The Dinner and Dance

Hahahaz it was fun!yea i won dis bootle which i filled up wif fruit punch and da entire choir drank from it hahaz.Dun even noe if it is clean or not hahahahahahahaz………

 

We carolled once last time and guess wad?Nic Foo joined us!!!!Ahh just like old times when he would make me laugh almost every engagement we sang together last year hahaz.It was okay,no wait,it was great!!!Hahahaz

 

Sopranos—–Angie,Angie’s bro,Stacie’s bro,Crystal,Denise,Geri,Dorothy,Nicole Siew,Nicole Ben

Altos———-Ashley,Sam,Louisa,Stacie,Grace,Christine

Tenors——-Lucas,Gabriel,Desmond,(Nicole Siew’s bro),(Samuel)

Bass———Me,Nic Foo,Luke,Andrew,Frois,Patrick

 

Stacie and Desmond won best dressed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!yay hahaz

 

Gabriel won top prize in lucky draw!!Ipod Video!!!!!Congrats too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yayyay hahahahahz

 

I took pics of moses,lucas,desmond,crystal,geri and louisa in my phone.Unfortunatley i can’t upload them sry!!!!

 

Anywayz…while we were bz partying at grassroots club………………………….Marianne returned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yayayayay da entire choir misses her!!!Hahahaz.And guess wad?She didn’t get blown up!!!!!Hahahz.Nah kiddin kiddin.

 

Halmm is fun.Wad do u think????

 

Toodles!!!!

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Blah Blah Blah

Went for leisure jamming on tuesday wif Glen,Aloy and Laurent.It was fun and crazy and full of laughter hahahz.Icekimo after dat was great too.Hahaz I was greedy,but i wun tell u wad i ate.=P

 

I brought my bass along and it sounded realli good on da Ampeg amp.It was also suprisingly in tune since da last time i tuned it was………more than a month ago.heh.

 

Wednesday…………………………………………………………………………………….oh ya i remember wad i did now…..watched Night At The Museum wif Joshua,Glen and Leonard Lim.Was realli funny and i loved it.I would give it 3.5/5!!!!=)

 

hmmmmmm jan6-7 2007 would be a nice week for me.I would be cantoring for choir 1st time on 6th jan and i would be returnin to Yamaha class on 7th.very excited to meet up wif old frens like Jeremy,Gavin,Vanessa….basicallly everyone lah even Alison my ex.We’re still good frens.

 

Oh today was Halmm bbq at LuLu’s place!!!hahahahaz had lots of fun there.Brought over my winning eleven10 over hahahaz

I trashed an overconfident Andrew 18-0!!!!!!!=)

Hahaz he had 4 red cards too.Hilarious!!!!hahahahaahhaz

 

Ok my font is startin to look wierd now.Hmmmmmmmm

 

Tml’s D&D.Can’t wait hahaz

 

Toodles!!!!!!!

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Our carollingseason ended on saturday wif 2 engagements.One at Youth Cafe and another at Nicole Siew’s relative’s hse……

 

It ended okay lah it was cool..Ate realli good food.After dat played soccer wif a few guys and da rest played frisbee.

 

Now at Stacie’s hse on Xmas day once again.

 

Will post pics of our last day of carolling.

 

Toodles!!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!

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The end of a wonderful friday

At gabriel’s hse me and desmond played wif mahjong tiles.We built our own fortresses usin them and attacked each other’s fortressed by flickin mahjong chips at them.I hav da messy fortress while desmond has da meat fortress.Guess wad??I WON!!!!!!Hahahahahaz…After dat i created a mighty fortress dat was literally impossible to break usin chips.Hahahahaz.Will post pics below.

 

Okok now to nite engagement.I felt dat it was good.But my throat died!!!!!!!AHHHHHHH.Oh well,we still sounded good anywayz hahahahaz…..

 

Sopranos—–Angie,Geri,Crystal,Ian,Nic Ben,Stacie’s bro

Altos———-Ashley,Louisa,Sam,Stacie

Tenors——–Lucas,Gabriel,Desmond

Bass———-Me,Luke,Patrick,(Desmond)

 

Michael conducted.

