ranking: #45

This song might be the most center-of-the-page Dream Theater song, but it's a really good one. Great buildup in the intro, really good vocal melodies, nice keyboard touches throughout the song. There aren't a lot of specific parts to point to, this is just an all-around excellent song from start to finish.


72. Raise the Knife
My ranking: #60

This is a really good song that I feel like I just don't listen to enough because it's not on a studio album. Maybe if I listened to it more, I'd have it even higher. It just doesn't have that "back of my hand" familiarity that everything on the first 12 albums plus ACOS has for me. I don't know whether it's possible for them to ever release the cleaned-up versions of the remaining five FII tracks given the promised exclusivity of Cleaning Out the Closet, but it would really be nice to get those one day without paying an arm and a leg.

I think the best part of this song is the Kevin Moore diss section ("Tortured artist bares his soul" through "I won't walk away"), not because I don't like Kevin Moore (I do, a lot), but because it's just a really great part musically.


71. As I Am
My ranking: #78

This is a clear instance of a good song that definitely belongs in the top 100 and definitely does not belong in the top 50, IMO. It's a good opener for the album and for the Budokan concert, and it has some great riffs, but it feels just a little too stretched-out to go higher than this.

It is funny to hear JLB drop in that little Hetfieldism at the end of the first chorus.

[Ben_Jamin]

I've seen a couple people reference the lyrics in The Silent Man as if they are connected to Voices or have some other deeper meaning. I was never able to make heads or tails of them and thought they were kind of similar to the Metropolis Pt. 1 lyrics where John always said they didn't mean anything. Can anyone expand on what they think TSM is about?

I guess there is the stained glass imagery, and the "a voice never heard" line which call back to Voices, as well as similar themes of questioning religion. Is it supposed to be a reason v. faith sort of thing (with Voices being about struggles with one's faith, and TSM being about reason giving clarity or something)?

Voices is about what a person with schizophrenia experiences in their mind, and also the effect it has on others. Because of this, the person remains silent in order to avoid further confrontation. This persons delusions relate to Christianity as it's their religion and they are relating their life with these biblical personas and their own beliefs. Him exerting his beliefs as if he is a Messiah is causing a disconnect with the people, so he decides to remain "a voice never heard" to avoid upsetting the congregation, even though the person truly believes what he hears from these Biblical figures in his own mind.

Thanks, Ben_Jamin, that makes more sense than what I was thinking. I knew there was a mental health aspect to it (due to the name), but hadn't really thought about TSM in that way before. Of course, I found this on Wikipedia, which tracks with what you're saying about Voices but not so much about TSM:

"Erotomania", "Voices" and "The Silent Man" form a three-part suite titled "A Mind Beside Itself". Portnoy stated that the instrumental "Erotomania" was written "off the cuff"[14] as "a bit of a joke and parody".[14] Petrucci penned the lyrics to "Voices", dealing with the subject of mental illness. He researched schizophrenia and similar disorders and used religious terms "to make things more vivid".[15] "When I was writing it, I saw these terms and medical things that were just brilliant," he said. "Like there was a guy who felt that his skin was inside out. I read that and was like 'Oh my God! That's unbelievable; I've got to write about that.'"[15] Petrucci wrote the music and lyrics to the acoustic "The Silent Man". LaBrie described the lyrics as dealing with "communication breakdown, for instance between a father and a son. We feel that we have to play certain roles when around one of our parents, and we never really get to know the real person. I'm lucky that I behave with my own father like I would a friend. We can joke around and go for a beer."[14]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awake_(Dream_Theater_album)

Looks like that all came out of the Lifting Shadows book. Not sure how much we should trust James as the authoritative interpreter of JP's lyrics though!

That's how I interpreted it based off a glance of the symptoms of Schizophrenia, and looking into what Erotomania is. The "Communication Breakdown" I thought was between him and his religion, meaning the church he doesn't go to every sunday morning due to this wall and the voices. The subject of Erotomania is quite interesting too and how it relates to Schizophrenia as a symptom is quite a topic to write about.

