"Anna Lee" Appreciation Thread

[Samsara]

Count me as one of the unabashed fans of Falling Into Infinity as a whole, and specifically, the majestic stroll that is the track "Anna Lee."

I've never understood why this song isn't thought of more highly by the fanbase and the band in general. I saw DT twice in the late-1990s (Jones Beach opening for Deep Purple in Summer 1998, and then the Home for the Holidays stop at Irving Plaza on December 29, 1998), and while I have never seen it, setlist.fm says they played it on the FII tour quite a bit. I just happened to not see it.

I love this song. It's simplicity is a breath of fresh air, with some great guitar by JP. I really enjoyed these simpler moments from FII, and the FII demos. Straightforward, beautiful playing by the band.

Any other fans of this track out there? I wish DT would bring it back into the live set.

[cramx3]

I enjoy the song.  It's nothing special to really say too much.   Just a nice softer song. I'd love to see it live.

[HOF]

It’s a really nice song. It suits James’ voice really well, and is also a strong lyric by him. It’s weird that DS apparently doesn’t like what the band did with it, but its a nice showcase for his playing. It’s the type of piano part I don’t think JR would have written or at least played that way. Just doesn’t have that kind of feel to his playing. Basically, the song has a soulfulness that DT hasn’t really captured very well since FII.

[Samsara]

Basically, the song has a soulfulness that DT hasn’t really captured very well since FII.

THIS. The soul in that song just shines. I'm not sure what DS' issue with the tune is. His playing is intoxicating. Simple, but as you said, soulful.

[geeeemo]

I love FII.  And the demos version is awesome also. Soulfulness is a great adjective and Anna Lee is a lovely song. I like others more, but really the only song I don't like so much is YNM. The BMS demo with HK mixed in is way cool.

[ZirconBlue]

I Love "Anna Lee" and FII, in general.  Especially the demos.

[pg1067]

I'm NOT a fan of FII, but Anna Lee is one of the few songs on the album that I like, and it's one of DT's best "ballads."

According to setlist.fm, it was only played 35 times and only 15 times in the U.S.  Two of those U.S. performances were at the West Hollywood House of Blues on May 17 and 18, 1998.  Not sure how I managed to miss those shows, but I did, which is a real bummer, because the second of those shows featured a guest spot with Bruce Dickinson.

[Madman Shepherd]

This song is partially responsible for my fandom taking off. I struggled with DT for a while. Awesome riffs but my favorite band is Black Sabbath so I wasn't too keen on them going all over the map for 12 minutes just to return to the awesome riff for 10 seconds towards the end.

Then I got FII Anna Lee just blew me away. Such a beautiful song. Beautiful lyrics (about a very sad subject).

[Dublagent66]

I don't recall if they played it at my first show seeing them on the FII tour (most likely not), but it's definitely a stand out track on that album.  Great arrangement by DS and JLB totally nails the vocal melodies in this gem.  If I remember correctly, DS did a short AL instrumental at the Sons of Apollo show we went to a couple years ago in L.A.  Great song. 

[emtee]

Upon release and for a couple years after, this album really threw me off. Hearing Burning My Soul for the first time on an FM  station I was like, "WTF" was that? I would come back from time to time and try spinning it again. A couple tracks kept drawing me back. Fast forward to one day in the record store where I see a new DT album cover. It was SFaM and it had been out for over a year. I bought it, loved it and that prompted me to spin FII again. It finally clicked.

Anyhoo, Anna Lee is a good ballad but among the bottom of rankings for FII songs.

[Zydar]

I really like that song, it's among my favourites on FII and one of their best ever ballads. It would be cool if they played it live, I remember JLB in particular being a fan of it.

[hefdaddy42]

Very nice and tasteful song.  Way out of their norm, but that's a point in its favor IMO.

[Max Kuehnau]

them at their most Elton John-esque here IMHO

[Stadler]

them at their most Elton John-esque here IMHO

Not a bad thing (and not saying you meant it as a bad thing).

[Max Kuehnau]

Yeah I didn't intend to be derogatory. Very unusual for them even at the time, but it worked IMHO

[Dublagent66]

Yeah, I can definitely hear the EJ influence there for sure.  Good stuff!

[Kwyjibo]

Great song and of their best ballads. And it's nice to hear John playing slide guitar.

[Samsara]

Great to see the love for Anna Lee.

 

[bosk1]

I don't love this song.  ...but I like it.  Always have.  In general, DT "ballads" are very hit or miss for me.  Typically, I love them or want no part of them.  On the early albums, I LOVE Wait for Sleep and Take Away My Pain, and generally dislike the others and consider them some of my least favorite DT songs.  Anna Lee is one of the few that is squarely in the middle where I like it and really enjoy it when listening, but don't generally seek it out.  I wouldn't mind seeing it live someday, but would also probably be slightly disappointed if it showed up in the set just because "ballad space" is typically limited, and there are a select few others ones I would REALLY like to see more than that one.  But as for all the specific praises of the song voiced in this thread, I agree with them all.

[lovethedrake]

Have always loved Anna Lee… one of the most beautiful songs by Dream Theater.  Definitely see the Elton John influence which works great for them.  Also not surprising as they covered funeral for a friend/love lies bleeding on COS right before FII.

[Max Kuehnau]

and an excerpt from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (the piece, not the album) being played at Le Bataclan in Paris (which appears on the 1998 fan club CD)

[Mr.Mister]

I love this song - for how different it is from what DT writes it's actually one of my favorite ballads in their catalog. Derek Sherinian revisited the themes in "Been Here Before" for anyone who wants to hear another take.

[DoctorAction]

Yeah, love the song. One of my favourite DT tunes.