 

We had alot of fun there and da food was GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!Hahaz betta than rotary club food hahahaz……..

 

Another fun day for me today—–another fun day for me tml!!!!!i hope hahaz……….

 

Toodles!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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1st half of day gone

At Gabriel’s hse now…..we juz carolled at aunt’s office.It was pretty good!!!!So was the food hahaz….

 

Sopranos—–Angie,Ian,Denise,Crystal,Geri

Altos———Ashley,Sam

Tenors——-Lucas,Gabriel,Desmond

Bass———Me,Luke,Andrew

 

All da gals went shopping(Luke included) together wif Andrew i think hahaz….

 

Lucas went home,da rest of da guys r wif me now……….

 

K lah swithcin laptop now.

 

Toodles!!!!!

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Juz a little tired….

Went to Pines to carol at the Rotary Club today…..

 

Sopranos—–Angie,Nic Siew,Crystal,Denise,Angie’s bro,Stacie’s bro,Nathan

Altos———-Ashley,Sam,Grace,Christine,Louisa,Stacie

Tenors——–Lucas,Gabriel

Bass———-Me,Luke,Patrick,(Desmond)

 

It was juz an average peformance……i didn’t sing too well cos i was realli tired….Yea…I’m shacked………………

 

After carolling da choir had lots and lots of helium fun.Practicalli everyone inhaled helium and either sang a song or said a funny phrase.Hahaz it waas funny.Other than dat me and Gabriel did stupid stuff too.Hahahahaz..It was still a fun day overall….

 

I gtg sleep early.Got morning engagement.Toodles!!!Sry no pics today

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Carolled at Gabriel’s hse

Sopranos—–Angie,Geri,Nic Siew,Nic Ben,Denise,Crystal,Dorothy,Ian,Rebecca,Angie’s bro,Stacie’s bro

Altos———-Sam,Grace,Christine,Stacie,Ashley,Louisa

Tenors——–Lucas,Gabriel

Bass———–Me,Luke,Andrew,Patrick,(Desmond)

 

Michael conducted.

 

It was okay lah.Up to standard,but not fantastic……

 

Oh shit i’m tired!!!!!!

 

Gtg.Posted some pics below.Da crazee gal wif da mountain od hats is Crystal.Hahaz.And yes crystal,Crazy Crystal.=P

 

Toodles!!!!=)

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A deep analysis on Octavarium

