Yeah the next six albums are required listening for any prog fan IMO. The Moodies were indeed Magnificent especially in this late 60s/early 70s period. The later albums were good too, but not as exceptional as the "core seven".
I agree with that 100% Really hoping he gets around to doing a reaction to that album "On the Threshold of a Dream". I love that album so much, and think it's even better than "ISotLC".
Side two has the two huge commercial hits but in context they fit perfectly. I think the first 7 Moody Blues albums have a lot to recommend them as innovative art rock.
This album, along with the Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ and King Crimson’s “In The Court of the Crimson King”, are the Three Pillars Of Prog. We stand on the shoulders of giants and true visionaries.
Yep! Pretty much so. Sgt. Pepper was an instant hit, the other two sort of slow-burned underground and through word-of-mouth gradually grew to general awareness, but they really are the roots of it. They along with Pink Floyd.
@@Lightmane Yeah, latecomers to the game, but still seminal. Sgt Peppers - 1967 Days of FP- 1967, Court of the CK - 1969, Umma Gumma - 1969...Closer to the Edge - 1971. By then the Moodies had released 6 albums of progressive rock and King Crimson 4.
Thanks Justin. A rock symphony that still delivers the goods. Despite whatever time does to influence opinions, it's nice to have someone like you around who can appreciate this masterpiece. Just the idea that they had to try to combine rock and classical music into a cohesive work is amazing. I'd say that they exceeded all expectations.
The gong strike is played in reverse at the start of the album, and played forward at the ending - which confirms your theory of the two ends being bound together!
Now, on to "In Search of the Lost Chord." In their subsequent albums they lose the symphonic interludes and just do their own work. They improved with each successive album, so you have much to look forward to, because it only gets better.
@@nomesobrenome4092 I would say they were so good that they plateaued and stayed at the top for about seven albums with their unique pre progressive style!
I think that Peter Knight, the conductor of the London Festival Orchestra and arranger, really was key in the success of this lp! Thanks for taking the time to share this, Justin!
I agree... his orchestral arrangements are amazing and quote the melodies of the songs beautifully. Knight returned the favor on the Blue Jays album. That album is also essential listening.
7:32 starts my favorite part of the album...Happy to have spent a life time with this album...Decades later it's no less sublime...:)...Glad you're hearing it...I can't imagine hearing something this profound for the very first time...It's sad it's not played everyday on all media...The world may calm down a bit...
This is my favourite half of the album, perhaps because it gets a little moodier, and there's more music by the band. "Tuesday Afternoon" was written by Justin while sitting in a field one afternoon. Coincidentally, he did have a dog named Tuesday, but he never admitted that was a reason for the song's title. I'm not sure why it was given a different title on the album ("Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?)" because Justin has said that it was always "Tuesday Afternoon" to him. I can only speculate that because the album was largely overseen by the record label, they ultimately had full control on how it was presented. The Moody Blues wouldn't get full creative control of their albums until In Search of the Lost Chord. Regarding "(Evening) Time to Get Away", I am so pleased that you got to hear the original 1967 mix because the 1972 was the only one available on CD for years. This song suffered the most because the lush backing harmonies were completely missing. It made John Lodge's falsetto sound empty. Growing up, I wasn't particularly fond of "The Sun Set." That has changed much over the years as I began to appreciate the depth in it. When the band performed the song at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, it wasn't filmed due to the director's depleting supply of film footage (or so I understand), but the audio of it existed. Years later, when the full performance was released on DVD, the original director returned and cut some appropriate scenes from the festival crowds that transitioned beautifully from day to night. "Twilight Time" was always a favourite because I just love the whimsy of Ray Thomas. His songs would often put a smile on my face. Not much else to say about "Nights in White Satin" (or its companion, "Late Lament"), except that it is a perennial classic. While it may not be my absolute favourite in their catalogue, it's certainly up there. It's a powerful song to hear live. Thanks for hearing this album as an entire piece. Oh, one other thing. Yes, you could easily put the album on a perpetual loop because the gong at the end is reversed at the top of the album. The days are a never-ending cycle.
I made my suggestion to Justin above, about the "Isle of Wight Festival" performance - before I read your comments here, and it was all about "The Sun Set"! Well done!
i wonder if the album is as much a metaphor about life- going from infancy to adolescence to old age and finally death, as much about going through a 24 hour day.
Fantastic, JP. Incredible. The whole album is a masterpiece. But side two in particular is an astonishing sequence of music. Perhaps the best album side produced by any pop/rock band from this era (or any era). The band and orchestra are integrated together so well on this side. And "Nights in White Satin" always sounds so much better when played in the context of the whole album. Also, I'm glad you took some time to discuss the cover art, which is amazing.
1967 was the Summer of Love and the height of the hippie Flower Child movement. The first super concert "Monterrey Pop Festival". Be-Ins and Love-Ins. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Pink Floyd's first album "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" and this first album masterpiece by The Moody Blues. What a time to be young and alive!
I've been listening to this record for over 50 years and it never gets old, never fails to move me. Hayward had the voice, the guitar, and the songwriting, but Pinder and Thomas added so much dimension that made the magic and moods of this band. Look forward to your discovering In Search of The Lost Chord now.
My first girlfriend in High School carried a Best Of The Moody Blues cassette wherever she went. I didn't even know they were considered prog back then but I grew to love them. I got her into ELP, Yes and VdGG ect. Fun times and memories. Thanks Justin!
Not only does the gong ring out like the last thoughts before falling asleep returning, but also the poem at the beginning starts with the same verse that the album ends with.
Notice the slight difference in tone/emotion between the two. On The Day Begins, It's kind of a "yes, but it's not big deal because morning's just around the corner" but on the Late Lament, it's more "nighttime is here, you need to be careful"
I've listened to this album countless times and I never would have connected the 'looping' nature. The intro certainly sounds like the fading reverberations of a gong and the end ends with the gong. I'm sure that was not coincidental. I continue to be amazed and the thought behind this entire album. Similar thought was put into the album cover. I think even today I find new things. As others have mentioned, rotate the album 90 degrees counter-clockwise and look again. Just now I noticed that the cover is really broken into quadrants with two quadrants being colorful (presumably day) and two quadrants mostly dark tones (evening/night). This is like one of those pictures from 'Highlights for Children' where the goal was to find all the things hidden in the picture. Album cover art used to be part of the entire musical experience. Something you will never get from streaming (unless you are streaming an album that you own and can look at the cover art)
I can't tell you how much I agree with all your comments. We think a lot alike! And your observation about "Highlights for Children" is very profound to me! I hope other readers will look into it! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlights_for_Children ;)
Yes, they truly are. I'd like to have question of balance as a painting on my wall. It's a great cover art, one of the best I know. Another one is Barclay James Harvest 1975' Time Honored Ghosts. Not to mention Genesis' Foxtrot, Nursery Crime or Vdgg' Pawn Hearts... (I could keep on...)
Very good recording of this side, and faithful to the original album. I've heard CD versions that omitted vocal harmonies in "Evening Time". BTW, the hallmark of the early Moody Blues albums was to have Graeme Edge's poetry introducing and/or concluding the album - just a nice feature I always enjoyed!
The original album mix was not available for a long time. In 1978 it was discovered the original master tapes had degraded. The album was remixed and in this process introduced several differences. This remix was used for most reissues. The recent deluxe edition presents both mixes.
@@blackcatcentralmusic I read stories about master tapes being too brittle. In some cases, the tapes were treated for brittleness by being baked in an oven at a low temperature! I heard that is the same treatment for warped LP records.
Yes, that is the normal procedure. To bake the tapes, then play them once for digital transfer. The quality of CD pressings for Sandy Denny's "Like an Old-Fashioned Waltz" improved 100% after this procedure and a proper remastering job.
Love all their albums from - 67 to - 81. One of my favourite songs from them is "Melancholy Man" from the album "Question Of Balance" made by Mike Pinder. Yet again.. flawless reaction, maestro !!
