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members, and Portnoy remained with the band until 2010, when he left to pursue other musical endeavors and he has since been replaced by Mangini.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)
These Walls
Dream Theater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To find the words to say
My thoughts are standing still
Captive inside of me
All emotions start to hide
And nothing's getting trough
Fading
I'm losing
All my instincts
Falling into darkness
Tear down these walls for me
Stop me from going under
You are the only one who knows
I'm holding back
It's not too late for me
To keep from sinking further
I'm trying to find my way out
Tear down these walls for me now
So much uncertainty
I don't like this feeling
I'm sinking like a stone
Each time I try to speak
There's a voice I'm hearing
And it changes everything
Watch me
Crawl from the wreckage
Of my silence
Conversation
Failing
Tear down these walls for me
Stop me from going under
You are the only one who knows
I'm holding back
It's not too late for me
To keep from sinking further
I'm trying to find my way out
Tear down these walls
Every time you choose to turn away
Is it worth the price you pay
Is there someone who will wait for you
One more time
One more time
Watch me
Fading
I'm losing
All my instincts
Falling into darkness
Tear down these walls for me
Stop me from going under
You are the only one who knows
I'm holding back
It's not too late for me
To keep from sinking further
I'm trying to find my way out
Tear down these walls for me now
Tear down these walls for me
It's not too late for me
Tear down these walls for me
The lyrics of "These Walls" are about someone who is struggling to express their emotions and feelings. They feel trapped inside themselves, unable to communicate with others and connect with them on a deeper level. The walls that are referenced in the song are metaphorical barriers that are preventing the singer from opening up and being vulnerable. They are pleading with someone else to tear down these walls and help them find their way out of the darkness.
There is a sense of desperation in the lyrics, as the singer fears they will continue to sink further unless they receive help. The song explores the importance of human connection, and how having someone to lean on can make all the difference in overcoming our struggles. The line "Every time you choose to turn away, is it worth the price you pay" highlights the consequences of not being there for someone who is struggling.
Overall, "These Walls" is a powerful and emotional song about the struggles of communication and the importance of human connection. It encourages listeners to be there for one another, and to tear down the walls that prevent us from truly connecting.
Line by Line Meaning
This is so hard for me
Expressing oneself is proving to be difficult.
To find the words to say
The right words are eluding me.
My thoughts are standing still
My mind is frozen and unproductive.
Captive inside of me
My emotions are trapped within me.
All emotions start to hide
My feelings tend to become inaccessible.
And nothing's getting trough
Communication breakdown is occurring.
Watch me
Observe me closely.
Fading
Gradient disappearance of my energy and spirit.
I'm losing
I am experiencing defeat and downfall.
All my instincts
My basic urges are failing me.
Falling into darkness
Sinking into despair and pessimism.
Tear down these walls for me
Help me break free from my emotional confinement.
Stop me from going under
Prevent me from being overwhelmed by difficulties.
You are the only one who knows
You are the only person who understands me completely.
I'm holding back
I am restraining myself from expressing myself freely.
It's not too late for me
I still have a chance to avoid catastrophe.
To keep from sinking further
To prevent myself from falling deeper into despair.
I'm trying to find my way out
I am searching for solutions to my problems.
So much uncertainty
I am plagued by doubt and insecurity.
I don't like this feeling
I am uncomfortable and unhappy with this state of mind.
I'm sinking like a stone
I am falling fast and uncontrollably.
Each time I try to speak
Whenever I attempt to communicate verbally.
There's a voice I'm hearing
I hear a voice in my head that is subverting me.
And it changes everything
The internal voice has a significant impact on my thinking.
Crawl from the wreckage
Drag myself out of the rubble of my own silence.
Of my silence
Failing to communicate means that I have sunk into a pit of loneliness.
Conversation
Talking back and forth with another person.
Failing
The conversation is not yielding the desired outcomes.
Every time you choose to turn away
Whenever you opt to avoid instead of confront.
Is it worth the price you pay
The decision to turn away - is it worth the often high cost?
Is there someone who will wait for you
Is there anyone keeping an eye out for you?
One more time
Just one more instance of possibility will suffice.
Tear down these walls for me
Assist me in tearing down the restrictive barriers between myself and the world.
It's not too late for me
Although in dire straits, I have a fighting chance.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 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