Octavarium Analysis Introduction Dream Theater’s eighth studio album, Octavarium, is their most complex, reference and nugget-ridden album yet. In a radio interview, Mike Portnoy admitted that the album is basically one giant nugget. This is my attempt to gather everything known about Octavarium into one long page. I’d like to thank the folks at the MikePortnoy.com forums for finding most of this stuff. They have way too much time on their hands 😉 Note that I’m not going to put up an analysis of the album jacket until I can find high quality scans of it. If I’m missing anything, feel free to post it in the forum or email me about it. Overview The overlying them of Octavarium is the idea of things going in cycles, repeating themselves, and ending in the same place they begin. An octave in music (which the word Octavarium is likely based on) starts and ends on the same note. Octavarium also provides a logical continuation from Train of Thought, as it starts on the same note (F) that the song In the Name of God ends with. This continuation pattern has been going on since the album Scenes From a Memory. A symbol you might see quite a bit in the Octavarium artwork is an octagon circumscribed around a 5-pointed star. These numbers, 8 and 5, figure prominently in Octavarium and Dream Theater in general, and are littered everywhere throughout this album. Looking at the history of the word Octavarium reveals very little. The only historical record of it is a historical book in the Vatican called the Octavarium Romanum. It consists mainly of lessons regarding various Catholic feasts. Notable in its history, however, is many 5’s and 8’s. The book was first mentioned underthe pontification of Sixtus V (1585-1590) (Sixtus the FIFTH in FIFTEEN EIGHTY FIVE) and then was not mentioned again until it was brought up under Clement VIII (1592-1605) (that’s Clement the EIGHTH). Anyways, on to the main symbolism for the numbers 5 and 8. – Octavarium – 5 syllables, consonants, and vowels, DT’s 8th studio album – 5 current members of Dream Theater – 8 total members in the band’s history (this does not include Chris Collins as he was only a part of Majesty) – DT has 5 official live albums (at the point of Octavarium’s release) – DT formed in 1985 – 5 of the 8 songs on this album were recorded with Mike "Hammer of the Gods" kit, the 8th drum kit he has used in his career Artwork The front of the jacket (also the front of the case when folded out revealses a full Newton’s Cradle with 8 balls. This physics toy always repeats the same motion over and over again, emphasizing this album’s theme. There are also 5 birds in the picture, forming a piano octave – the balls being the white keys and the birds being the black keys. This theme of octaves is continued throughout the entire album. On the insides of the the front and back covers of the jacket, there is a boy with a can attached to a string. The idea is that the beginning and end are connected–everything ending where it begins. On one side the boy is speaking into the can and on the other side he is listening. Perhaps the boy can tell information he has gained by the end to the boy at the beginning. Even when you have learned a lot through a journey, you are still stuck in the Octavarium, the endless cycle. Behind the lyrics to The Answer Lies Within is a depiction of two dominoes. One totals 5 and the other 8. There are three birds that perhaps represent the three former members of Dream Theater, Charlie Dominici, Kevin Moore, and Derek Sherinian, the flying two being the keyboardists, and the one and the domino being the singer. Opposite the lyrics to These Walls is a spider (8-legged creature) inside an 8-sided maze. The maze has five layers and although there are 8 doorways in the maze, there is no way for the spider to escape the maze, thus the spider is trapped within "these walls." Opposite the lyrics to Never Enough and Sacrificed Sons is an octopus (8 tentacles this time) with 5 fish, and a stop sign (8 sides) with the Majesty symbol. The next illustration is a peculiar blueprint of a star inside of an octagon. There are many more references to 5’s and 8’s here, many of them more subtle. One that is not subtle, is the scale (5:8), and the fact that it is labelled as figure 8. The dimensions are 29′ 6.75" square, with right triangles with legs of 8′ 8" cut out. There are spaces in each wall 5′ 8" wide. The F Lydian scale is spelled out starting at the leftmost side and going clockwise. One can also find the chromatic scale with accidentals inserted in the proper places. There are doors on four sides of the object, with only the south door open. This possibly symbolizes that you can enter the room, go around it, but the exit is the same as the entrance. On the next page, the boy is seen again, and then the members of Dream Theater as the black keys of a piano. Finally, on the inside of the case behind the CD is a pool 8 ball with the Majesty symbol on it. On the back of the jacket, you’ll see part of a piano. Note that each octave on a piano has 8 white keys and 5 black keys. Each white key represents a song off the album – in order, starting with F. In fact, these notes are the minors of the key the song is in. But where the the black keys, the accidentals fit in? Well if you look carefully you’ll see that the track times on the back of the CD appear to be incorrect. They only add up to 