Love love love. I used to practice holding my notes to this song. Thank you mr. Hayward! By the way...I absolutely love that you get it and completely understand the musical transitions of this album. Now that your on the Moody Blues journey, yo can look into their other albums like "In Search Of The Lost Chord" "To Our Childrens Childrens Children" "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour" and "Question Of Balance" all amazing from start to finish
Yes! You forgot “On The Threshold Of A Dream.” 😊 The longer lines on “Tuesday Afternoon” are definitely a challenge to breath control for singers! I was always amazed how Justin sang the longest line without breathing so easily live and while playing guitar in the 70s-90s! In the later years he enlisted the help of background vocalists and the other band members to make it sound fuller and continuous.
Look at the album cover straight on then turn it 90⁰ to the right. There's a face embedded in the imagery. The last elevator button is the left eye and the first phase of the moon is the right eye. Have fun with that. As others have said, your ability to make this old man see another "old man" through young, fresh eyes is remarkable. Thank you for that. I hope you are having a pleasant day. I'm gonna jump-start mine with a little three mile walk with my daughter. Hey, I just thought of something that could make your day a little more interesting; some City Boy! The Day the Earth Caught Fire; One After Two; Walk On the Water; The Hap-ki-do Kid; Interrupted Melody... Carry on, friend!
I first heard Nights in 1968 on a small (bread loaf sized) console A.M. radio. This album came to me at formative years of puberty and influenced my entire life. It was in a way, the place where the Beatles left off in 1967 and was brought forward with Justin Hayward and the Moody Blues. It became my personal soundtrack.
People love this album. I prefer In Search of the Lost Chord. More psychedelic. I'm sure you'll get to it eventually. I think during this period bands were beginning a quest to see if rock music could be more culturally respected. Not just fun. There were a lot of smirks when bands started playing with orchestras and writing more complex songs. But in the end, it worked. And we have some classic music to listen to decades later.
“Tuesday Afternoon” was composed while Justin Hayward was very stoned on marijuana while sitting in a field with his guitar and his dog named Tuesday. I’m so glad you are taking in the music and conceptual ideas in this album. They were quite a democratic unit in the early days when 4 band members wrote one or two songs on every album with Graeme Edge contributing either some poetry or a song. He did not sing but the others all sang lead and background. Some great songwriting here. NIWS is in the Grammy Hall Of Fame and Justin Hayward is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Justin’s wife Marie has joked that on Justin’s tombstone it should say “Nights In White Satin has finally reached the end!” I think that was her way of saying she was tired of it. Justin has sung it at every solo and every Moody Blues concert he’s ever played. To write a song like “Nights” is quite an achievement for any songwriter, but considering Justin was only 19 years old when he wrote it, it’s an even more spectacular songwriting achievement. You are correct that singers on TV competitions have sung NIWS. The most notable versions so far came from Matt Cardle on X-Factor and Emily West on America’s Got Talent. But nobody can sing it like Justin Hayward, who has such a distinctive and beautiful quality in his voice that’s like nobody else’s. There is a punk version (!!!) of NIWS recorded by The Dickies. Justin said his favorite cover is by Bettye Lavette from 2010. He speaks of it with very high reverence. It’s hard to describe her style but she’s an older bluesy soul/singer with a voice that is worn from time but she invokes a lot of emotion with her song interpretations. She’s been recording songs since 1962! There is much more Moodies magical music to come. You’ll hear more electric guitar on the second and third albums and even more on the albums that come after. I hope you’ll pick up with “In Search Of The Lost Chord” next. It’s a very different kind of trip than DOFP, but a sublime one worth taking! Thanks, Justin! 🎶🎵”Now you’re on your way ….” 🎶🎵😊
I propose that Justin should listen to The Magnificent Seven in their order of realese. IMHO, this was the first properly done concept album. Sgt Pepper's was not quite there.
I agree about "Sgt. Pepper's" and so did Lennon. He said the concept was tacked on, only the first 2 tracks related to the 'concept' the rest is just unrelated songs. Also Paul's weren't psychedelic other than the ending of 'Lovely Rita'.
Definitely listen to the Magnificent Seven in chronological order. Preferably by album side, but if not, do the tracks in chronological order as well. There are a few which definitely need to be played together, such as the opening track of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, "Procession" segueing in to "The Story In Your Eyes." I'm sure there are others on other albums the community will guide you on; I'm not familiar with the rest of The Magnificent Seven to do so, as EGBDF is my favorite Moody Blues album. But, I trust the community.
@@IllumeEltanin the classic 7 should be followed by the Blue Jays album from 74, the end of that magical era. Great songs came after, but not consecutively. The times and sounds were changing.
Listening to this in the background I found myself noticing that the orchestration reminds me very much of the kind of orchestration you hear in the best "classic" Christmas music from the 40s, 50s and 60s. Not overly complex, but a nice wave of warmth.
Even in their first album, you can already detect the songwriting styles of the various members of the group. All different, yet they always worked together as one...
In my experience this album beckons you to hear it over and over, as I was compelled to do when first introduced to it by a friend, (some fifteen years after it was released!).I taped from the borrowed LP and subsequently played it every day for the next two months or so! Needless to say, it’s timeless and so thrilling to see young people reacting to it, today, (and tomorrow)!
100 Thumbs UP!! Just when I think I could not be more amazed and pleased by your reactions, we come to this one! Watching your reaction to this side, has been fantastic! I was very touched just watching your facial expressions and smiles as you reacted to various parts! You really have a very expressive face and a beautiful smile, you know! As usual, getting major chills and tearing up! It just astounds me how you pay such close attention, and appreciate so many details! When you were discussing the cover art, and the whole "12 hours" think dawned on you (pun intended!), I was like, "YEAH! He's getting the whole experience!" Your comparison to the album to an immersive ride at an amusement park was RIGHT ON THE MONEY! Excellent! And, YES, the album is very "cinematic", very much like a movie soundtrack! There are many moments in the orchestral parts throughout the album, that remind me of "The Wizard of Oz"! Oh, and your observations about "Tuesday Afternoon" had my chin on the desk! The more I listen to you, the more I realize, you are one deep dude! You GET it on so many levels! "Mmm Mmm Mmm! Moody Blues, you are SMART!" And so are you, Justin! I was so tickled when you said that the change-over to the song "Sunset" might be the most interesting part of the album! Goodness, I love that song! Seeing your reaction to it, makes me want to share something with you: Whether you should decide to do an actual video of your reaction, or not, you MUST take the time to watch this: The Moody Blues-Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival, Sunday, August 30th, 1970 ua-cam.com/video/ad1CEa0-e5Y/v-deo.html It's a must-see for any Moodies fan! And when you see the treatment given to the song "Sunset", I think you will be amazed all over again. (Of course, the entire documentary and the concert, is fantastic! The quality is exceptionally good, especially given the video and audio technology for live events at that time! Anyway, I digress.... Justin, when you talk about how the ending, and the big Gong sound, flows into the opening of the beginning of the album - WOW! That's a very deep and smart observation! Absolute top-shelf reaction and analysis Justin! You never cease to amaze me! ;)
Thank you Justin for the wonderful experience of sharing this great work of art with you and our community here over these two videos! This is what it’s all about and I’m so glad you’re not afraid to listen to music and react to it that needs to breathe sometimes, and isn’t just instant gratification. So many others just do that and churn out content like bland product. Not you my friend! You respect the music as well as your followers. We appreciate you man!
Good morning,good afternoon,and goodnight, Just-in the right light,everything is loose,everything tight. You say you will,you say you might.Till Days of Future Passed out of sight,the light & dark are an illusion that burns in you bright!!!Peace and on to Infinity. Morning Rhyme-time.
In terms of the circular nature of the whole thing: The first spoken line of the album is also the last spoken line. (And something that's been lodged in my head since childhood, thanks to my parents. My mom would've been starting or about to start high school when this came out.) I'm hard pressed to say whether this or A Question of Balance is my favorite Moody Blues full album ("The Balance" is certainly a song that everyone needs to hear and take to heart).
Couple quick points: the flautist (Ray Thomas) is part of the band not the orchestra. Justin Hayward was very young here and his voice just kept getting better. And Tuesday Afternoon was picked as the first solo release from the album.
I have a cat. And that cat’s something I can’t explain. 😉 Tuesday Afternoon ‘called to me’ so many years ago and i still feel it’s pull. Then into Twilight Time....what a combo. This is the highlight of my day Justin. Still camping at waters edge in the woods but a little rain has come. Time to dream awhile and enjoy this with you. Very peaceful here. ‘See what tomorrow brings’.... this campground emptied out since Sunday; glad you’re out there. Are we On The Threshold of a Dream?
