UNFINISHED SONG VS THE SPIRIT CARRIES ON

[yogi]

I saw Dream Theaters Distance Over Time Tour for the third time last night in San Antonio. In set two they play the entire concept album Metropolis ll Scenes From A Memory. The album and how it’s presented is absolutely epic.

Dream Theater will go down as my all time favorite band with Styx coming in a close second. Staind & Aaron Lewis come in at a very distant third.

Former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and other band members were big fans and influenced by many bands with Styx being one of those bands. On their 24 minute title track song for the album Octavarium the Styx song Show Me The Way is referenced.

Last night while listening to their classic song The Spirit Carries On I realized I’ve heard something very similar to this that I also really liked. I’ve thought this before about this Dream Theater classic and last night I figured it out. It’s the Styx song Unfinished Song.

The words are obviously completely different with Dennis singing ‘Where Am I going, how do I get there...., lasting until he sings ‘ why can’t my heart be free’.

The Dream Theater song starts out with James Labrie singing Where do we come from, why are we here, we’re do we go when we die’..... and lasting til he sings if I die tomorrow I I’ll be alright because I believe after we’re gone the spirit carries on.

The Dream Theater song is much longer and deeper but for about the first 2.5 minutes these songs are so similar in structure, feel, sound and voice it’s crazy. It’s taken me years of wondering were have I heard this before when listening to both songs.

Anyone out there that knows both of these songs think I’m right??

It’s cool cause it’s my two favorite bands. I actually think unconsciously Dream Theater years later completed Styx’s ‘ Unfinished Song’

[FormerDJMike]

Never heard the song but will check it out. Interesting.

[StyxGuy]

Seems like you're not the only one wondering if Styx influenced DT songs

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boar ... ic=39707.0

[yogi]

WOW I've never seen all of that.

Like I said on the 24 minute song Octavarium Dream Theater referenced Styx's Show Me The Way along with a bunch of other songs and artists.

But in my mind no doubt Dream Theater's The Spirit Carries On, is a completed 7.5 minute version of Styx's 3 minute +Unfinished Song. It hit me right after the concert Tuesday night and it's something that I've been trying to pinpoint for 15 years. James Labrie & DDY sing those songs exactly the same & the songs feel the same.

Damn they are both soooo good.

[masque]

man like you I am a huge DT fan and saw them on this same tour.......scenes is my favorite DT album.......but outside of the loose lyrical theme similarities, I honestly have to disagree that I hear any kind of similarity in the vocal deliveries, melodies or anything else.

it's awesome that you make that connection for yourself, but even after reading your passionate and spirited post above, I went and listened and could not make the same connection.

but I do love both of those songs and have for years.