73:26, when any CD player will tell you that the CD is 75:55. Interestingly enough, 5 of the tracks have negative time that makes up the missing 2:18. Not only do each of these negative time tracks represent the accidental, but they are also in the key of the relative minor of the accidental. Track Time Segment Song Piano Key (and minor key of song) 1 0:00 – 8:07 The Root Of All Evil F 1 8:08 – 8:25 Nature Sounds (Negative Time) F# 2 0:00 – 5:20 The Answer Lies Within G 2 5:21 – 5:33 Pitch Bend (Negative Time) G# 3 0:00 – 6:59 These Walls A 3 7:00 – 7:36 Wind / Heartbeat / Chimes (Negative Time) A# 4 0:00 – 4:29 I Walk Beside You B 5 0:00 – 7:16 Panic Attack C 5 7:17 – 8:13 Synth Solo (Negative Time) C# 6 0:00 – 6:33 Never Enough D 6 6:34 – 6:46 Voices Begin (Negative Time) D# 7 0:00 – 10:42 Sacrificed Sons E 8 0:00 – 24:00 Octavarium F Octavarium starts out an octave higher than The Root Of All Evil, though in the same key. Lyrics What follows is a song-by-song list of references, nuggets, and analytical comments. Most of the meat lies in the song Octavarium. Lyrics The Root Of All Evil [VI. READY] Proud enough for you to call me arrogant Greedy enough for you to be labeled a theif Angry enough for me to go and hurt a man Cruel enough for me to feel no grief Never could have just a part of it I always need more to get by Getting right down to the heart of it The root of all evil has been running my whole life Dirty enough for me to lust Leaving nothing left to trust Jealous enough to still feel envious Lazy enough to sleep all day And let my life just waste away Selfish enough to make you wait for me Driven blindly by our sins Misled so easily Entirely ready to leave it behind I’m begging to break free Take all of me The desires that keep burning deep inside Cast them all away And help to give me strength to face another day I am ready Help me be what I can be [VII. REMOVE] Self-centered fear has got a hold on me Clutching my thoat Self righteous anger running all through me Ready to explode Procrastination paralyzing me Wanting me dead These obsessions that keep haunting me Won’t leave my head Help to do for me what I can’t do myself Take this fear and pain I can’t break out of this prison all alone Help me break these chains Humility now my only hope Won’t you take all of me Heal this dying soul I can feel my body breaking I can feel my body breaking I’m ready to let it all go I can feel my body shaking Right down to the foundation The root of it all Take all of me And the drive that keep burning deep inside Cast it all away And help to give me strength to face another day I am ready Help me be what I can be I am ready Come to me Take me away The Answer Lies Within Look around Where do you belong Don’t be afraid You’re not the only one Don’t let the day go by Don’t let it end Don’t let a day go by in doubt The answer lies within Life is short So learn from your mistakes And stand behind The choices that you make Face each day With both eyes open wide And try to give Don’t keep it all inside Don’t let the day go by Don’t let it end Don’t let a day go by in doubt The answer lies within You’ve got the future on your side You’re gonna be fine now I know whatever you decide You’re gonna shine Don’t let the day go by Don’t let it end Don’t let a day go by in doubt You’re ready to begin Don’t let a day go by in doubt The answer lies within These Walls This is so hard for me To find the words to say My thoughts are standing still Captive inside of me All emotions start to hide And nothing’s getting through 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 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 run 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 I Walk Beside You There’s a story in your eyes I can see the hurt behind your smile For every sign I recognize Another one escapes me Let me know what plagues your mind Let me be the one to know you best Be the one to hold you up When you feel like you’re sinking Tell me once again What’s beneath the pain you’re feeling Don’t abandon me Or think you can’t be saved I walk beside you Wherever you are Whatever it takes No matter how far Through all that may come And all that may go I walk beside you I walk beside you Summon up your ghosts for me Rest your tired thoughts upon my hands Step inside this sacred place When all your dreams seem broken Resonate inside this temple Let me be the one who understands Be the one to carry you When you can walk no further Tell me once again What’s below the surface bleeding If you’ve lost your way I will take you in I walk beside you Wherever you are Whatever it takes No matter how far Through all that may come And all that may go I walk beside you I walk beside you Oh when everything is wrong Oh when hopelessness surrounds you Oh the sun will rise again The tide you swim against will carry you back home So don’t give up Don’t give in I walk beside you Wherever you are Whatever it takes No matter how far Through all that may come And all that may go I walk beside you I walk beside you Panic Attack All wound up On the edge Terrified Sleep disturbed Restless mind Petrified Bouts of fear Permeate All I see Heightening Nervousness Threatens me I am paralyzed So afraid to die Caught off guard Warning signs Never show Tension strikes Choking me Worries grow Why do I feel so numb Is it something to do with where I come from Should