Heartfelt Soul and Class and Social Significance = The Moody Blues. Thanks for airing this masterpiece for those who just weren’t lucky enough to have experienced this the first time around.
Continuing with your theory on the cycling. Notice the album starts with the reverse gong, the theam, and then the first lines of the poem are "Cold hearted orb that rules the night". The end of the album eebd with the last lines of the poem are "Cold hearted orb that rules the night", the theme, and forward gong.
A glass of sweet tea, a couple of orange rolls, a little ganja and 'Days Of Future Passed' with JP commentary and opinion. Very nice way to kick off my morning.
What a magnificent and majestic (and magical) album. This album cemented my love of Moody Blue music for this and the next 6 albums. I've seen them 4 times, unfortunately, never with an orchestra backing, but still all great concerts. Thank you JP for doing this album!
side two imho moves so much more smoothly than side one. (And I love Mike's song on this side. Strike that, I adore almost all of Pinder's songs on all the Core Seven albums!)
Excellent tunes Justin. I have enjoyed this album since the 70s. This album influenced a helluva lot of progressive rock. Such good memorable songs, such innovative arrangements, so many little melodies that enter your mind through your feelings and set up residence there. Pink Floyd, Genesis, ELP all hearken back to these Moody Blues songs. Love your analysis and just your reaction to these epic classic prog albums that I grew up listening to Justin. It is almost like hearing it for the first time again.
I never noticed that thing with the gong bringing things full circle before. Is that the first time such a technique was used on an album? I would guess so. Great reaction.
Also the opening and ending of the album with the spoken verse of "Cold-hearted orb that rules the night Removes the colours from our sight Red is grey is yellow white But we decide which is right And which is an illusion" emphasizes the cycle.
When I first bought this album, I was constantly only play Tuesday Afternoon and Nights in white satin, over the course of time, now, I have to listen to the album in it's entirety, matter of fact, I have some weekend's when I will do a total Moody Blues listening, all seven albums of the core 7. One of the few bands I enjoyed that I could ever get my mother to listen to.🤪🤪
You're spot on!! Apparently the album starts with the gong reversed and I never noticed before! Please consider doing Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of War of the Worlds (remember Forever Autumn, sung by Justin Hayward?)
A Brilliant Masterpiece!!!! The album.....Brilliant!!!! The lyrics very poetic and deep. The Orchestration: Masterful. The theme of the album: Excellent!!!! Moody Blues like Pink Floyd....does something many groups do not bring successfully. They take movie type music or soundtrack type of Movie music from 40's and 50's and blends it with folk music and Rock n' Roll and presents a journey for the listener. And really this group was really the first I think to do this. Brilliant!!!! Next amazing album is "In Search of the Lost Chord." I want you to react to the entire album. Glad you enjoyed this one!!!! Hahaha.....lol....hahaaha...Great group and are among the gods of Rock n' Roll.
Tuesday Afternoon is a favourite of mine... but when the orchestra takes over, i always expect Julie Andrews to start singing at the first break! "The hilllllls are aliiiiiiive with the sound of muuuuuusic..." (The finale screams Hollywood!) After listening to side 2, i think this can be called art-pop but by no means prog, which doesn't mean the two can't bleed into each other, but the use of strings does not make a prog song. Especially here. I definately hear Byrds and Kinks influences on many songs.
What a great album... My dad was a high school band director And also did some guest conducting At some universities When this 1st came out I turned him on to it . He was very impressed And I can still see him Conducting the orchestra That just brought back Some wonderful memories. Even more impressive he could play every instrument in an orchestra fluently And was president of the Ball State orchestra in 1942 .
JP, I loved your reaction and analysis. I especially liked the last bit about the continuation of the last note of night flowing into the first note of the album or dawn. Never noticed it consciously but each day and night is a cycle to life and it never ends the pattern of existence. Thank you for pointing that out.
The albums covers were design during & for psychedelics. We used to listen and watch the 2D album covers come alive in 3D Motion while TRIPing on LSD! Love the artwork back in that era
You’ve added to my enjoyment of this album, I didn’t always want to hear it but, thought it quality music. Hearing it with you with good earphones is a treat. Been fun. Peace and satin night Music
In the beginning the gong is played in reverse and the gong at the end is played in its natural forward format. In sunrise you get the first incling of light and it builds until you see the powerful sunlight and that's why it's played in reverse. Cold Hearted Orb obviously is referring to the moon, which only provides light like the sun but not the warmth as well. One can interpret this album in a million different ways, which to me is the power of it. Great review from a great reviewer. I for one will be back for more.
Such a beautiful album. It's funny how The Moody Blues are never seen as masterful in the likes of say Jimi Hendris, John Bonham or other classic rock legends, but there's no denying just how meticulous their playing is and how fantastically they create moods. I like how in addition to the day representation, there is that more subtle lifetime parallel. From children playin through workdays, people maturing and the line "Senior citizens wish they were young" this is totally brilliant. Now although this is technically their 2nd album, many Moody Blues fans begin their Moody Blues collection with this as their first album. And, of course "The Magnificent Moodys" does have a completely different sound. I am a huge fan of their first ten albums. Great reaction video. Enjoy
The origin of prog and the concept LP. A great work from the late 60's. I can strongly recommend In Search Of The Lost Chord for your next Moody Blues reaction. Thank you for exploring this album and your reaction.
Such a brilliant album from start to finish, but I always preferred side 2. Tuesday Afternoon and Nights and White Satin were the two big hits from this album. Not surprising because they are excellent songs and Hayward has the best singing voice of all the band members. But my favorite song on the album was always Evening. Especially Twilight Time. That song is so short but it really takes you on a journey. Ray Thomas was a truly underrated songwriter.
This side B of Days and side A of In Search of the lost Chord for ME are the very best of The Moody Blues. All else is worth a listen but the emotional wave of those two rides supreme.
OK i hate to do a twofer but you mentioned the duality of day/night at end of review But remember in the poem "we decide which is an illusion" The moodies you will find in later albums were into things "eastern" So could likely say that the duality of things...day/night...up/down...love/hate ...black/white...yin/yang...the duality of how we perceive things , that is the illusion....old/young...lovers/lonely man ...new mother/senior citizens Brilliant All of this is the tv screen of perception Behind the image there is only the screen and all things are of one source call it consciousness call it Mind at Large call it God
Mike Pinder changed the world of keyboards with this album. While the melotron was used on Sgt. Pepper's a bit, Mike changed the focus of the instrument here. He actually worked at the melotron factory before the Moodies hit big, and modified every sound in it to create his orchestral textures, creating the template for how the instrument was used in the 70's. This took an R&B band into territory even they didn't expect.
JP you Are the very first person who I’ve ever seen doing a reaction to One Side of an Album and I Absolutely Love It 😊!!! This is (One of) My Favorite Bands of Pro-Rock and I place them in the Top 5 in my own personal opinion. I had seen The Moody Blues Many years ago at The Holiday Star in Indiana it Was One of The Best Shows I Have Ever Seen in All the concerts I had ever been too.Thanks for sharing this to keep this Music Alive for future generations to come !!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ this is Definitely Ear Candy for me 🍬🍬🍬🍭🍭🍭👏👏👏🎸🥁🎹🎵🎶🎼🥹 I’ll have to check out the other side of your reaction as well too !!! Definitely a 🎧🎧🎧🎧 listening
One of my favorite albums of all time. Still put it ahead of Sgt Pepper or Pet Sounds, though both are amazing in their own right. I still own my original vinyl pressing from the 60's though it's a bit worse for wear. Spent too many months on my turntable.
That sound at the start of the album is the gong in reverse. The key the orchestra is in sounds the same. It might even be the same chord played (somebody ask Doug Helvering!). Great call, JP.
I experienced an epiphany holding the album cover and the 24hrs art it represents. It was mind blowing. Thing is, I haven’t been able to re-capture that high again. It is addictive.
There were discrete band and orchestra segments, but the flute and Mellotron of The Moodies are used to join those disparate parts in a seamless fashion.
