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members, and Portnoy remained with the band until 2010, when he left to pursue other musical endeavors and he has since been replaced by Mangini.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)
Us and Them
Dream Theater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And after all we're only ordinary men.
Me, and you.
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do.
Forward he cried from the rear
and the front rank died.
And the general sat and the lines on the map
moved from side to side.
And who knows which is which and who is who.
Up and down.
And in the end it's only round and round.
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words
The poster bearer cried.
Listen son, said the man with the gun
There's room for you inside.
"I mean, they're not gunna kill ya, so if you give 'em a quickshort,
sharp, shock, they won't do it again. Dig it? I mean he get off
lightly, 'cos I would've given him a thrashing - I only hit him once!
It was only a difference of opinion, but really...I mean good manners
don't cost nothing do they, eh?"
Down and out
It can't be helped but there's a lot of it about.
With, without.
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?
Out of the way, it's a busy day
I've got things on my mind.
For the want of the price of tea and a slice
The old man died.
Dream Theater's song "Us and Them" reflects on the inevitable conflicts that arise between groups of ordinary people. The song emphasizes that despite our differences, we ultimately share a common humanity. The lyrics' portrayal of a war zone characterized by confusion and chaos reflects the inherent absurdity of the human experience. The opening lines emphasize that both sides of the conflict are made up of average men who did not choose to engage in conflict but must do so out of necessity. The line "God only knows it's not what we would choose to do" emphasizes the destructive nature of war and asserts that nobody wants to engage in it willingly.
The following lines describe the chaos and confusion that occur in the midst of a battle. The general directing the troops is depicted as entirely removed from the front lines, while soldiers blindly follow orders that lead to their deaths. The line "And who knows which is which and who is who" highlights the way in which the distinctions between the two sides become blurred in the haze of war. The reference to the battle of words suggests that the conflict may not be entirely necessary and could be avoided if people communicated more effectively.
The final lines depict the tragic loss of life that can result from the senseless conflict, symbolized by the old man who dies for lack of money to buy food. The song suggests that human society often values material things over human life itself, and that the real cost of war is not just measured in the body counts of soldiers but also in the innocent lives that are lost as a result.
Line by Line Meaning
Us, and them
There are two sides of a conflict involved, Us and Them.
And after all we're only ordinary men.
Both sides in this conflict are made up of regular, unremarkable people.
Me, and you.
Indicates the presence of a personal situation between two individuals.
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do.
Both parties involved wish they didn't have to engage in this conflict.
Forward he cried from the rear
and the front rank died.
The individual leading everyone from the back is responsible for casualties.
And the general sat and the lines on the map
moved from side to side.
Higher-up military personnel plotted their moves from above with no concern for those on the ground.
Black and blue
And who knows which is which and who is who.
The situation is so gruesome that no one can properly differentiate between the two sides.
Up and down.
And in the end it's only round and round.
No matter what happens the situation continues in a never-ending cycle.
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words
The poster bearer cried.
The leaders of both sides continue to exchange verbal attacks.
Listen son, said the man with the gun
There's room for you inside.
The man with the gun is persuading someone to join his side of the conflict.
Down and out
It can't be helped but there's a lot of it about.
Many people are affected by this conflict negatively, and there's nothing to be done about it.
With, without.
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?
No matter what someone has, they are still involved in this conflict because it's necessary.
Out of the way, it's a busy day
I've got things on my mind.
Even without the conflict, everyone involved would still be busy with their own issues.
For the want of the price of tea and a slice
The old man died.
A life was lost because of money, and it highlights the senselessness of the conflict.
Contributed by Nolan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ShmamanFire
this song is so underated.... I love it
Eye Jougan
8/march/2022 lest rock from malaysia ❤️🤟
LMTR14
labrie's voice doesn't fit for this at all
LMTR14
no it isn't