this be fight or flight I don’t know why I’m constantly so uptight Rapid heartbeat pounding through my chest Agitated body in distress I feel like I’m in danger Daily life is strangled by my stress A stifling surge Shooting through all my veins Extreme apprehension Suddenly I’m insane Lost all hope for redemption A grave situation desperate at best Why do I feel so numb Is it something to do with where I come from Should this be fight or flight I don’t know why I’m constantly reeling Helpless hysteria A false sense of urgency Trapped in by my phobia Possessed by anxiety Run Try to hide Overwhelmed by this complex delirium Never Enough Cut myself open wide Reach inside Help yourself To all I have to give And then you help yourself again And then complain that You didn’t like the way I put the knife in wrong You didn’t like the way My blood spilled on your brand new floor What would you say If I walked away Would you appreciate But then it’d be too late Because I can only take so much of your ungrateful ways Everything is never enough Sacrifice my life Neglect my kids and wife All for you to be happy All those sleepless nights And countless fights to give you more And then you say how dare that I didn’t write you back I must be too good for you I only care about myself What would you say If I walked away Would you appreciate But then it’d be too late Because I can only take so much of your ungrateful ways Everything is never enough Sacrificed Sons Walls are closing Anxiously Channel surfing Frantically Burning City Smoke and fire Plane’s we’re certain Faith inspired No clues A complete suprise Who’ll be Coming home tonight Heads all turning Towards teh sky Towers crumble Heroes die Who would wish this on On our people And proclaim That His will be done Scriptures they heed have misled them All praise their Sacrificed sons All praise their Sacrificed sons Teach them What to think and feel Your ways So enlightening Words they preach I can’t relate If God’s true Love Are acts of Hate Who would wish this on On our people And proclaim That His will be done Scriptures they heed have misled them All praise their Sacrificed sons All praise their Sacrificed sons God on High Our mistake Will mankind be extinct? there’s no time to waste Who serves the truth For Heavens’ sake Octavarium [I. SOMEONE LIKE HIM] I never wanted to become someone like him so secure Content to live each day just like the last I was sure I knew that This was not for me And I wanted so much more Far beyond what I could see So I swore that I’d Never be someone like him So many years have passed Since I proclaimed My independence My mission My aim And my vision So secure Content to live each day like it’s my last It’s wonderful to know That I could be Something more than what I dreamed Far beyond what I could see Still I swear that I’m Missing out this time As far as I could tell There’s nothing more I need But still I ask myself Could this be everything Then all I swore That I would never be was now So suddenly The only thing I wanted To become To be someone just like him [II. MEDICATE (AWAKENING)] A Doctor sitting next to me He asks me how I feel Not sure I understand his questioning He says I’ve been away awhile But thinks he has cured me From a state of catatonic sleep For 30 years Where have I been Eyes open But not getting through to me Medicate me Infiltrate me Side effects appear As my conscience slips away Medicate me Science failing Conscience fading fast Can’t you stop what’s happening A higher dosage he prescribes But there’s no guarentee I feel it starting to take over me I tell him not to be ashamed There’s no one who’s to blame A second shot A brief awakening I feel the relapse Can’t break free Eyes open But not getting through to me [III. FULL CIRCLE] sailing on the seven seize the day tripper diem’s ready jack the ripper owens wilson phillips and my supper’s ready lucy in the sky with diamond dave’s not here I come to save the day for nightmare cinema show me the way to get back home again Running forward Falling back Spinning round and round Looking outward Reaching in Scream without a sound Leaning over Crawling up Stumbling all around Losing my place Only to find I’ve come full circle flying off the handle with careful with that axe eugene gene the dance machine messiah light my fire gabba gabba hey hey my my generation’s home again Running forward Falling back Spinning round and round Looking outward Reaching in Scream without a sound Leaning over Crawling up Stumbling all around Losing my place Only to find I’ve come full circle [IV. INTERVALS] Our deadly sins feel his mortal wrath Remove all obstacles from our path Asking questions Search for clues The answer’s been right in front of you Try to break through Long to connect Fall on deaf ears and failed muted breath Loyalty, trust, faith and desire Carries love through each darkest fire Tortured Insanity A smothering hell Try to escape but to no avail The calls of admirers Who claim they adore Drain all your lifeblood while begging for more Innocent victims of merciless crimes Fall prey to some madmen’s impulsive designs Step after step We try controlling our fate When we finally start living it has become too late Trapped inside this Octavarium Trapped inside this Octavarium Trapped inside this Octavarium Trapped inside this Octavarium [V. RAZOR’S EDGE] We move in circles Balanced all the