[KevShmev]

66 The Ministry of Lost Souls
Appeared on 19 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 17 (Wim Kruithof, Revenge319)

This one is always such a massive tease.  The main theme is glorious, and Petrucci's solo at the end is magnificent, but the meat itself is just such a drag to get through.  And it's not like there is any part of the song I dislike.  It just feels like work to get through it.  It didn't make my top 100, but I get why it did for many.  It had five top 25 finishes.


65 One Last Time
Appeared on 22 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 22 (Wim Kruithof)

I wasn't sure how this one would done since it feels more like a transitional Scenes track more than anything, but that chorus is so damn good, and I was glad to see others gave it a lot of love as well.


64 Behind the Veil
Appeared on 22 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 12 (wolfking)

I had this at 70, so this ranking seems just about right to me.  Really good song, one that seems to feature all of the elements that make DT so good.


63 Caught in a Web
Appeared on 21 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 17 (Cool Chris)

You can never go anything wrong with Awake.  I remember falling in love with that synth at the start of the song from the start.  The heaviness of the song itself took some getting used to for me back in 1994, but the synths were tremendous.

[Ben_Jamin]

76 - A Fortune In Lies:  #96

This is one song I really liked when I got into the band, but not so much now. It's still great in the vocal delivery by JLB, and I grew to enjoy the Live at Luna Park version due to how Mangini plays the song. It's a great song for him to showcase his drumming, especially the middle snare section.


75 - Only A Matter of Time:  #44

I got into this one through borrowing L@B from my uncle. I loved it instantly and enjoyed the way it's played here. On the album, it fits perfectly and is a great last song for a debut. It sets the listener up for hopes that the band has still stuff to prove, and it's just only a matter of time before they do. Which is interesting considering the impact the following song the fans hear on the next album being 'Pull Me Under'. I would love to hear this live someday, hopefully this tour (can't believe it's a month away ) , but I doubt it.

74 - This Is The Life:  #32

The lyrics of this song are a big reason for it being at 32. The words in the chorus are very inspirational in saying, this is the life we all belong to. Some choose to live it with grace and others get lost losing their way home, meaning their roots. It's a gift that is driven by love and crushed by hate. I hope to hear this on the set this coming tour.

73 - On The Back of Angels:  (Did Not Rank)

Even though it's not ranked, it would interchange between the bottom five songs of my top 100 list. the intro keyboard, I discovered is on my keyboard, which I found hilarious when I found it. I was very excited hearing the song when it was released, not only for Mangini but for how the sound of the band would be due to MP the producer being gone, and also how integral he was to their arrangements of their songs. The intro did not disappoint and instantly caught my interest with the atmosphere of the keyboards and the tone of the guitar, as well as the key it's in. The entire arrangement was exciting and refreshing to hear from the band. For me, it felt like a great follow-up to Black Clouds and Silver Linings, and showcased the band is still Dream Theater regardless of a big driving force not being there anymore.

72 - Raise The Knife:  #69

First heard it from Score as I had no funds to get the FII demoes from Ytsejam Records. After I heard it, I wondered why this song was not on the album. It's one of the songs on FII that sounds the most like Dream Theater and they left it off the studio release, stupid record label. I thought it was great that Portnoy decided to dust this out and expose it's greatness for an official live release. I bought the demo versions because I wanted to hear the tones of Dereks keyboards and how they would sound compared to JR's choice of keyboard patches. I actually like both versions, but I prefer the Score version as JLB's vocals are better there and have more emotion in the words, since this is a demo and the vocals won't be as good.

71 - As I Am: #100

This ranks last on my list and was here because I was feeling the song. The second song I heard from Dream Theater due to me and my cousin sitting in my uncles living room when he decided to watch Live At Budakon. This was when I first heard how much a keyboard can sound like a guitar, and was impressed with JR's twirling keyboard stand. It's the song I have seen the most out of all the times I have seen the band (actually it might be tied with Pull Me Under).