Justin, thank you for such an insightful and respectful review of the mighty moody blues, I found it touching what you said about 'nights in white satin' not be forgotton, very moving & true! What a great review again bud👍👌😊
i have been trying for years to figure out the album cover. After listening to your analysis of it- which, by the way, is the first I've ever heard- it makes sense to me now. It's like the day is being overcome by night, or the other way around. At least, that's they way I see it. Great analysis.
Thank you so much for doing this album! So ground-breaking and innovative. How young were these lads when it was recorded? Deep concept and deep lyrics and musically superb! 👍🏻👍🏻
"Night in White Satin" was the soundtrack to the darkest, emptiest and loneliest period of unfulfilled longing, love and jealousy I've ever experienced. It seemed to fit somehow.
Can you imagine being 13 trying to take this all in? At 68 years old, I'm still discovering the nuances of this. JP, will you please be my adopted grandson? My grandson is 29, and I can't get him to go near this music.
"Nights in White Satin" - still gives me chills more than 50 years on...the beautifully perfect closing track for what is undeniably a perfect album. The ending soliloquy, written by Graeme Edge and spoken by Mike Pinder is timeless. Less orchestration (until the crescendo), more Moody Blues (and Justin Hayward' vocals), with seamless transitions. The flute is courtesy of Ray Thomas (RIP). Bravo for taking this on in this way. Your analyses are spot on, and legendary. Keep 'em coming. Regarding the emotion offered by Justin at the end, please watch this live: ua-cam.com/video/MjUqfRrWwcM/v-deo.html
Afternoon, JP. Dave from a sunny London. On A Day Like Today, listening to the Moodies is just perfect. Love Tuesday Afternoon and Nights in White Satin, two absolute classics, beautifully sung by Justin (good name!) and great instrumentation by the band, especially the flute by the sadly departed Ray. Still not sold on the orchestration (heard a bit of Mary Poppins in there somewhere!), but the finale is admittedly dramatic and beautiful (as I love Mike's recitations of Graeme's poems). Great reaction as usual, Justin. Interesting you mention American Idol; a few years ago a contestant on the UK version sang Nights in White Satin and was criticised by Simon Cowell on his 'obscure' choice. Hmm!
Thanks for doing the full Album, it does have to be heard that way. All their albums have to be heard that way. This album came out about a month after Sgt. Pepper’s yet slowly is being Forgotten even though it truly is the first wall to wall concept album. I wonder what would have happened if it came out before Sgt. Peppers? The album I think influenced Pink Floyd, Evening and Twilight Time are very Floyd sounding yet Floyd had not released their first album yet. Days I think is the start of progressive rock with all the pomp and circumstance. If you want to do an even better album from the Moody Blues To Our Children’s Children Children is a must! The theme, the Apollo landing on the moon. It’s, in my opinion and many others, the best Moody Blues album but you do have to listen from beginning to end. It is a movie. There are a LOT of Moody Blues fans out there they should definitely watch your channel. , .
Not sure if you are familiar with the band Barclay James Harvest, but they are one of my favourite bands. They were dubbed the Poor Mans Moody Blues and even recorded a track with that title on their lovely album Gone to Earth. The song was a take on Night's in White Satin, and is every bit as good. They were known for their lovely song Mockingbird from their album Once Again.
I know he did something from 'Octoberon' and it fell a little flat with him. But I'd LOVE to see him do something from 'Time Honoured Ghosts', ' . . . And Other Short Stories', 'Everyone Is Everybody Else' or 'Gone To Earth'. Every fall, when the leaves are at peak colour, I take a space cruise through the Kettle Morraine area in WI and play 'Time Honoured Ghosts'. The two just go hand in hand. Kinda like 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and Easter. LOL!
@@Drummingvulture You've mentioned four great albums there. Octoberon l must admit isn't my favourite of theirs, l think the first album l ever bought of their's was Once Again nearly 50 years ago, after hearing Mockingbird, and still love it. Galadriel and the rockier Ball and Chain two other great tracks. Another track l love of theirs is Cheap the Bullet from Welcome to the Show album, superb
Masterpiece. How many bands have ever even attempted something so ambitious? and the actual Rock/Pop songs in between the orchestral interstitials are still amazingly written/catchy all these years later capped by the Masterpiece of Knights in White Satin which is an all-timer for me. Glad you enjoyed it.
I liked when you reacted to the spoken word at the end(except In Search of the Lost Chord which has it at both beginning and near the end). As you move on that becomes a theme on many more albums only it's done at the beginning. Wait'll you hear the intro to "On the Threshold of a Dream". "My bright little star". Those rides at Disney We called 'E' ticket rides.
If I can predict your facial expressions during this will you react to JD Blackfoot Song of Crazy Horse? lol I know you are going to enjoy and am just starting to watch now. Thank you
While listening you sometimes look bored, but then in the discussion part you do a great interpretation of the album, its lyrics, its artwork. Nice celebration of one of the best concept albums in history!
The guys from the Moody Blues were heavily into Transcendental Meditation, which origins come from the Hindu religion. The endings being the same as the beginnings, the circular (or rather a mobius strip) nature of all things, is a similar idea to Samsara's in the Hindu religion, death and rebirth etc. In Hinduism, time is cyclical. The word Kala means both "time" and "death." Hindus consider the real self to be ever-existing, not only in the future but also from the past. The material world is the illusion because it's impermanent. Even the title "Nights in White Satin" can have a double meaning. White Satin as in the bed sheets with a lover, but also on a bigger thematic scale, it could mean "Night" being "death" and the "white satin" being the lining of the coffin. "Never reaching the end" - the Samsara cycle. Now let's look at these lyrics: "Just what you want to be You will be in the end" "Cold hearted orb that rules the night Removes the colors from our sight Red is gray and yellow white But we decide which is right And which is an illusion" Now, here's something from Upanishads (Vedic/ Hindu religious text). It's a very similar philosophy/idea as the lyrics above: “We are like the spider,” said the king. “We weave our life, and then move along in it. We are like the dreamer who dreams and then lives in the dream. This is true for the entire universe."
Wow, I just learned something new here. Thanks so much for this information. It adds a completely new layer to a beloved piece of music I have enjoyed for so many decades. 👍😍
I was just reading through the comments checking whether anyone had mentioned the possibility that "Nights in white satin, never reaching the end" could refer to time spent in a coffin. You did; I'd never thought of it that way before this video.
Did You see the two faces on the cover? There's a woman on the right and a man on the left. Right is birth, on the left it's death. You find quite a few symbols for that on both sides, like the flowers. There's even a fetus on the right side. And there's a line of people around the "noser area" of both faces, slowly growing, from being a child to being an adult, then a senior, then falling to a female figure on the far middle left, probably symbolizing beig reborn, completing the cycle.. And yep, the gong at the end is placed at the start too, but stretched and in reverse.
Iconic album, origins of prog rock. Their next one "In Search of the Lost Chord" is amazing as well if you want to keep exploring this band.
Absolutely!
Yeah the next six albums are required listening for any prog fan IMO. The Moodies were indeed Magnificent especially in this late 60s/early 70s period. The later albums were good too, but not as exceptional as the "core seven".
ISotLC is my favorite Moodies album
"Have You Heard Part 1/The Voyage/Have you Heard Part 2" is their absolute zenith.
I agree with that 100% Really hoping he gets around to doing a reaction to that album "On the Threshold of a Dream". I love that album so much, and think it's even better than "ISotLC".
When I saw them in 1973 that was the highlight of the concert. Very moving.
@@silvertube52 You saw them in 73.... you’re killin’ me. Happy for you though.
On the Threshold of a Dream and A Question of Balance are two of my favourite albums.
@@starry2742 Mine, too!
Side two has the two huge commercial hits but in context they fit perfectly. I think the first 7 Moody Blues albums have a lot to recommend them as innovative art rock.
This album, along with the Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ and King Crimson’s “In The Court of the Crimson King”, are the Three Pillars Of Prog.
We stand on the shoulders of giants and true visionaries.
Yep! Pretty much so. Sgt. Pepper was an instant hit, the other two sort of slow-burned underground and through word-of-mouth gradually grew to general awareness, but they really are the roots of it. They along with Pink Floyd.
You forgot YES, Close to the Edge 🙂
Pink Floyd
@@Lightmane Yeah, latecomers to the game, but still seminal. Sgt Peppers - 1967 Days of FP- 1967, Court of the CK - 1969, Umma Gumma - 1969...Closer to the Edge - 1971. By then the Moodies had released 6 albums of progressive rock and King Crimson 4.