while On a gleaming razor’s edge A perfect sphere Colliding with our fate This story ends where it began Analysis The Root Of All Evil Musical References: – The footsteps are a possible reference to Scenes From A Memory – The intro with the toms is a reference to This Dying Sould 0:25 – 1:00 – The intro is reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s "Welcome to the Machine" – The first guitar chord during the intro before the drums is the same chord played during the When Dream and Day Unite concert intros in 1989. This can also be heard on the menu screen for the WD&DR DVD – Vocals from 4:55 to 5:16 closely mirror those from This Dying Soul – Solo break at 5:18 is very similar to the one from The Glass Prison – Octavarium melody variation appears at 7:33 – 8:02 Nuggets: – The piano starts with F, the same note that In The Name Of God ended with on Train of Thought The Root Of All Evil discusses steps six and seven of the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program. The Answer Lies Within Musical References: – At 2:36 a violin in the background plays a variation on the Octavarium theme – Octavarium vocal melody at 2:42 – 2:48 – During the hidden accidental section at the end of this track there is a pitch bend that sounds very similar to an unexplained pitch bend at the end of Pink Floyd’s "Great Gig in the Sky" Nuggets: – Bell at the beginning tolls 8 times (this is the same note as The Glass Prison bell) These Walls Nuggets: – The heartbeat at the end is beating at 58 bpm I Walk Beside You Musical References: – The clock ticking is a possible reference to Scenes From A Memory – The guitar during the chorus sounds a bit like Lifting Shadows off a Dream – The entire song sounds very much like U2 I Walk Beside You might refer to Jesus helping someone through all aspects of life. Panic Attack Musical References: – Tourniquette “Skeezix Delima” riff at 0:15 – Iron Maiden dual guitar line at 5:43 – Piano part at 1:27 – 1:43 sounds very much like Fatal Tragedy – The final riff sounds in each speaker 5 times (includes the first time the riff is played as well as the very faint one at the end) – The hidden accidental section is slighly similar to Pink Floyd’s "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In a Cave and Grooving With a Pict" Never Enough Musical References: – The entire song sounds very much like Muse – The melody of the chorus is reminiscent of one of Gilmour’s solos from the Live at Pompeii version of Pink Floyd’s "Echoes" This song is Mike Portnoy’s rant on particularly ungrateful fans who are always wanting more no matter what MP gives them in his musical career. Sacrificed Sons Musical References: – Beatle’s "She’s So Heavy" outro feel at 3:35 – 4:41 draws from A Change of Seasons, Peruvian Skies, Fatal Tragedy, and Rush’s "Natural Science" – 7:02 – 7:32 is the melody of "Teddy Bear’s Picnic," a kid’s nursery rhyme There are eight different voice clips played at the beginning of this song. Sacrificed Sons discusses the effects and motivations of 9/11. Octavarium Musical References: – 0:00 – 3:48 draws from Pink Floyd’s "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," Tangerine Dream, Marty Friedman’s "Scenes," and Queen’s "Bijou" – 3:49 – Spock’s Beard theme – 4:33 – Änglagård flute “Godfather” theme similarities – 6:33 – Bohemian Rhapsody piano theme – 9:00 – During the bass groove the guitar arpeggio plays Anna Lee’s verse vocal melody – 12:15 – Marillion keyboards with Wakeman flourish – 12:17 – Styx’s Sequential Circuites Prophet 5 synth part – 17:47 – Jingle Bells on keyboards – 17:55 – Spock’s Beard / Neal Morse acoustic guitar break – 18:43 – Dave Mustaine vocal style with "Forgotten Sons" prayer feel – 19:55 – Godfather theme reprise – 21:30 – Guitar tone is very Brian May AC30ish and the phrasing is very similar to his – A vocal harmony is Razor’s Edge is also used in "Get Back" by The Beatles (which interestingly enough is referenced in Full Circle) Nuggets: – 14:03 – A sample of someone saying "This is where we came in" plays. This sample is most likely referencing Pink Floyd’s "The Wall." At the end of The Wall someone says "So this is where…" and at the beginning some says "…we came in." This is probably emphasis of Octavarium’s focus on how things go in cycles and repeat, the end is the beginning. This also is a reference to their influences growing up as the coming lyrics signify. – Note that Octavarium has 5 parts. It also has 3 instrumental sections, for a total of 8 sections. Octavarium also has 5 syllables. SOMEONE LIKE HIM seems to draw from the Carpe Diem theme that A Change of Seasons made so famous. The narrator wants to make the most of every day, unlike the unknown "him" who seems to be living a boring, routined life. At the end, it is possible that the change in viewpoint is due to an illness taking over him, which is described in the next section of the song. Another theory about this section is that it talks about John Petrucci’s music career, first admiring his idols but not wanting to become a musician, and eventually changing his mind and realizing what he wanted all along. MEDICATE (AWAKENING) tells a story similar to the movie Awakenings from Robert Deniro’s point of view. This section draws on the Full Circle theme, starting with a catatonic sleep and ending with it. Another theory is that this section is that it discusses James