[Ben_Jamin]

70 - S2N: (Did Not Rank)

I have no idea why I didn't rank this song. It's got a groovy bass line and the rhythm is energetic. The lyrics are interesting and it's funny they included Owen Wilson's Wow sample to indicate the Wow signal phenomenon. It'll be fun to hear it live someday, but I also do wonder how JLB would do with the vocals being a bit demanding.

69 - Hollow Years:  #92

I like the demo pre-chorus that was cut from the studio, if you combine this with the L@B version, it would be my definitive version of the song. The build-up it has in it's arrangement, especially the Budakon version is awesome.

68 - A New Beginning:  #85

Not surprised this ended up on the list. I am surprised it is the last Astonishing song on the list though (Chosen is in my top 5). Conceptually, this song has a big reveal in the plot-line. The music represents Faythe's desperate plea to covince her father to first meet and listen to Gabriel before going on the full attack. I like the interplay between JLB's different character styles and how they utilize Arabelle's theme into the song. JLB shows this in the phrasing of "How they must be feeling" and when the song switches tone. This is a great way to end the story before Act 1 summary song appears, The Road to Revolution. It's neat seeing how Nefaryus' character shifts from this song compared to how he is in Losing Faythe. The ending groove and guitar solo makes me imagine Faythe leaving the empire travelling back to Gabriel's Hideout, while Nefaryus watching her fly in the distance contemplates this decision, and possibly goes into the castle halls and visits the room where Faythe discovered his Music Player, which the groove and guitar solo represent. This song is where we discover why Nefaryus sees Gabriel as such a threat, because of how music can connect with people, and Gabriel's song struck a chord within Nefaryus the same chord that struck his daughter. He not only feels like he might lose his empire, but his daughter as well.

67 - Beneath The Surface:  #55

I think the last and only time Dream Theater ended on a soft, calm note was with Space Dye-Vest. Every other album ends with a bombastic ending epic, or similar styled song. It's refreshing to hear an acoustic, strings, and piano song. The section starting with "I would scream just to be heard..." is one of the most beautiful things the guys have written. I don't mind the keyboard solo either, as that patch fits the tone of the song. If I were to show a person calm Dream Theater, it'd be this one.

[Cool Chris]

3 songs in my Top 20 have shown up already! (BtS, Caught in a Web, and Ministry).

When I got Awake, I thought "ok, was that first album a fluke?" (I thought it was their debut). I heard 6:00 and thought, ok, so I think this band is for real. Then CiaW came on, and I knew this band was legit.

[Ben_Jamin]

From now on I'm going to include the forum ranking first, it's less confusing when reading the threads. I'll be updating my other responses as well after this one.

66 - The Ministry of Lost Souls: #47

The sudden intro band crash beginning is why this song is where it's at. Otherwise it would've been higher. Although, I like how it transitions from Prophets of War on the album. I enjoy how Systematic Chaos is an album with lyrics that are like stories, or fairy tales, and this tale is hauntingly serene. JLB has better emotion in his vocals on Chaos in Motion, and I like that Portnoy uses his entire drum kit transitioning flawlessly from one side to the other for the instrumental solos, I can't remember if he did in the studio as well. The moment the instrumental ends and it's just JLB and JR is why I listen to Dream Theater.

65 - One Last Time:  #64

Even though it's short and transitions from The Dance of Eternity, there are great melodies across it. Being the song that is consisted of the early live rehearsal demo parts, it's a big moment in regards to the musical theme for me. The music relates to the how Nicholas is feeling when he is confused about there being something missing to his dreams, to his flashbacks of Victoria having her One Last Time with Julian, and then his excited wonderment at the truth he saw when he walks through the open door into the bedroom, hearing victoria screaming as Julian pleads forgiveness. I like how the audience doesn't know what Nicholas saw, as he then starts talking about being okay with dying, likely based on what he saw, before it is revealed what really happened in Finally Free.