@@WMalven ah. Understood
Thanks Justin. A rock symphony that still delivers the goods. Despite whatever time does to influence opinions, it's nice to have someone like you around who can appreciate this masterpiece. Just the idea that they had to try to combine rock and classical music into a cohesive work is amazing. I'd say that they exceeded all expectations.
The gong strike is played in reverse at the start of the album, and played forward at the ending - which confirms your theory of the two ends being bound together!
Now, on to "In Search of the Lost Chord." In their subsequent albums they lose the symphonic interludes and just do their own work. They improved with each successive album, so you have much to look forward to, because it only gets better.
So many great songs and albums as the beginnings of progressive music, rock, symphonic and whatever! A purely legendary and unique band!
"In Seacrh of the Lost Chord' was my first Moody Blues experience. Been a fan ever since.
@@shwicaz Threshold of a Dream was mine, then Lost Chord. :)
They improved? Days of future passed is their pinacle
@@nomesobrenome4092 I would say they were so good that they plateaued and stayed at the top for about seven albums with their unique pre progressive style!
I think that Peter Knight, the conductor of the London Festival Orchestra and arranger, really was key in the success of this lp! Thanks for taking the time to share this, Justin!
I agree... his orchestral arrangements are amazing and quote the melodies of the songs beautifully.
Knight returned the favor on the Blue Jays album. That album is also essential listening.
That's why I don't think it's a full Moody Blues album. The succeeding albums they did showed their true variety and potential.
7:32 starts my favorite part of the album...Happy to have spent a life time with this album...Decades later it's no less sublime...:)...Glad you're hearing it...I can't imagine hearing something this profound for the very first time...It's sad it's not played everyday on all media...The world may calm down a bit...
This is my favourite half of the album, perhaps because it gets a little moodier, and there's more music by the band.
"Tuesday Afternoon" was written by Justin while sitting in a field one afternoon. Coincidentally, he did have a dog named Tuesday, but he never admitted that was a reason for the song's title. I'm not sure why it was given a different title on the album ("Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?)" because Justin has said that it was always "Tuesday Afternoon" to him. I can only speculate that because the album was largely overseen by the record label, they ultimately had full control on how it was presented. The Moody Blues wouldn't get full creative control of their albums until In Search of the Lost Chord.
Regarding "(Evening) Time to Get Away", I am so pleased that you got to hear the original 1967 mix because the 1972 was the only one available on CD for years. This song suffered the most because the lush backing harmonies were completely missing. It made John Lodge's falsetto sound empty.
Growing up, I wasn't particularly fond of "The Sun Set." That has changed much over the years as I began to appreciate the depth in it. When the band performed the song at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, it wasn't filmed due to the director's depleting supply of film footage (or so I understand), but the audio of it existed. Years later, when the full performance was released on DVD, the original director returned and cut some appropriate scenes from the festival crowds that transitioned beautifully from day to night.
"Twilight Time" was always a favourite because I just love the whimsy of Ray Thomas. His songs would often put a smile on my face.
Not much else to say about "Nights in White Satin" (or its companion, "Late Lament"), except that it is a perennial classic. While it may not be my absolute favourite in their catalogue, it's certainly up there. It's a powerful song to hear live.
Thanks for hearing this album as an entire piece.
Oh, one other thing. Yes, you could easily put the album on a perpetual loop because the gong at the end is reversed at the top of the album. The days are a never-ending cycle.
I made my suggestion to Justin above, about the "Isle of Wight Festival" performance - before I read your comments here, and it was all about "The Sun Set"! Well done!
I totally agree on the original version of Evening with the backing harmonies that fill out the falsetto, it sounds so much better.. good call man.
i wonder if the album is as much a metaphor about life- going from infancy to adolescence to old age and finally death, as much about going through a 24 hour day.
I feel it definitely is, with the cyclical nature of the album hinting at the possibility of reincarnation as well.
@@IllumeEltanin True,
It makes sense to me. 👍
@@Eduardo-Ferreira1982 Thanks. I never really thought about it until I watched this video.
Yes.
Fantastic, JP. Incredible. The whole album is a masterpiece. But side two in particular is an astonishing sequence of music. Perhaps the best album side produced by any pop/rock band from this era (or any era). The band and orchestra are integrated together so well on this side. And "Nights in White Satin" always sounds so much better when played in the context of the whole album. Also, I'm glad you took some time to discuss the cover art, which is amazing.
1967 was the Summer of Love and the height of the hippie Flower Child movement. The first super concert "Monterrey Pop Festival". Be-Ins and Love-Ins. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Pink Floyd's first album "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" and this first album masterpiece by The Moody Blues. What a time to be young and alive!
I've been listening to this record for over 50 years and it never gets old, never fails to move me. Hayward had the voice, the guitar, and the songwriting, but Pinder and Thomas added so much dimension that made the magic and moods of this band. Look forward to your discovering In Search of The Lost Chord now.
My first girlfriend in High School carried a Best Of The Moody Blues cassette wherever she went. I didn't even know they were considered prog back then but I grew to love them. I got her into ELP, Yes and VdGG ect. Fun times and memories. Thanks Justin!
Not only does the gong ring out like the last thoughts before falling asleep returning,
but also the poem at the beginning starts with the same verse that the album ends with.
Notice the slight difference in tone/emotion between the two. On The Day Begins, It's kind of a "yes, but it's not big deal because morning's just around the corner" but on the Late Lament, it's more "nighttime is here, you need to be careful"
Ahh, gotta look out for that next time!
I've listened to this album countless times and I never would have connected the 'looping' nature. The intro certainly sounds like the fading reverberations of a gong and the end ends with the gong. I'm sure that was not coincidental. I continue to be amazed and the thought behind this entire album. Similar thought was put into the album cover. I think even today I find new things. As others have mentioned, rotate the album 90 degrees counter-clockwise and look again. Just now I noticed that the cover is really broken into quadrants with two quadrants being colorful (presumably day) and two quadrants mostly dark tones (evening/night). This is like one of those pictures from 'Highlights for Children' where the goal was to find all the things hidden in the picture. Album cover art used to be part of the entire musical experience. Something you will never get from streaming (unless you are streaming an album that you own and can look at the cover art)
I can't tell you how much I agree with all your comments. We think a lot alike! And your observation about "Highlights for Children" is very profound to me! I hope other readers will look into it!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlights_for_Children
;)
Same here.
Yes, they truly are.
I'd like to have question of balance as a painting on my wall. It's a great cover art, one of the best I know.
Another one is Barclay James Harvest 1975' Time Honored Ghosts. Not to mention Genesis' Foxtrot, Nursery Crime or Vdgg' Pawn Hearts...
(I could keep on...)
The gong at the beginning and at the end is a procedure they would repeat in On the Threshold of a Dream.
Very good recording of this side, and faithful to the original album. I've heard CD versions that omitted vocal harmonies in "Evening Time".
BTW, the hallmark of the early Moody Blues albums was to have Graeme Edge's poetry introducing and/or concluding the album - just a nice feature I always enjoyed!
The original album mix was not available for a long time. In 1978 it was discovered the original master tapes had degraded. The album was remixed and in this process introduced several differences. This remix was used for most reissues. The recent deluxe edition presents both mixes.
@@blackcatcentralmusic I read stories about master tapes being too brittle. In some cases, the tapes were treated for brittleness by being baked in an oven at a low temperature! I heard that is the same treatment for warped LP records.
Yes, that is the normal procedure. To bake the tapes, then play them once for digital transfer. The quality of CD pressings for Sandy Denny's "Like an Old-Fashioned Waltz" improved 100% after this procedure and a proper remastering job.
@@blackcatcentralmusic That Sandy Denny album has one of her best songs on it - "Solo" - glad the album was fully restored.
Michael Pinder spoke Late Lanent on DOFP. Graeme Edge wrote it.
Love all their albums from - 67 to - 81.
One of my favourite songs from them is "Melancholy Man" from the album "Question Of Balance" made by Mike Pinder.
Yet again.. flawless reaction, maestro !!