LaBrie’s dealings with his mental and physical health, as well as the vocal surgery he had to have before the Waking Up The World tour. Yet another theory proposes that this section is connected to the songs Disappear and Vacant. In Disappear, someone is going into a coma. In Vacant, another person is speaking about the victim, and in Medicate, the victim is waking up again. I find this theory unlikely since I’m pretty sure Disappear is more about death than going into a coma, but it is fascinating that whether or not Dream Theater intended it, you can find other meanings and links between many of their songs. FULL CIRCLE is where Octavarium’s cycles theme really shows up. Perhaps the band is suggesting that they have taken the place of their idols in the music world or industry. Stanzas 1 and 4 of part III are entirely made up of musical and other references. Sailing on the Seven Seas – OMD (song)     also possibly Seven Seas of Rhye – Queen (song) Seize the Day – Theme of A Change of Seasons and the movie Dead Poet’s Society Day Tripper – The Beatles (song) Per Diem – Latin phrase and business term meaning "each day"     Carpe Diem is Latin for "Seize the Day" Jack the Ripper – Morrissey (song) The Ripper – Judas Priest (song) Ripper Owens – Vocalist of Iced Earth (ex-Judas Priest) Owen Wilson – Actor Wilson Phillips – Band Supper’s Ready – Genesis (song) Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds – The Beatles (song) Diamond Dave – David Lee Roth (album) Dave’s Not Here – Cheech & Chong routine Here I Come to Save the Day – Mighty Mouse quote Day for Night – Spock’s Beard (album and song) Nightmare Cinema – Dream Theater’s opposite in 1995, where they would switch instruments and play a cover, usually of Deep Purple’s "Perfect Strangers" Cinema Show – Genesis (song) Show Me the Way – Styx (song) Get Back – The Beatles (song) Flying off the Handle – quote Handle with Care – Travelling Wilburys (song) Careful with that Axe, Eugene – Pink Floyd (song) Gene, Gene the Dance Machine – Memorable act on The Gong Show Machine Messiah – Yes (song) Light My Fire – The Doors (song) Gabba Gabba Hey Hey – The Ramones (lyrics) Hey Hey, My My – Neil Young (song) My Generation – The Who (song) Home Again – from "Breathe" reprise and "Time" on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon The alternate theory suggests that this is about Mike Portnoy dealing with his mental health on the road. In INTERVALS you can hear Mike Portnoy say a scale degree before each stanza. Each stanza references a song on Octavarium and a clip of that song is played in the background. The titling of this section, Intervals, ties in with MP saying scale degrees and the layouts of the songs with negative time sections and such, corresponding to a progression through the notes in an octave (the term ‘interval’ in music theory refers to the difference between two notes or pitches). Intervals are often referred to in numbers of steps. This section of the song ends with "Step after step, we try controlling our fate" just after MP says "octave." This could have a double meaning, referring to trying to control one’s life or fate through steps, meaning either plans and actions, or musical notes – the latter expressing Dream Theater trying to control their lives through the notes of the music they make. This phrase could also have a third meaning, referring to MP tring to control his life through the twelve "steps" of the Alcoholics Anonymous program. MP says "Root" "Take all of me" (from 3:03 in The Root Of All Evil) plays in the background MP says "Second" "Don’t let the day go by" (from 4:21 in The Answers lies Within) plays in the background MP says "Third" A clip from These Walls plays in the background MP says "Fourth" "I walk beside you" (from 1:06 in I Walk Beside You) plays in the background MP says "Fifth" "Hysteria" (from 3:55 in Panic Attack) plays in the background MP says "Sixth" "What would you say" (from 3:03 in Never Enough) plays in the background MP says "Seventh" A clip from Sacrificed Sons plays in the background MP says "Octave" "Side effects appear" (from 11:52 in Octavarium part II) plays in the background These lyrics express how this cycle of the ending being the beginning goes on forever and there is no escaping it. It’s possible that DT is talking about the fact that their career has come full circle, and now, after eight studio albums, they are without a record label again, their lives as musicians are repeating themselves. The song ends with the same piano note the album began with, emphasizing the story ending where it began. The Root Of All Evil starts with part 6 and Octavarium ends with part 5. While TROAE starts at 6 because it’s part of MP’s Alcoholic’s Anonymous series, it also creates a logical sequence between the beginning and ending of the album. Many people have guessed that because of the way this album ends, it signifies an end to Dream Theater’s music writing career. This is not the case. Mike Portnoy himself has mentioned such things as finishing his Alcoholic’s Anonymous series so it is clear Dream Theater is going to continue making great music for ages to come. What this in fact likely signifies is the end of Dream Theater’s contract with their record company. Whether or not Dream Theater will leave the music industry and release music from their own label or get another contract is unknown.