64 - Behind The Veil:  #81

JLB's vocal delivery for certain phrases makes the song sound more sinister, which fits the tone of the lyrics. The instrumental and the solo is top notch Dream Theater. The rhythm behind the guitar solo is energetic, the drumming is great on it too. I'd like to see this one live.

63 - Caught In A Web:  #97

This song is straight up non stop energy and it's perfect in a live setting. Honestly if there was a song that was in constant rotation for a Dream Theater set, this would be one up there. Listening to the Live At Luna Park version and JLB just kills it. This song is weird for me though, because I'll love it and then I won't. But when it does come on I will listen and rock out to it, and sing along to the high part.

[HOF]

I have One Last Time at 34 and Caught in a Web at 36. I’m a little surprised those aren’t flipped, but I mentioned in the recent survivor that OLT is one of my favorite parts of SFAM. I only wish it were a bit longer! Great instrumental section there. Caught in a Web was the first DT song I ever heard, and for a while it was a song I really really liked. But I don’t listen to it all that much anymore unless I am spinning all of Awake. Still a strong song with a cool hook at the beginning.

[wolfking]

Huh, I had TMOLS ranked at 66!  OLT at 70 and CIAW 55 so thereabouts with those 3.

BTV has been a fav the instant I heard it.  It's right up my alley and I love the old school Megadeth/Metallica style riffing and love what James is doing on this one.  This is one of JP's best solos too, easily and certainly not easy to play.

[Setlist Scotty]

69 - Hollow Years:  #92

I like the demo pre-chorus that was cut from the studio, if you combine this with the L@B version, it would be my definitive version of the song. The build-up it has in it's arrangement, especially the Budakon version is awesome.

Then you'd probably love the version of HYears they played on the BCaSL tour!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF6Ao3FMyqM

[Laughingplace56]

66 The Ministry of Lost Souls

This one is always such a massive tease.  The main theme is glorious, and Petrucci's solo at the end is magnificent, but the meat itself is just such a drag to get through.  And it's not like there is any part of the song I dislike.  It just feels like work to get through it.  It didn't make my top 100, but I get why it did for many.  It had five top 25 finishes.

This has been my disappointment with the song. The melody is gorgeous, the instrumental section/outdo solo are awesome, but the slow tempo and the verses draaaag this song entirely too long. If this were sped up just a tad (like on Chaos in Motion) and about 5 min were trimmed off, this could be one of their best songs.

Catching up:

S2N: 81
Hollow Years: N/A (love the melody but I’ve always found this song boring)
A New Beginning: N/A
Beneath the Surface: 86
The Ministry of Lost Souls: 71
One Last Time: N/A
Behind the Veil: 23 (love the spacey intro, the main riff is awesome, and JP’s solo is perfection)
Caught in a Web: 38

[TAC]

69 - Hollow Years:  #92

I like the demo pre-chorus that was cut from the studio, if you combine this with the L@B version, it would be my definitive version of the song. The build-up it has in it's arrangement, especially the Budakon version is awesome.

Then you'd probably love the version of HYears they played on the BCaSL tour!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF6Ao3FMyqM

Right. It was a mix between the Demo and Budokan versions.

[AnotherDimension]

69 - Hollow Years:  #92

I like the demo pre-chorus that was cut from the studio, if you combine this with the L@B version, it would be my definitive version of the song. The build-up it has in it's arrangement, especially the Budakon version is awesome.

Then you'd probably love the version of HYears they played on the BCaSL tour!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF6Ao3FMyqM

I love James, but his introducing Mr. John Petrucci during one of his finest solos has always bothered me.

[jammindude]

# 66 - The Ministry of Lost Souls - Me: #24
# 65 - One Last Time - Me: #86
# 64 - Behind the Veil - Me: #49
# 63 - Caught in a Web - Me #43

No single song benefited more from this catalog revisit than TMOLS.  I've always maintained that SC is probably DT's only truly poor album.   In the first year, I found nothing worth revisiting except TDEN and Part 1 of ITPOE.   All the rest I found to be either boring or just plain bad.   I originally cast TMOLS as one of the "boring" ones.  But on the re-listen, it finally clicked with me, and it I'm pretty confident in saying that it has passed up TDEN as my favorite from the album.  Great song, and I don't find anything out of place about it.

