Over the course of various lineup changes, Petrucci and Myung have been the only two constant members, and Portnoy remained with the band until 2010, when he left to pursue other musical endeavors and he has since been replaced by Mangini. After a brief stint with Chris Collins, followed by Charlie Dominici (who was dismissed from Dream Theater not long after the release of their first album), LaBrie was hired as the band's singer in 1991. Dream Theater's first keyboardist, Kevin Moore, left the band after three albums and was replaced by Derek Sherinian in 1995 after a period of touring. After just one album with Sherinian, they replaced him with current keyboardist Jordan Rudess in 1999.
To date, Dream Theater has released fifteen studio albums. The band's highest-selling release is their second album Images and Words (1992), which reached No. 61 on the Billboard 200 chart. Both the albums Awake (1994) and Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002) also entered the charts at No. 32 and No. 46, respectively, and received critical acclaim. Their fifth album, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999), was ranked number 95 on the October 2006 issue of Guitar World magazine's list of the greatest 100 guitar albums of all time. It was also ranked as the 15th Greatest Concept Album in March 2003 by Classic Rock Magazine.
As of 2018, Dream Theater has sold over 12 million records worldwide and has received three Grammy Award nominations (including one win in 2022). Along with Queensrÿche and Fates Warning, the band has been referred to as one of the "big three" of the progressive metal genre, responsible for its development and popularization.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Theater
Studio albums
When Dream and Day Unite (1989)
Images and Words (1992)
Awake (1994)
Falling into Infinity (1997)
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999)
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002)
Train of Thought (2003)
Octavarium (2005)
Systematic Chaos (2007)
Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009)
A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011)
Dream Theater (2013)
The Astonishing (2016)
Distance over Time (2019)
A View from the Top of the World (2021)
Build Me Up Break Me Down
Dream Theater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tomorrow a demon.
You crave my erratic behavior
And watch my every move.
Obsession at all costs,
You'll be the death of me.
Broken and torn apart,
You build me up, you break me down
Until I'm falling to pieces.
I crash and burn, I never learn,
I'm your guilty addiction.
Build me up!
Break me down!
Today, a savior,
Tonight, I am the new messiah you deify.
When I'm no longer desired,
I'll be crucified.
The one who's free from sin,
The first to cast the stone.
Fighting the fear within,
I won't be left alone.
You build me up, you break me down
Until I'm falling to pieces.
The price I pay to live this way,
And the fantasy stays alive.
I can't live up, I can't let down
And leave you falling to pieces.
I crash and burn, I never learn,
I'm your morning obsession.
Build me up!
Break me down!
(I will be your savior)
You build me up, you break me down
Until I'm falling to pieces.
The price I pay to live this way,
And the fantasy stays alive.
I can't live up, I can't let down
And leave you falling to pieces.
I crash and burn, I never learn,
Your iconic fixation.
Build me up!
Break me down!
Build me up!
Break me down!
The lyrics of Dream Theater's song "Build Me Up Break Me Down" explore the complex relationship between a protagonist and their admirer. The singer is portrayed as someone who can alternate between being a savior and a demon, with their erratic behavior being highly coveted by their admirer. The obsession of the admirer comes at a cost to the singer, who feels broken and torn apart by their constant attention.
The song highlights how the singer is constantly being built up and broken down by their admirer. The love and admiration bestowed upon them are addicting, but the burden of constantly living up to the expectations of others is taking a toll. The singer is left feeling like they can never truly be themselves, always living up to the idealized persona created by their admirer.
The use of religious imagery, with the singer comparing themselves to a messiah and invoking the image of being crucified, adds further depth to the lyrics. The singer feels like they are paying a heavy price to maintain their idealized image, and that they will ultimately be left alone and abandoned once they are no longer desired.
Overall, "Build Me Up Break Me Down" is a poignant exploration of the complexities of relationships, identity, and the pressures of living up to the expectations of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Today, I will be a savior,
I will appear as a hero today
Tomorrow a demon.
Tomorrow I will be portrayed as a devil
You crave my erratic behavior
You desire my unpredictable actions
And watch my every move.
And carefully observe everything I do
Obsession at all costs,
You have an intense and unhealthy infatuation
You'll be the death of me.
Your actions will lead to my downfall
Broken and torn apart,
I am emotionally broken and shattered
Why can't you let me be?
Why do you refuse to leave me alone?
You build me up, you break me down
You constantly fluctuate between praising and criticizing me
Until I'm falling to pieces.
Until I am completely broken
I crash and burn, I never learn,
I continually fail and make the same mistakes
I'm your guilty addiction.
You feel remorseful, but cannot help being obsessed with me
Today, a savior,
Today I am once again your hero
Tonight, I am the new messiah you deify.
Tonight I am elevated to god-like status
When I'm no longer desired,
If and when you grow tired of me
I'll be crucified.
I will be attacked and destroyed
The one who's free from sin,
I am perceived as pure and faultless
The first to cast the stone.
I am quick to judge and criticize others
Fighting the fear within,
Struggling with internal anxieties
I won't be left alone.
I cannot be isolated or excluded from others
The price I pay to live this way,
The personal cost of being in this situation
And the fantasy stays alive.
Despite the negative consequences, the illusion persists
I can't live up, I can't let down
I am unable to meet your expectations, but must also avoid disappointing you
And leave you falling to pieces.
For fear that you will become distraught or broken
Your iconic fixation.
Your extreme fixation and obsession
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN MYUNG, JOHN PETRUCCI, JOHN RO MYUNG, JORDAN RUDESS, JORDAN CHARLES RUDESS, KEVIN JAMES LABRIE, KEVIN JAMES LA BRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@figeon
4:20 Petrucci yet again displaying his massive Bach influence. I love this guy.
@PorterMeNow
A few months ago my wife of 7 years and I decided to go our separate ways. That's when I gave this album a real listen, and it has become by far the most meaningful album of any band to me. Our whole marriage, despite having three kids, was full of extreme highs and extreme lows, but I was always scared to leave because I felt I would let her down. "I can't live up, I can't let down and leave you falling to pieces." God, that's the most true thing I've ever heard. Thanks DT for this amazing song
@TheMunz
Personally, I really like this song. Even Dream Theater's more radio-friendly songs are better than a lot of music out there.
@stardustgirl323
An absolute piece of art it's simply Dream Theater.
@destructionman1
When I saw DT live last October James LaBrie said to the crowd the song was about celebrities being built up by society, then crushed down by being exploited and humiliated.
@valeriocesarini5661
The people who should have given him the most love and support, i.e. the fanbase, hasn't certainly been kind to James. Losers.
@ezrastardust3124
I had a feeling that this was the underlying theme of the song tbh
@danielq2358
This really adds a new level of depth to the lyrics.
@christofercook2248
I mean like DAAAAAMMMMMNNNN
No other band is even close
I've been listening to DT for 30 something years , and I've enjoyed every single minute of every song on every CD.
Thankyou DT
@teroahola9246
I,'ve been addicted to dreamtheater for like 25 years and i still can't get enough. I know every song and i've got every album and dvd's and MAN I LOVE IT!