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The Spirit Carries On

And after we’re gone…………..the spirit carries on……………..

 

Juz decided to post a pic of da ppl representin HALMM at Angie’s dance concert.

 

Ashley,Geri,Angie,Luke,Nicole,Me

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An Evening of Carols……..or is it???

Went to church for Evening of Carols with sis,Desmond,Louisa,Luke and Gabriel.It turned out dat such a concert never existed!!!Ahhhh.Oh wad da heck,we went to watch Eragon anywayz.It was okay to me.I will giv it a 7/10.But accordin to Gab,it does not follow da book.Heh.But it was okay lah…….

 

Da advertisments were sooooo long.When da movie finalli was about to start.I asked everyone,’wait,what are we watching again???’ This shows how small my brain is…=.="

 

Oh,accordin to Desmond,da hero’s lips are very FAT and da evil shade guy needs to use lip balm and definetly SK II.Hahahaz….Actualli i kinda agree.Heh….

 

Today got family christmas party.Muz prepare for it.Gtg then.Toodles!!!!!!!!

 

Christmas is coming

Christmas is coming

The goose is getting fat

Won’t you put a penny in the old man’s hat

If you haven’t got a penny then a half penny will do

If you haven’t got a half penny then God Bless You!!!

 

Chinese New Year’s coming(HALMM version)

Chinese New Years’s coming

The chicken’s getting fat

Won’t you put some money in my red packet

If you haven’t got some money then a half money will do     (???)

If you haven’t got some half money then God Bless You!!!

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