Another Day (song)

Another Day is a song by Dream Theater. It is the second song on their second album, Images and Words, the second radio release and video from the album and the first single EP release from the album. Another Day is Dream Theater's first commercially released ballad.

Personnel

• Mike Portnoy - Drums
• John Petrucci - Guitar, lyrics
• John Myung - Bass
• Kevin Moore - Keyboard
• James LaBrie - Vocals
• Jay Beckenstien - Soprano saxophone

Lyrics

Live another day
Climb a little higher
Find another reason to stay
Ashes in your hands
Mercy in your eyes
If you're searching for a silent
sky...

You won't find it here
Look another way
You won't find it here
So die another day

The coldness of this words
The message in his silence,
"Face the candle to the
wind..."
This distance in my voice
Isn't leaving you a choice
So if you're looking for a time
to run away...

You won't find it here
Look another way
You won't find it here
So try another day

They took pictures of our
dreams
Ran to hide behind the stairs
And said maybe when it's right
for you, they'll fall
But if they don't come down
Resist the need to pull them in
And throw them away
Better to save the mystery
Than surrender to the secret

You won't find it here
Look another way
You won't find it here
So try another day

Analysis

Petrucci wrote Another Day about his father, John Petrucci Sr. who was diagnosed with cancer. Petrucci Sr. would be the subject of another Dream Theater song, Take Away My Pain following his death. The video for Another Day follows the song's lyrics, with a father and son spending time together. MRI scans are visible in the background, tying in to the cancer theme.

Tone

Another Day is a mellodic ballad with pop sensabilities. The song was written to be accessable, and was presented with radio, single and video releases. Another Day does build up to a crescendo, though it never becomes heavy, instead going into a soprano sax solo by Beckenstien.

Notes

Though another day was written to be accessible and a possible hit, it was surpassed surprisingly by Pull Me Under which became the band's biggest hit. Despite a single and video, the song never caught on in the mainstread, the video not being used by MTV and the EP release being considered the rarest commercial release by Dream Theater, often fetching large prices on eBay.

Another Day was remixed and included on Greatest Hit (...and 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs).

Live performances

Another Day is a very popular song live and has been played on many tours, especially in the band's early years. The song doesn't deviate very much from the album version, though the saxophone is usually synthesized by Moore (or Derek Sherinian, Jordan Rudess).

Appearances

• Images and Words - Original recorded version
• Another Day - Original recorded version and live version
• Lie - Live version
• Live at the Marquee - Live version (Japanese release only)
• Live Scenes from New York - Live version
• Greatest Hit (...and 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs) - Remix
• Images and Words 15th Anniversary Performance - Live version
• Images and Words Demos - Pre-production demo
• New York City 3/4/93 - Live version