Don

Oh wow, the ignorance has now grown into a beanstalk. Let me, if you will, paste an anayls regarding Dream Theater's “Metropolis.”:

This is an analysis of one of the most elaborate stories ever written in song format: the Metropolis series by Dream Theater

John Petrucci first wrote Metropolis Part 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper in 1991 as part of the Images and Words album. A major theme of the story was that the three Dances — Death, Deceit, and Love — go on for eternity. Because of this feeling of neverendingness, he decided to entitle the song Part 1, even though he never had any intention of making a second part.

“The Smile of Dawn arrived early May
She carried a gift from her home”

We are introduced to Metropolis, not yet called by its name. We are immediately given a feeling that Metropolis is friendly and innocent, and offering the gift of love. In Part 1, Metropolis is a city that is sometimes talked about figuratively as a woman. In Part 2, she will be a woman (Victoria) that is talked about figuratively as a city.

“The Night shed a tear
To tell her of fear
And of sorrow and pain she'll never outgrow”

Although it is unknown who or what the Night symbolizes, it is clearly something that foretells the coming events. We are told here that Metropolis will be afraid and in pain, and that her life will end before it is resolved.

“Death is the first Dance, eternal”

This is the first reference to the three Dances of Eternity, which establish the theme for the Metropolis story. The three Dances of Eternity are, in order: Death, Deceit, and Love. These are the forces that the three figures of the story — The Miracle, the Sleeper, and Metropolis — will be forced to struggle with for all of eternity.

“There's no more freedom
The both of you will be confined
To this mind”
Both the Miracle and the Sleeper will be set on winning the love of Metropolis, and they will be unable to escape it.

“I was told there's a miracle
For each day that I tried”

This is the Miracle talking. He is called the Miracle because it seems as though he succeeds at whatever he decides to pursue.

“I was told there's a new love that's born
Through each one that has died”

This line is repeated in Part 2 when Edward decides to pursue Victoria after she and Julian had a fight. Likewise, the Miracle will pursue Metropolis when it starts to drift away from the Sleeper.

“I was told there'd be no one to call on
When I feel alone and afraid”

The Miracle has always been self-sufficient and has never had to rely on anyone before. If he was to fail at something, he wouldn't know where to turn. This provides background that leads up to the decision he makes when Metropolis returns to the Sleeper.

“I was told if you dream of the next world
You'll find yourself swimming in a lake of fire”
This literally means that if you dream of heaven, you'll get hell. If you try to obtain something that is forbidden to you, you will suffer for it eternally. This is more foreshadowing.

“As a child, I thought I could live without pain
Without sorrow”

Now the Sleeper is narrating. He used to live a sheltered life, rather spoiled, and never really got in touch with reality. He is called the Sleeper because he never pursued anything for himself.

“As a man, I've found it's all caught up with me.
I'm asleep, yet I'm so afraid”
He is now given responsibilities that he doesn't know how to handle. He tries to escape from reality, but it just makes the problem worse. This is what drives Metropolis away from him.

“Somewhere, like a scene from a memory
There's a picture worth a thousand words
Eluding stares from faces before me
It hides away and will never be heard of again”

We're back to the Miracle, and he pictures himself taking Metropolis from the Sleeper. He feels that he is somehow destined to do this, but at the same time he's ashamed for his thoughts. He tries to hide his feelings from everyone.

“Deceit is the Second without end”

Here we're told the second Dance of Eternity: Deceit. The Miracle will betray his brother and take Metropolis for himself.

“The city's cold blood teaches us to survive
Just keep my heart in your eyes and we'll stay alive”

The Sleeper realizes that he's losing Metropolis. He decides that he has to wake up and fight for it. He asks Metropolis to give him another chance and that everything will be alright.

“The Third arrives”

This is the third Dance of Eternity, which we will be told is love.

“Before the leaves have fallen
Before we lock the doors
There must be the third and last Dance
This one will last forever”

Metropolis has returned to the Sleeper. However, before the story is over, love will come into play once more. Love is a force that will never go away.

“Metropolis watches and thoughtfully smiles
She's taken you to your home”

The Miracle and the Sleeper are both strongly in love with Metropolis, and it touches the darkest parts of their hearts. They will fight for the love, and it will destroy them both.

“It can only take place when the struggle between our children has ended
Now the Miracle and the Sleeper know
That the Third is Love
Love is the Dance of Eternity”

Metropolis will never be free until the Dances of Eternity are stopped. Love will forever lead them all to ruin

(By David Hammond, and here's the link discussing Metropolis part 2 as well: http://nanobox.chipx86.com/blog/2004...-analysis.php).

So what was it you said again? DT “blend random words together to make it sound like they are being deep, when really they are not.“ lol. And that is just ONE example. “Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence” is a forty-two minute epic, which is even more complex and meaningful. And all you did was say that Yes sing about a war or whatever, that's pretty hysterical. And the fact that I know what Yes are singing about most of the time, and believe me, it's not half as complex or as interesting than what DT sing about.