Best Dream Theater songs

Truly a song of epic proportions, this completely blows away any song by almost any other band in existence (except maybe Porcupine Tree, but that's beside the point.) But is it the best song by DT? It definitely is up there, with the song's gradually increasing musical build, all the way through The Razor's Edge section, possibly the best finale in music's history. When you take into account the scope, and the way the song ties the entire album together, come "full circle," if you will, it is definitely a truly breathtaking piece of musical genius.

How can you have a best Dream Theater list without including what many consider to be their magnum opus? This 23 minute epic, and boy is it epic, got its own EP. This song has so many stylistic changes, long instrumental passages, angry, shouted lyrics, and calmer, depressing vocal-work. Dream Theater also uses some sound-clips from movies, primarily The Dead Poets Society. This song is probably one of the darker, sadder Dream Theater songs, it follows a character through his life (which was strongly influenced by Portnoy, the writer of the song), from his birth, to the death of his mother, all the way to watching the sunset with his son before he passes on.

This was the song that led up to Scenes From A Memory, one of the greatest albums ever made. Themes from songs off that album can be heard on this too. The pt. 1 was originally thrown onto the title as a joke, but fans' response to the song was so positively overwhelming, that Dream Theater gave in and made it's sequel.

A heavy, Portnoy-driven/written song about a car crash from his childhood. There are some amazingly heavy riffs in this song, ingeniously interspersed with softer, beautiful passages, very well sung by LaBrie, especially around the 7 minute mark. And did I mention the insane double bass drum in here?

Fantastic track in wich you can hear all kinds of ifluences, and it's a little more powerful than most DT tracks.

Only the third DT instrumental ever, after Ytse Jam and Erotomania, this one is a vast improvement on those previous two, despite it being essentially a lead in track to the much longer Lines in the Sand. I actually prefer this one to that song. It just seems so peaceful, despite the fact that it is a testament to the brilliance of the band members ability to write and play songs with crazy time signatures and wierd instrumental flights of fancy.

The first part of Portnoy's AA suite about overcoming alcoholism. This is definitely one of the heavier songs in their discography. It is relentless, and even at almost 14 minutes long, I often find myself hitting the repeat button, sometimes 5 times in a row. And that intro- man, one of the best ever written in music.

I am a firm believer that John Myung should write some more songs. This is the kind of stuff that happens when he does. While most ten plus minute DT songs generally all build-up to a full-blown instrumental section with pompousness and incredibly musicianship to spare (don't get me wrong, I love these parts), Trial of Tears seems to have a different focus. That's not to say there isn't a big interlude, but it seems somewhat irrelevant to the song's true flow. This song is easier to listen to as a whole, then to break it up into sections.

The only Dream Theater song to ever get any support from radio or MTV

has almost as much power as hell's kitchen. truly beautiful.

First off, this song is easier to appreciate after seeing the Live at Budokan performance. John Petrucci really blows me away with that extra solo. However, The Falling Into Infinity version ain't too shabby, either. It comes across as really soft, beautiful performance, guided more by LaBrie's vocal performance than the music behind it. He really doesn't disappoint. For all you naysayers: Here's your proof that LaBrie can really sing!

This was Kevin Moore's legacy, his magnum opus before he and Dream Theater went their separate ways. One of the only words I can think to describe it is haunting. The calm, creepy piano that permeates the entire track never ceases to send shivers down my spine.

Arguably their best song of the Images and Words album, it progresses from the church organ intro into one of the heaviest songs off that album. The guitar solo is nothing to shake a stick at, either.

The first epic DT song, it hinted at what they could become

The closing track to Scenes From A Memory, this brilliant composition wraps up the story of a 1928 murder of a young woman. This song is brilliant musically, but it takes on an even greater degree of brilliance when you see how well it ties up all the loose ends in this convoluted story.

Yes, I know it's a cover version of an Elton John song. Yes, I know it was taken from a live performance just to extend the length of the EP made for the work of genius that is A Change of Seasons. However, the Dream Theater version vastly improves on the original, while still keeping all its elements virtually the same. There's just something about this one...