Take The Time by Dream Theater

Album: Images And Words (1992)

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The band came together on this song to write about their individual experiences, with each member contributing to the composition. Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy said of the song: "We decided to write a song about everything we'd been going through for the past three years - looking for a new singer, a new label and new management - just all the changes we made and all the frustrations we went through, but have it coming from each of our four different perspectives. So, we broke it up, and said, 'Okay, you take the first verse, you take the second verse,' went away, wrote lyrics about our feelings about all the stuff we were going through, and then put it together. Then we wrote the chorus together. That was the first time we had ever done that, and it's the only song on the album where the lyrics were actually written by everybody."
Images And Words was the first Dream Theater album with lead singer James LaBrie, who cites this as one of their most challenging songs to sing. He recorded it before injuring his vocal cords in 1994, which left him with more limited range. "Some of those songs are notes in the stratosphere," he told Songfacts. "I had to alter the melodies to fit who the singer is today."
Running 8:21, "Take The Time" has held up as one of the most popular Dream Theater songs, and one they often play in concert. The Images And Words album was a watershed for the band, whose debut flopped when it was released three years earlier in 1989. Dream Theater quickly rose to the top in the genre of progressive metal.

Comments: 9

Steven from Shepparton, AustraliaOne of the tightest bands on earth, Petrucci is a guitsr god up there with satch.
Craig from Newcastle Upon Tyne, United KingdomSebastian is right about the drums being triggered, but because DT were in no position to argue with the producer (an early stage in their career, they had no choice but to accept what came), Portnoy just accepted it.

He's wrong about DT being a bad live show. I stand by them being one of the best I've ever seen.
Lefteris from Sallonica, Greecethe first part of take the time, the very first seconds that snair with guitar comes in the song, the rythm is like the SOS in morse code. what i mean is . . . - - - . . . This is the code. if you are careful you'll understand this. BILLY FROM GREECE
Guy from Tel Aviv, Israelthere is a part between 4 to 5 minutes that remines "sweet child o'mine" of guns n' roses.
actully i've heard that lot of dream's songs are based on the music of other songs, is this is true or false?
Sebastian from Miami, FlDream theater is a great studio band , I have not been impressed with their live presentations. The songs lack depth when played live. Specially in the guitar, since Petrucci records both rhythm and lead, and of course can play them all at the same time live. One episode that comes to mind ,the time I saw them in The House of Blues in Orlando a few years back. They were the headliners, but the opening band was Dixie Dregs, memo to other prog metal bands; don't let these guys open for your band , they will steal your thunder!! as they did that night. A bunch of my friends that were there with me will tell you the same. I still like their studio stuff, but wont see them live again. Just some background on the recording of ths cd, it was recorded in Beartracks studios in suffern New York by Doug Oberckirsher, in fact all Portnoy's drum sounds come from Doug's sound library. All drum sounds were triggered. MIke Portnoy didn't like this , but that was what the producer wanted.
Jenjen2112 from Aberdeen, OtherDream Theater are truly an epic band... They are very underestimated musically i feel but i would say their music has very variouse dark meenings that i myself can loose myself in...
Kenneth from Mo I Rana, NorwayLive at Budokan, and the newest Octavarium cd. Thank you.
Logan from Kimball, MiI think that John Myung is one of the best bass players. He sounds the best on instrumedely off of live at budakong, and panic attack on the newest ocquavarium cd.
Tom from Trowbridge, EnglandPossibly my favourite song from I&W. There's so much going on in it; I think of it as a cross between Yes and Red Hot Chili Peppers but with a power metal chorus!

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