Love love love. I used to practice holding my notes to this song. Thank you mr. Hayward! By the way...I absolutely love that you get it and completely understand the musical transitions of this album. Now that your on the Moody Blues journey, yo can look into their other albums like "In Search Of The Lost Chord" "To Our Childrens Childrens Children" "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour" and "Question Of Balance" all amazing from start to finish
Yes! You forgot “On The Threshold Of A Dream.” 😊 The longer lines on “Tuesday Afternoon” are definitely a challenge to breath control for singers! I was always amazed how Justin sang the longest line without breathing so easily live and while playing guitar in the 70s-90s! In the later years he enlisted the help of background vocalists and the other band members to make it sound fuller and continuous.
@@justintime42000 OMG how could I have forgotten "Threshold" !
Look at the album cover straight on then turn it 90⁰ to the right. There's a face embedded in the imagery. The last elevator button is the left eye and the first phase of the moon is the right eye. Have fun with that.
As others have said, your ability to make this old man see another "old man" through young, fresh eyes is remarkable. Thank you for that.
I hope you are having a pleasant day. I'm gonna jump-start mine with a little three mile walk with my daughter.
Hey, I just thought of something that could make your day a little more interesting; some City Boy! The Day the Earth Caught Fire; One After Two; Walk On the Water; The Hap-ki-do Kid; Interrupted Melody...
Carry on, friend!
I first heard Nights in 1968 on a small (bread loaf sized) console A.M. radio. This album came to me at formative years of puberty and influenced my entire life. It was in a way, the place where the Beatles left off in 1967 and was brought forward with Justin Hayward and the Moody Blues. It became my personal soundtrack.
FM radio would always play this on Tuesday afternoons, life was magical back then...
People love this album. I prefer In Search of the Lost Chord. More psychedelic. I'm sure you'll get to it eventually.
I think during this period bands were beginning a quest to see if rock music could be more culturally respected. Not just fun.
There were a lot of smirks when bands started playing with orchestras and writing more complex songs. But in the end, it worked. And we have some classic music to listen to decades later.
“Tuesday Afternoon” was composed while Justin Hayward was very stoned on marijuana while sitting in a field with his guitar and his dog named Tuesday.
I’m so glad you are taking in the music and conceptual ideas in this album. They were quite a democratic unit in the early days when 4 band members wrote one or two songs on every album with Graeme Edge contributing either some poetry or a song. He did not sing but the others all sang lead and background.
Some great songwriting here. NIWS is in the Grammy Hall Of Fame and Justin Hayward is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Justin’s wife Marie has joked that on Justin’s tombstone it should say “Nights In White Satin has finally reached the end!” I think that was her way of saying she was tired of it. Justin has sung it at every solo and every Moody Blues concert he’s ever played. To write a song like “Nights” is quite an achievement for any songwriter, but considering Justin was only 19 years old when he wrote it, it’s an even more spectacular songwriting achievement.
You are correct that singers on TV competitions have sung NIWS. The most notable versions so far came from Matt Cardle on X-Factor and Emily West on America’s Got Talent. But nobody can sing it like Justin Hayward, who has such a distinctive and beautiful quality in his voice that’s like nobody else’s. There is a punk version (!!!) of NIWS recorded by The Dickies. Justin said his favorite cover is by Bettye Lavette from 2010. He speaks of it with very high reverence. It’s hard to describe her style but she’s an older bluesy soul/singer with a voice that is worn from time but she invokes a lot of emotion with her song interpretations. She’s been recording songs since 1962!
There is much more Moodies magical music to come. You’ll hear more electric guitar on the second and third albums and even more on the albums that come after. I hope you’ll pick up with “In Search Of The Lost Chord” next. It’s a very different kind of trip than DOFP, but a sublime one worth taking! Thanks, Justin! 🎶🎵”Now you’re on your way ….” 🎶🎵😊
I propose that Justin should listen to The Magnificent Seven in their order of realese.
IMHO, this was the first properly done concept album. Sgt Pepper's was not quite there.
I agree about "Sgt. Pepper's" and so did Lennon. He said the concept was tacked on, only the first 2 tracks related to the 'concept' the rest is just unrelated songs. Also Paul's weren't psychedelic other than the ending of 'Lovely Rita'.
Definitely listen to the Magnificent Seven in chronological order. Preferably by album side, but if not, do the tracks in chronological order as well. There are a few which definitely need to be played together, such as the opening track of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, "Procession" segueing in to "The Story In Your Eyes." I'm sure there are others on other albums the community will guide you on; I'm not familiar with the rest of The Magnificent Seven to do so, as EGBDF is my favorite Moody Blues album. But, I trust the community.
@@1nelsondj first 2 tracks and last 3
@@IllumeEltanin the classic 7 should be followed by the Blue Jays album from 74, the end of that magical era. Great songs came after, but not consecutively. The times and sounds were changing.
Side 2 of DOFP is one of the best album sides in the history of recorded music.
Listening to this in the background I found myself noticing that the orchestration reminds me very much of the kind of orchestration you hear in the best "classic" Christmas music from the 40s, 50s and 60s. Not overly complex, but a nice wave of warmth.
Even in their first album, you can already detect the songwriting styles of the various members of the group. All different, yet they always worked together as one...
In my experience this album beckons you to hear it over and over, as I was compelled to do when first introduced to it by a friend, (some fifteen years after it was released!).I taped from the borrowed LP and subsequently played it every day for the next two months or so! Needless to say, it’s timeless and so thrilling to see young people reacting to it, today, (and tomorrow)!
100 Thumbs UP!! Just when I think I could not be more amazed and pleased by your reactions, we come to this one!
Watching your reaction to this side, has been fantastic! I was very touched just watching your facial expressions and smiles as you reacted to various parts! You really have a very expressive face and a beautiful smile, you know!
As usual, getting major chills and tearing up!
It just astounds me how you pay such close attention, and appreciate so many details!
When you were discussing the cover art, and the whole "12 hours" think dawned on you (pun intended!), I was like, "YEAH! He's getting the whole experience!"
Your comparison to the album to an immersive ride at an amusement park was RIGHT ON THE MONEY! Excellent! And, YES, the album is very "cinematic", very much like a movie soundtrack! There are many moments in the orchestral parts throughout the album, that remind me of "The Wizard of Oz"!
Oh, and your observations about "Tuesday Afternoon" had my chin on the desk! The more I listen to you, the more I realize, you are one deep dude! You GET it on so many levels!
"Mmm Mmm Mmm! Moody Blues, you are SMART!" And so are you, Justin!
I was so tickled when you said that the change-over to the song "Sunset" might be the most interesting part of the album! Goodness, I love that song! Seeing your reaction to it, makes me want to share something with you:
Whether you should decide to do an actual video of your reaction, or not, you MUST take the time to watch this:
The Moody Blues-Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival, Sunday, August 30th, 1970
ua-cam.com/video/ad1CEa0-e5Y/v-deo.html
It's a must-see for any Moodies fan! And when you see the treatment given to the song "Sunset", I think you will be amazed all over again. (Of course, the entire documentary and the concert, is fantastic! The quality is exceptionally good, especially given the video and audio technology for live events at that time!
Anyway, I digress....
Justin, when you talk about how the ending, and the big Gong sound, flows into the opening of the beginning of the album - WOW! That's a very deep and smart observation!
Absolute top-shelf reaction and analysis Justin! You never cease to amaze me!
;)
I cant thank you enough for saying all that MissAstor, you made my night. I hope youre having a wonderful weekend
@@JustJP Thank you, Sir! So far, so good! Hope yours is great as well!
Thank you Justin for the wonderful experience of sharing this great work of art with you and our community here over these two videos! This is what it’s all about and I’m so glad you’re not afraid to listen to music and react to it that needs to breathe sometimes, and isn’t just instant gratification. So many others just do that and churn out content like bland product. Not you my friend! You respect the music as well as your followers. We appreciate you man!
Thanks so much John! I enjoy spending time with the music and learning more! :D
Good morning,good afternoon,and goodnight, Just-in the right light,everything is loose,everything tight. You say you will,you say you might.Till Days of Future Passed out of sight,the light & dark are an illusion that burns in you bright!!!Peace and on to Infinity. Morning Rhyme-time.
Before I even see that it's you posting, I know it's you the second I start reading your words!
I feel like I know you!
