HOW ON EARTH DO YOU PUT TOGETHER A DREAM THEATER “BEST OF” CD?

According to a press release, Rhino Records is set to release a Dream Theater double-disc “best of” collection on March 18. At least they’ve got a sense of humor about the band’s mainstream popularity, or lack thereof — they’ve titled the release Greatest Hit & 19 Other Pretty Cool Songs. Still, Dream Theater’s unlikely and remarkable success is absolutely collection-worthy, but what exactly do you choose from a band whose songs regularly approach the 15-minute mark?

I’m going to have to assume the “Greatest Hit” is “Pull Me Under,” the song that first introduced me to Dream Theater way back when, whilst home from school and watching MTV on a sick day. But beyond that, it’s pretty hard to fathom a DT collection given the conceptual nature of so much of their work. It’d be like trying to assemble tracks from Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall — great, but missing something when taken out of context.

My bets are also on “Metropolis” and “Take the Time” from Images and Words. Off the top of my head, I’d also pick “The Mirror,” “Caught in a Web,” “Lines in the Sand,” “Home,” “The Spirit Carries On,” “Glass Prison,” “Solitary Shell,” a track or two from Train of Thought… and beyond that, your guess is as good as mine. Taking a look at the band’s impressive discography doesn’t help much. What are your favorite Dream Theater tracks?

-VN