Length - 10:43
Tempo - walking
Intro - ambiance, quotes on audio samples
Texture - doubling & harmony, polyphony, drum & guitar polyrhythmia
Features - extensive instrumental section, variety of vocal delivery
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Dream Theater formed at Berklee in 1985. The original three members were John Petrucci (guitar) and John Myung (bass), friends from Long Island, and Mike Portnoy (percussion) whom the Johns heard in a practice room and said, "we gotta get that guy". (Something along those lines).
"Octavarium" lineup:
The Johns
Portnoy
Jordan Rudess - keyboard, continuum, lap steel guitar
James LaBrie - Vocals
Lyrics:
Walls are closing
Anxiously
Channel surfing
Frantically
Burning City
Smoke and fire
Planes, we're certain.
Faith inspired?
No clues
A complete surprise
Who'll be
Coming home tonight?
Heads all turning
Towards the sky
Towers crumble
Heroes die
Who would wish this
On our people?
And proclaim
That His will be done
Scriptures they heed have misled them
All praise their sacrificed sons
All praise their sacrificed sons
Teach them
What to think and feel
Your ways
So enlightening
Words they preach
I can't relate
If God's true Love
Are acts of Hate
Who would wish this
On our people?
And proclaim
That His will be done
Scriptures they heed have misled them
All praise their sacrificed sons
All praise their sacrificed sons
God on high
Our mistake
Will mankind be extinct?
There's no time to waste
Who serves the truth
For Heaven's sake?
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SPOILERS AND SUBJECTIVITY BELOW: YOU MIGHT WANT TO READ THIS AFTER LISTENING
Words to describe this song:heart-tugging, passion-eliciting, head-banging
Stream-of-consciousness thoughts as I listen to "Sacrificed Sons":
As a vocalist myself, one of the things that I appreciate so much about James LaBrie is that he stays true to his voice. It's a very healthy way to sing, and it should keep him in the game for at least two more decades. In this song, depending on the perspective he's taking, whether narrator, personal testament, or the perpetrators of 9/11, he uses a slightly different voice. If you pay attention, it's very effective.
One key to getting the most out of this song is to listen very intently. Put yourself in an environment where you can be safe to feel your feelings. The band is based out of Long Island, so we can imagine how personal 9/11 feels for them. Listening advice: allow, allow, allow yourself to be enveloped in this song.
Thank you for reading, and enjoy!
~Michael
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What is the "Dream Theater Share-a-thon"?
I will be posting a link to a song/piece by my favorite band, Dream Theater, hopefully every day until we have successfully enjoyed every original song that they have recorded in-studio. There are many good reasons to do this, but you can probably guess most of the ones that I'm thinking.
No adieu.
We're just gonna do it.
I'm going to try to help you know what to expect a little bit without influencing the way that you experience the song. I want you to have the chance to enjoy the music on your own without any spoilers, just as I did.
I will also tell you that some of the things that Dream Theater does may be quite different than much of the music that you have listened to before. Sometimes it may be so new that it makes you a bit uneasy or just doesn't connect to you at all. If that happens, I encourage you to listen to it a few times, perhaps in different ways... once in the background while you do dishes, once with your eyes closed and your full attention, once hanging upside down like a bat. You get the idea.
You may even want to come back to it later for another listen.
I believe that, if you go on this journey with me, you will find more than a few songs that you enjoy. My mom saw Dream Theater live in K.C. and really enjoyed them, and she usually listens to NPR which I don't think gets to rock and roll that much. Dream Theater truly has something for everyone. Not everything they do may be your thing, but some of it may change your life for the better the way that it did mine.
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~In loving memory of Tim~
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