Dream Theater

@Obryn, if you have access to a keyboard try to match James' voice on the keyboard on the first chorus, then do the same with the last chorus. You will see that he is truly singing it up an octave. I think when he is singing on the last chorus, it's more towards the middle or upper part of his range and therefore he can get more power and resonance in his voice.

Yeah, this song is really amazing. After having listened to the album for the first time I thought of this and Breaking All Illusions as the strongest tracks on the record. Even now, after having listened to all the tracks at least 20 times, it's still "up there" as one of the strongest, most emotional statements of the album.

=astroboy said:@Obryn, if you have access to a keyboard try to match James' voice on the keyboard on the first chorus, then do the same with the last chorus. You will see that he is truly singing it up an octave. I think when he is singing on the last chorus, it's more towards the middle or upper part of his range and therefore he can get more power and resonance in his voice.

Of all the songs on ADTOE, this one spoke to me in some way. I made a lyric video for the Roadrunner Records contest:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcYJqEgtP5I

I guess it shows a little of how the song made me feel.

Dear Spin;

Beneath the Surface is clearly an emotional track. Labrie has done a great job. On the other hand, Dream Theater isn't this. We love Dream Theater because of their changing time signatures, clunky rhythms, impossible solos and being more than just an ordinary band.

They are bigger than Beneath the Surface. Dream Theater isn't Beneath the Surface. Dream Theater is not a simple band.

Dream Theater is special.

Dream Theater is Learning to Live, A Change of Seasons, Metropolis Pt.1, Octavarium, In The Name of God, Home, Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulance.

Dream Theater is "The Dance of Eternity".

DT is all of the above. JP's breakdown is as follows:

“Beneath The Surface is the last song we wrote for the album. We had tracked all of the drums on the other cuts, and I think we were working on keyboards. At this point, we realized that the record needed something. Everything else was very intense, so a cool-down felt right.

“With the exception of This Is The Life, I was writing about very heavy topics: political unrest in America, uprisings in the Middle East, ancient Persian armies, shamans. For the closing song, a lighter, more poignant lyrical message was in order, something that would reach deep into your soul in a very honest way.

“Actually, I wrote the lyrics without the music; it was before we even went into the studio. Once we started working on the song, I had a guitar part that seemed like it would work, but I ended up changing it around. There was a bit of a process with marrying the words to the music. I demoed the song and recorded it, and the guys were totally open to it.

“It’s mostly acoustic, and it could exist as an acoustic/vocal song. We did put an arrangement to it. I really like the keyboard solo in the middle. We searched for just the right Moog-esque sound, picturing the lighters, or I guess cell phones, coming out in the audience. It takes it away from being a folkish ballad and makes it more Genesis or ELP. I love it. I think it’s a great way to end the record.”

I LOVE this song! Especially where James takes it at the end. Yes, it is a little sad, but it is a very honest song, emotionally. I work at a local radio station two nights a week, and I always end the night with "Beneath the Surface" one night, and "The Spirit Carries On" the next night. One night on a sad note, the next on a hopeful one. Plus, hopefully I'm making a few new Dream Theater fans!

The whole album is simply beautiful and amazing. I am still listening to it everyday since its release. Love it all!

Plus, to me this song isn't so much a sad song. It feels more like a close to a chapter in one's life to continue on and experience new things in life. It is a great way to bookend the album and helps to balance out all the other great tunes.

Sometimes it's easier for me to see the glass half full than half empty. Yeah, the lyrics are " sad " but sung with a powerful conviction that when we all get hurt we move on through our pain and able to experience new things in life. And it is the pain we encounter which makes us realize we couldn't enjoy the finer things in life without going through pain in the first place.

Maybe this song is a metaphor through the recent change with MP's departure. But if they didn't go through all of that hardship, then we all wouldn't have a great sounding disc.

Simple.

DT, can do what ever makes them happy, the fact that they share their music with us is so great. What ever they put on an album is great with me, I am just happy to hear new material.