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members, and Portnoy remained with the band until 2010, when he left to pursue other musical endeavors and he has since been replaced by Mangini.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)
Fatal Tragedy
Dream Theater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel so strange
I need to find
All the answers to my dreams
When I sleep at night
I hear the cries
What does this mean?
I shut the door and traveled to another home
I met an older man, he seemed to be alone
I felt that I could trust him
He talked to me that night;
"Lad did you know a girl was murdered here?"
"This fatal tragedy was talked about for years"
Victoria's gone forever
Only memories remain
She passed away
She was so young
Without love
Without truth
There can be no turning back
Without faith
Without hope
There can be no peace of mind
As the night went on
I started to find my way
I learned about a tragedy
A mystery still today
I tried to get more answers
But he said, "You're on your own."
Then he turned away and left me
As I stand there all alone
He said, "You'll know the truth
As you future days unfold"
Without love
Without truth
There can be no turning back
Without faith
Without hope
There can be no peace of mind
"Now it is time to see how you died.
Remember that death is not the end but only a transition."
The lyrics of Dream Theater’s song “Fatal Tragedy” describe a character who is struggling to make sense of their dreams and hears mysterious cries at night. In an attempt to find answers, the character travels to a new home where they meet an older man who tells them about a fatal tragedy that took place there. A girl named Victoria was murdered and only memories of her remain. As the character tries to get more answers, the man tells them that they are on their own and they will know the truth as their future days unfold.
The themes of love, truth, faith, and hope are prevalent throughout the song. The character is searching for answers to their dreams, but without these essential ingredients, they cannot find peace of mind. The man they meet provides them with a glimpse into the past but refuses to offer any further explanations, leaving the character to their own devices.
The haunting melody and atmospheric sound effects create a sense of mystery and intrigue, adding to the lyrics’ theme. The lyrics’ ending, “Now it is time to see how you died, Remember that death is not the end but only a transition,” add an additional layer of meaning, leaving the listener to consider the character’s fate after the song’s end.
Line by Line Meaning
Alone at night
During the night, I am by myself
I feel so strange
I experience an unusual feeling
I need to find
I must discover
All the answers to my dreams
The solutions to my dreams
When I sleep at night
While I am sleeping
I hear the cries
I perceive the sounds of sadness
What does this mean?
What is the significance of this occurrence?
I shut the door and traveled to another home
I closed the door and went to a different place
I met an older man, he seemed to be alone
I encountered an elderly man who appeared to be isolated
I felt that I could trust him
I experienced confidence in him
He talked to me that night;
He conversed with me during that particular evening
Lad did you know a girl was murdered here?
Young man, were you aware that an individual of the female gender was killed on this premises?
This fatal tragedy was talked about for years
People discussed this catastrophic event for a prolonged period
Victoria's gone forever
Victoria has permanently departed
Only memories remain
Recollections of her are the only remnants
She passed away
She perished
She was so young
She was at such a tender age
Without love
In the absence of affection
Without truth
Lacking veracity
There can be no turning back
It is impossible to reverse the course of events
Without faith
Devoid of trust or belief
Without hope
In the absence of optimism
There can be no peace of mind
It is unattainable to have a serene state of mental health
As the night went on
As time progressed through the night
I started to find my way
I began to understand the situation better
I learned about a tragedy
I gained knowledge about a calamitous event
A mystery still today
The topic remains unexplained to this day
I tried to get more answers
I endeavored to obtain more information
But he said, "You're on your own."
However, he responded to me, 'You have to continue on your own.'
Then he turned away and left me
He departed by facing the opposite direction
As I stand there all alone
While I remain by myself
He said, "You'll know the truth
He pronounced, 'You will discover the actuality'
As you future days unfold"
As your forthcoming time progresses
Now it is time to see how you died.
The moment has arrived to discern how you met your demise.
Remember that death is not the end but only a transition.
Recall that expiration is merely a transformation and not a conclusion.
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, MICHAEL PORTNOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@anymoretime
Lyrics:
Alone at night
I feel so strange
I need to find
All the answers to my dreams
When I sleep at night I hear the cries
What does this mean?
I shut the door and traveled to another home
I met an older man, he seemed to be alone
I felt that I could trust him
He talked to me that night
"Lad, did you know a girl was murdered here?"
"This fatal tragedy was talked about for years"
Victoria's gone forever
Only memories remain
She passed away, she was so young
Without love, without truth
There can be no turning back
Without faith, without hope
There can be no peace of mind
As the night went on
I started to find my way
I learned about a tragedy
A mystery still today
I tried to get more answers
But he said, "You're on your own"
Then he turned away and left me as I stand there all alone
He said, "You'll know the truth
As your future days unfold, unfold"
Without love, without truth
There can be no turning back
Without faith, without hope
There can be no peace of mind
Now it is time to see how you died
Remember that death is not the end
But only a transition
@KommandantDahl
5:12 took me 18 years to realize how beautifully seamless that guitar -> keyboard solo transition is
@moviebad109
KommandantDahl also leave it to dream theater to have a keyboard/guitar unison on top of a bass solo lol all playing over Mike Portnoy just being a monster in general.
@inaciosa2291
I never noticed that before. Thanks
@baroesyt1043
@@inaciosa2291aw
@mylesaway2566
The solo is just legendary.
@SpeedyStorm
There's all sorts of stuff like that on this album. The more you listen to them, the more they come out. In Regression you can hear the first bits of Home, and obviously Overture 1928 has all the melodies in it since it's an Overture. Amazing stuff.
@sinanuluc5143
03:51 I was in high school when I first heard this breakdown and got dumbfounded by the sudden transformation of emotion and pace. and the guitar solo starting at 04:39 has always remained as one of my all time favs and I'm not even a prog guy.
@marcusking8507
That outro from 6:00 is just pure adrenaline.
@Kratsac
one of the best guitar/keyboard passages of all time in my opinion
@Despond
Still my favorite "shred" solo by Petrucci probably followed closely by Steams of Consciousness. These 2 solos just burst out and burst on your face before you realize what's happening.