One Last Time does suffer a bit from being a transitional piece, but I will admit that the melodies are absolutely gorgeous.

Behind the Veil is just so much fun.  That shifting riff that they use (especially at the end) is the perfect example of why I love Dream Theater so much.  I have always loved bands that will play with the rhythm a bit.  Get you going on one headbang, just to shift the entire thing on the next bar.   If you have to go back a dozen times in order to get the air drumming *just right* on your steering wheel...then that's a great song.

Caught in a Web is another great one.  The 1-2 punch of the 6:00 and this really saved Awake for me.   I heard the advance single Lie on the radio about a week before release, and I was a bit disappointed.  But when I brought the CD home, the two opening tracks sold me completely.

[KevShmev]

It's a small sample size obviously, but some of the results so far, just by eye balling them, are a bit surprising to me.  No spoilers yet, but there is a song that has been no worse than a top 20-25 DT song in my eyes for nearly 25 years now and it might have a hard time even making the top 100 here.  That is just shocking to me.

FYI, when I said the above, that song appears tonight at number 61...


62 The Shattered Fortress
Appeared on 22 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 12 (Wim Kruithof)

I have always maintained that this works much better as a stand-alone song than as the final song of a suite.  I had it at 90.


61 Peruvian Skies
Appeared on 18 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 15 (geeeemo)

I was stunned to see this left off of eight lists.  I have always thought this song was awesome (I had it at 19), and it being all the way down at 61 is just strange to me and my myopic view.


59 (t) Lie
Appeared on 20 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 3 (AnotherDimension)

I had this at 51, so this seems about right.  Awake is my favorite DT album, and every song is a winner.  This is just one of its least best winners. 


59 (t) Lost Not Forgotten
Appeared on 21 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 15 (TAC)

Honestly, I erred by leaving this off. I gave a listen the other day to the live version from Live at Luna Park and was reminded of how damn good this is.  And I think the tickle section worked better live than it did on the record.

[HOF]

I have Peruvian Skies at 45. That might be a little low, as I do like it pretty well, but it’s not one of my favorites on FII (it’s one I would have been willing to swap out for The Way It Used to Be, Speak to Me, and/or Raise the Knife). Eyeballing my list now, I don’t think there’s a huge difference for me between Peruvian Skies in what I have ranked in the 11 or so spots in front of it. So it could have easily been a top 35 song just as well as 45.

In fact, I have Lie at 35. I’ve always though this had a really cool riff, and it’s rhythmically a lot of fun, even if I can see how the vocal lines in the verse might seem a bit cheesy to some. Killer guitar solo too. I probably do like it more than Peruvian Skies, but not as much as 10 spots in the rankings might suggest.

[devieira73]

66 The Ministry of Lost Souls (-)
Really a good song, with a beautiful story and a great instrumental/solos, but still... it drags a bit.

65 One Last Time (#85)
Such a beautiful piano intro... although not credited, it does sound a lot like a Derek's idea. Very good, just a bit too short.

64 Behind the Veil (#80)
Excellent, great intro, amazing drumming and guitar solo - there's something about the way the guitar solo ends that I love very much! Imagine this song and DT12 with the D/T's production...

63 Caught in a Web (#94)
Heavy and exotic!

[geeeemo]

72 Raise the Knife - not rated.

71 As I Am - 53. Its a good rocker. One of a few I have seen live. Fun!

70 S2N – 40. I really like this one. I hope they play it this time. This song would be great in a live setting.

69 Hollow Years – 60. Of course one has to think of the live version. Ballads arent what I always want to listen to and that factored into my ranking.

68 A New Beginning – 21. I always want to listen to this song. It has everything Dream Theater. Great story. Great James. Great guitar/solo. Great melody. Not predictable. I fell in love with DT the moment I saw JP play the solo.