@@MissAstorDancer Many thanks. Just-in case things get Heavy,trying my best to shine a little Lite. Have a terrific Nite. Peace.
You freakin' nailed it! Spot on insights. Amazing how you can make the 1000th listen feel new again. Thank you.
Ty Dave!
1000%!!!
In terms of the circular nature of the whole thing: The first spoken line of the album is also the last spoken line. (And something that's been lodged in my head since childhood, thanks to my parents. My mom would've been starting or about to start high school when this came out.)
I'm hard pressed to say whether this or A Question of Balance is my favorite Moody Blues full album ("The Balance" is certainly a song that everyone needs to hear and take to heart).
Couple quick points: the flautist (Ray Thomas) is part of the band not the orchestra. Justin Hayward was very young here and his voice just kept getting better. And Tuesday Afternoon was picked as the first solo release from the album.
I have a cat. And that cat’s something I can’t explain. 😉 Tuesday Afternoon ‘called to me’ so many years ago and i still feel it’s pull. Then into Twilight Time....what a combo. This is the highlight of my day Justin. Still camping at waters edge in the woods but a little rain has come. Time to dream awhile and enjoy this with you. Very peaceful here. ‘See what tomorrow brings’.... this campground emptied out since Sunday; glad you’re out there.
Are we On The Threshold of a Dream?
Heartfelt Soul and Class and Social Significance = The Moody Blues. Thanks for airing this masterpiece for those who just weren’t lucky enough to have experienced this the first time around.
Continuing with your theory on the cycling. Notice the album starts with the reverse gong, the theam, and then the first lines of the poem are "Cold hearted orb that rules the night".
The end of the album eebd with the last lines of the poem are "Cold hearted orb that rules the night", the theme, and forward gong.
A glass of sweet tea, a couple of orange rolls, a little ganja and 'Days Of Future Passed' with JP commentary and opinion. Very nice way to kick off my morning.
Amen
Sounds like a good start!
What a magnificent and majestic (and magical) album. This album cemented my love of Moody Blue music for this and the next 6 albums. I've seen them 4 times, unfortunately, never with an orchestra backing, but still all great concerts. Thank you JP for doing this album!
side two imho moves so much more smoothly than side one. (And I love Mike's song on this side. Strike that, I adore almost all of Pinder's songs on all the Core Seven albums!)
Excellent tunes Justin. I have enjoyed this album since the 70s. This album influenced a helluva lot of progressive rock. Such good memorable songs, such innovative arrangements, so many little melodies that enter your mind through your feelings and set up residence there. Pink Floyd, Genesis, ELP all hearken back to these Moody Blues songs. Love your analysis and just your reaction to these epic classic prog albums that I grew up listening to Justin. It is almost like hearing it for the first time again.
I never noticed that thing with the gong bringing things full circle before. Is that the first time such a technique was used on an album? I would guess so. Great reaction.
Also the opening and ending of the album with the spoken verse of
"Cold-hearted orb that rules the night
Removes the colours from our sight
Red is grey is yellow white
But we decide which is right
And which is an illusion"
emphasizes the cycle.
Nights In White STin will live on as one of the greatest songs of The twentieth century!👍🏻❤️☮️🎤🎼
When I first bought this album, I was constantly only play Tuesday Afternoon and Nights in white satin, over the course of time, now, I have to listen to the album in it's entirety, matter of fact, I have some weekend's when I will do a total Moody Blues listening, all seven albums of the core 7. One of the few bands I enjoyed that I could ever get my mother to listen to.🤪🤪
You're spot on!! Apparently the album starts with the gong reversed and I never noticed before! Please consider doing Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of War of the Worlds (remember Forever Autumn, sung by Justin Hayward?)
Oh my Justin, thank you, thank you. I have been waiting for Side 2. Perfect for a Saturday evening with a glass of wine.
Happy to have been part of the evening!
A Brilliant Masterpiece!!!! The album.....Brilliant!!!! The lyrics very poetic and deep. The Orchestration: Masterful. The theme of the album: Excellent!!!! Moody Blues like Pink Floyd....does something many groups do not bring successfully. They take movie type music or soundtrack type of Movie music from 40's and 50's and blends it with folk music and Rock n' Roll and presents a journey for the listener. And really this group was really the first I think to do this. Brilliant!!!! Next amazing album is "In Search of the Lost Chord." I want you to react to the entire album. Glad you enjoyed this one!!!! Hahaha.....lol....hahaaha...Great group and are among the gods of Rock n' Roll.
I told you! Side two is incredible! 1967 wasn't ready for this album.
Ahhh…So many 1/2 century memories.Thank you kindly Justin
Tuesday Afternoon is a favourite of mine... but when the orchestra takes over, i always expect Julie Andrews to start singing at the first break! "The hilllllls are aliiiiiiive with the sound of muuuuuusic..." (The finale screams Hollywood!) After listening to side 2, i think this can be called art-pop but by no means prog, which doesn't mean the two can't bleed into each other, but the use of strings does not make a prog song. Especially here. I definately hear Byrds and Kinks influences on many songs.
What a great album... My dad was a high school band director And also did some guest conducting At some universities When this 1st came out I turned him on to it . He was very impressed And I can still see him Conducting the orchestra That just brought back Some wonderful memories. Even more impressive he could play every instrument in an orchestra fluently And was president of the Ball State orchestra in 1942 .
Thats awesome, glad he enjoyed it!
JP, I loved your reaction and analysis. I especially liked the last bit about the continuation of the last note of night flowing into the first note of the album or dawn. Never noticed it consciously but each day and night is a cycle to life and it never ends the pattern of existence. Thank you for pointing that out.
Ty Bob!
The albums covers were design during & for psychedelics. We used to listen and watch the 2D album covers come alive in 3D Motion while TRIPing on LSD! Love the artwork back in that era
You’ve added to my enjoyment of this album, I didn’t always want to hear it but, thought it quality music. Hearing it with you with good earphones is a treat. Been fun.
Peace and satin night Music
Ty David!
In the beginning the gong is played in reverse and the gong at the end is played in its natural forward format. In sunrise you get the first incling of light and it builds until you see the powerful sunlight and that's why it's played in reverse. Cold Hearted Orb obviously is referring to the moon, which only provides light like the sun but not the warmth as well. One can interpret this album in a million different ways, which to me is the power of it. Great review from a great reviewer. I for one will be back for more.
Pure genius and thought provoking joy!
Such a beautiful album. It's funny how The Moody Blues are never seen as masterful in the likes of say Jimi Hendris, John Bonham or other classic rock legends, but there's no denying just how meticulous their playing is and how fantastically they create moods. I like how in addition to the day representation, there is that more subtle lifetime parallel. From children playin through workdays, people maturing and the line "Senior citizens wish they were young" this is totally brilliant. Now although this is technically their 2nd album, many Moody Blues fans begin their Moody Blues collection with this as their first album. And, of course "The Magnificent Moodys" does have a completely different sound. I am a huge fan of their first ten albums. Great reaction video. Enjoy
The origin of prog and the concept LP. A great work from the late 60's. I can strongly recommend In Search Of The Lost Chord for your next Moody Blues reaction. Thank you for exploring this album and your reaction.
Such a brilliant album from start to finish, but I always preferred side 2. Tuesday Afternoon and Nights and White Satin were the two big hits from this album. Not surprising because they are excellent songs and Hayward has the best singing voice of all the band members. But my favorite song on the album was always Evening. Especially Twilight Time. That song is so short but it really takes you on a journey. Ray Thomas was a truly underrated songwriter.
This side B of Days and side A of In Search of the lost Chord for ME are the very best of The Moody Blues. All else is worth a listen but the emotional wave of those two rides supreme.
When you've heard a song all your life, it hard to relive it like the first time it was birthed from the mist of nothingness.
The MB “bring it home” on side two....love the melodies and Thomas’s flute playing.
Thanks for the treat this morn, and since it is morning I feel compelled to listen to their cut "Dawning is the Day" off their Question of Balance LP.
Tuesday? Used to scare me as a boy. Something about it is haunting and dark. It feels like they're unlocking something bigger than them in that song.
Such a wonderful album. So glad I got to see them in concert twice, once with Patrick Moraz. Such a fun show.