67 Beneath the Surface – 77. A ballad, so again not always wanting to listen to it. And sadly, its relating too much to my life at the moment. Its beautiful though.

# 66 - The Ministry of Lost Souls -  88. Its a great song, with a great instrumental. It feels too long.

# 65 - One Last Time -  44. Good song. All songs on Scenes are great.

# 64 - Behind the Veil - 24. This song has got something so unique about it. My 2nd fave on this record. I hope they play it!

# 63 - Caught in a Web - 72. I was really enamored when I discovered Awake. It has slipped though and other records I just like better.

[Ben_Jamin]

69 - Hollow Years:  #92

I like the demo pre-chorus that was cut from the studio, if you combine this with the L@B version, it would be my definitive version of the song. The build-up it has in it's arrangement, especially the Budakon version is awesome.

Then you'd probably love the version of HYears they played on the BCaSL tour!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF6Ao3FMyqM

I loved everything about that version. Thanks for sharing.

[Wim Kruithof]

66 the Ministry of Lost Souls #17
65 One Last Time #22
64 Behind the Veil #54
63 Caught in a Web #61
62 the Shattered Fortress #12
61 Peruvian Skies #60
59 Lie #9
59 Lost Not Forgotten #-

The Ministry of Lost Souls is a story that somehow has this great hold on me. I love the lyrics of a loved couple, separated on both sides of the earth and it is the highlight of Systematic Chaos for me. It grabs me and I can't get rid of it, until the song is done.

The Shattered Fortress is (as is the whole Twelve Step suite) such a beautiful piece. I have the Glass Prison and this Dying Soul both in my top 10 and this is to me, sort of Twelve Step suite's Razors Edge. The prayer on the end are lyrically my favorite lines of their whole discography. Being a christian they touch my very soul and I recognize myself in the struggle - not alcohol per se, but sin in general.

I am stunned, absolutely stunned that Lie and Lost Not Forgotten end up as a tie. Lie is, together with the Mirror as one-two-punch in my top 10... and I consider Last Not Forgotten as one of their weakest tracks. Build Me Up, Break Me Down is even worse but it is a multiple skip for me and that can be considered un-usual. And Lie this 'low' as 59, with one of Petrucci's most complex solo's ever... unbelievable.

[devieira73]

62 The Shattered Fortress (#81)
The BTFW live version really made me appreciate more this song.

61 Peruvian Skies (-)
Amazing how this song blends Pink Floyd and Metallica so effortlessly. Honestly, it deserved to be in my #60 to 90, but I forgot it!

59 (t) Lie (#37)
One of DT's best singles (only looses for TTT) and I love that they added the ending of The Mirror on it.

59 (t) Lost Not Forgotten (#17)
Maybe my favorite MM era song, it's just perfect in everything! All the variations on its arrangement, that groove beginning at 4:44 and the solo section are incredibles!

[Setlist Scotty]

66 The Ministry of Lost Souls – didn’t make my top 100
65 One Last Time – 100
64 Behind the Veil – 47
63 Caught in a Web – didn’t make my top 100
62 The Shattered Fortress – 51
61 Peruvian Skies – 83
59 Lie – 99
59 Lost Not Forgotten – 42

Neither TMoLS nor CiaW made the cut for me. With regards to TMoLS, I can see the comparisons in basic structure to SSons, but while I like all of SSons, aside from the instrumental section, TMoLS really drags for me. The main melody feels like it’s from an overly dramatic movie soundtrack, and it’s plodding nature makes it feel like the song goes on forever. The instrumental section is it’s saving grace, but not enough for it to make my top 100.

OLT just made the cut for me. And I agree with the sentiments that it is a transitional piece but that the chorus is great. I’m glad that chorus gets reprised in FF.

BtV is another great song. I love the stretch of the 3 songs on the s/t that weren’t played on the 2014 tour (TBP, BtV, StR) – shame that I haven’t gotten to see it live.

I ranked TSF a bit higher than the general average here. To be honest, I could have done with a little more original/new ideas than having so much of it be rehashed from the previous 4 songs, but overall TSF is a great way to end the 12SS. I’ll never forget how much that track was repeatedly bagged on in this forum, which I couldn’t understand, but then once it was played on the 2014 tour, all of the sudden everybody liked it. 

PSkies was one of my favorites when first played on the Fix for 96 tour, but over the years, I’ve grown a bit tired of it. Glad the band gave it a bit of new life by including different Pink Floyd and Metallica excerpts into it at different times, but it’s not a track I’m likely to revisit these days.

Never was a huge fan of Lie although I’ll be the first to concede that it usually gets the crowd pumped. The real saving grace of that song is the last 1.5 minutes, which in reality is just the reprise of The Mirror. Without it, Lie would’ve never made my top 100, and even then, it did so just by a thread.

For me, LNF is one of the better tracks on ADToE, and I rate it very closely to it’s IaW companion piece (UaGM). Great song with some over-the-top playing!

[Revenge319]

I've fallen behind a bit here, but I'll do my best to catch up. Sometimes I get a sort of writer's block for these writeups and it's hard to talk about my thoughts for a song beyond simply saying that I think it's good. But enough about that, here's my thoughts on a few different songs on the list:

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

This is the Life
My ranking: #72. This is one of those songs that gradually gets stronger with every listen. I could see this potentially getting close to my Top 50 or higher with more listens. In fact, #72 almost feels a little too low for it! Oh, well, sometime in the future I'll see how this statement holds up. I really like how this song progresses. It starts off mostly slow and calm, then slowly more elements get added on, and towards the end it gets quite powerful. 5:23-5:52 is one of the greatest Dream Theater moments that nobody seems to talk about.


On the Backs of Angels
My ranking: #88. One of the first Dream Theater songs I listened to! I think it still holds up as a great song in Dream Theater's discography. I'm not sure how to explain it, but this song has this almost pleasant and calm sound to it. I don't if it's the specifics sounds they use, or if it's the production, or something else. I most enjoy the quiet, atmospheric parts of this song, like the intro and the piano solo.


(I have not listened to Raise the Knife before; therefore, I have no comments regarding it.)


As I Am
My ranking: #80. I love the intro, and not just because it starts as a continuation of the ending of Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. It's such a beautiful sound, and somehow it manages to fit in perfectly with this song that's otherwise straight-up metal. Despite my praise of the intro, my favorite part is the guitar solo, which has to be one of the most technical and amazing solos Petrucci has done. That whole instrumental section is awesome... Can't believe this is only #80 on my list, but that's what happens when I rank songs from Dream Theater. There's too many great ones to put this higher.


S2N
My ranking: #59. A rare example of a song that's gone down significantly in my rankings over time. #59 is still really good, but it used to be around #37. It's hard to pinpoint what made it go down over 20 spots, but maybe that's just how I felt at the time of ranking it a few months ago. This song is really great. So many great parts, like the bass intro, the chorus, the instrumental section, and the instrumental outro which is reminiscent of the one from The Dark Eternal Night. Listening to it again, I'd probably put it back up around the Top 40 if I were to redo my Top 100 right now.


Hollow Years
My ranking: #75. What a beautiful song. The highlights here are the lyrics, and James' singing. The chorus in particular is one of the best they've ever done, especially the last one (or two, if you count the repeating "Once the stone you're crawling under" separately). I'm sorry I keep bringing up how I want to rank songs higher than what I've put them at, but this song is just so good that I could instantly bump it up to at least the Top 50 without hesitation.


A New Beginning
My ranking: #30. Everything about this song is amazing. The energy, the vocal performance, the lyrics, and of course, the guitar solo. The guitar solo alone makes this song a 10/10, but because Dream Theater is the band I will always call the greatest, there is an extra 5 minutes of similarly high quality music that they have let us experience before the guitar solo.