OK i hate to do a twofer but you mentioned the duality of day/night at end of review But remember in the poem "we decide which is an illusion" The moodies you will find in later albums were into things "eastern" So could likely say that the duality of things...day/night...up/down...love/hate ...black/white...yin/yang...the duality of how we perceive things , that is the illusion....old/young...lovers/lonely man ...new mother/senior citizens Brilliant All of this is the tv screen of perception Behind the image there is only the screen and all things are of one source call it consciousness call it Mind at Large call it God
FANTASTIC! You are just one of the many amazing deep folks in the comments here!
Mike Pinder changed the world of keyboards with this album. While the melotron was used on Sgt. Pepper's a bit, Mike changed the focus of the instrument here. He actually worked at the melotron factory before the Moodies hit big, and modified every sound in it to create his orchestral textures, creating the template for how the instrument was used in the 70's. This took an R&B band into territory even they didn't expect.
JP you Are the very first person who I’ve ever seen doing a reaction to One Side of an Album and I Absolutely Love It 😊!!! This is (One of) My Favorite Bands of Pro-Rock and I place them in the Top 5 in my own personal opinion. I had seen The Moody Blues Many years ago at The Holiday Star in Indiana it Was One of The Best Shows I Have Ever Seen in All the concerts I had ever been too.Thanks for sharing this to keep this Music Alive for future generations to come !!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ this is Definitely Ear Candy for me 🍬🍬🍬🍭🍭🍭👏👏👏🎸🥁🎹🎵🎶🎼🥹 I’ll have to check out the other side of your reaction as well too !!! Definitely a 🎧🎧🎧🎧 listening
One of my favorite albums of all time. Still put it ahead of Sgt Pepper or Pet Sounds, though both are amazing in their own right. I still own my original vinyl pressing from the 60's though it's a bit worse for wear. Spent too many months on my turntable.
That sound at the start of the album is the gong in reverse. The key the orchestra is in sounds the same. It might even be the same chord played (somebody ask Doug Helvering!). Great call, JP.
I like having Justin listen to Justin.
😅
I experienced an epiphany holding the album cover and the 24hrs art it represents. It was mind blowing. Thing is, I haven’t been able to re-capture that high again. It is addictive.
One of the rare reviewers that actually reviews. Hats 🎩 off. I loved the different sets. Time passages. 🤗
Appreciate that Mark, thank you:)
There were discrete band and orchestra segments, but the flute and Mellotron of The Moodies are used to join those disparate parts in a seamless fashion.
Justin, thank you for such an insightful and respectful review of the mighty moody blues, I found it touching what you said about 'nights in white satin' not be forgotton, very moving & true! What a great review again bud👍👌😊
Thanks Doug!
i have been trying for years to figure out the album cover. After listening to your analysis of it- which, by the way, is the first I've ever heard- it makes sense to me now. It's like the day is being overcome by night, or the other way around. At least, that's they way I see it. Great analysis.
Thank you so much for doing this album!
So ground-breaking and innovative. How young were these lads when it was recorded? Deep concept and deep lyrics and musically superb! 👍🏻👍🏻
"Night in White Satin" was the soundtrack to the darkest, emptiest and loneliest period of unfulfilled longing, love and jealousy I've ever experienced. It seemed to fit somehow.
@@MissAstorDancer Sarcasm?
@@MissAstorDancer What accusation? You're the one who's trying to figure me out. For some reason...
Can you imagine being 13 trying to take this all in? At 68 years old, I'm still discovering the nuances of this. JP, will you please be my adopted grandson? My grandson is 29, and I can't get him to go near this music.
Ty so much Emily!
@@JustJP Happy Holidays!
@@emilyflotilla931 you as well!🎄
You have done full length with the poem and it was one of the best reactions I had Twitter back then you have done it
One album down, six more to go. Listening in the 60's and 70's changed my outlook on life.
I've been listening to this album for about 50 years. I still pick up new details in the music.
"Nights in White Satin" - still gives me chills more than 50 years on...the beautifully perfect closing track for what is undeniably a perfect album. The ending soliloquy, written by Graeme Edge and spoken by Mike Pinder is timeless. Less orchestration (until the crescendo), more Moody Blues (and Justin Hayward' vocals), with seamless transitions. The flute is courtesy of Ray Thomas (RIP). Bravo for taking this on in this way. Your analyses are spot on, and legendary. Keep 'em coming.
Regarding the emotion offered by Justin at the end, please watch this live: ua-cam.com/video/MjUqfRrWwcM/v-deo.html
Afternoon, JP. Dave from a sunny London. On A Day Like Today, listening to the Moodies is just perfect. Love Tuesday Afternoon and Nights in White Satin, two absolute classics, beautifully sung by Justin (good name!) and great instrumentation by the band, especially the flute by the sadly departed Ray. Still not sold on the orchestration (heard a bit of Mary Poppins in there somewhere!), but the finale is admittedly dramatic and beautiful (as I love Mike's recitations of Graeme's poems).
Great reaction as usual, Justin. Interesting you mention American Idol; a few years ago a contestant on the UK version sang Nights in White Satin and was criticised by Simon Cowell on his 'obscure' choice. Hmm!
Forever Autumn really feels like a brisk, gray autumn day. Check it out JP.☺
Listen to the whole " War of the Worlds" album for context into the song. Beautiful music!
Thanks for doing the full Album, it does have to be heard that way. All their albums have to be heard that way.
This album came out about a month after Sgt. Pepper’s yet slowly is being
Forgotten even though it truly is the first wall to wall concept album. I wonder what would have happened if it came out before Sgt. Peppers?
The album I think influenced Pink Floyd, Evening and Twilight Time are very Floyd sounding yet Floyd had not released their first album yet. Days I think is the start of progressive rock with all the pomp and circumstance.
If you want to do an even better album from the Moody Blues To Our Children’s Children Children is a must! The theme,
the Apollo landing on the moon. It’s, in my opinion and many others, the best Moody Blues album but you do have to listen from beginning to end. It is a movie.
There are a LOT of Moody Blues fans out there they should definitely watch your channel. , .
a classic that only very rarely sounds slightly dated: 9.5 out of 10.......also beautifully produced OMG!!!!!!
Not sure if you are familiar with the band Barclay James Harvest, but they are one of my favourite bands. They were dubbed the Poor Mans Moody Blues and even recorded a track with that title on their lovely album Gone to Earth. The song was a take on Night's in White Satin, and is every bit as good. They were known for their lovely song Mockingbird from their album Once Again.
Their live LP is spectacular.
I know he did something from 'Octoberon' and it fell a little flat with him. But I'd LOVE to see him do something from 'Time Honoured Ghosts', ' . . . And Other Short Stories', 'Everyone Is Everybody Else' or 'Gone To Earth'.
Every fall, when the leaves are at peak colour, I take a space cruise through the Kettle Morraine area in WI and play 'Time Honoured Ghosts'. The two just go hand in hand. Kinda like 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and Easter. LOL!
@@Drummingvulture You've mentioned four great albums there. Octoberon l must admit isn't my favourite of theirs, l think the first album l ever bought of their's was Once Again nearly 50 years ago, after hearing Mockingbird, and still love it. Galadriel and the rockier Ball and Chain two other great tracks. Another track l love of theirs is Cheap the Bullet from Welcome to the Show album, superb
@@TmRnBn Agreed. It was rarely off my turntable back in my 70s college days, and I was lucky to see them live at this time.
Masterpiece. How many bands have ever even attempted something so ambitious? and the actual Rock/Pop songs in between the orchestral interstitials are still amazingly written/catchy all these years later capped by the Masterpiece of Knights in White Satin which is an all-timer for me. Glad you enjoyed it.
Nights, not Knights...
Tuesday afternoon was my inspiration to play flute.
I always look forward to watching your channel and your first reaction to certain songs
Appreciated Stephen!
Yeah, this album has haunted me my whole life. I remember it as a child in the 60's.
I liked when you reacted to the spoken word at the end(except In Search of the Lost Chord which has it at both beginning and near the end). As you move on that becomes a theme on many more albums only it's done at the beginning. Wait'll you hear the intro to "On the Threshold of a Dream". "My bright little star".
Those rides at Disney We called 'E' ticket rides.
If I can predict your facial expressions during this will you react to JD Blackfoot Song of Crazy Horse? lol I know you are going to enjoy and am just starting to watch now. Thank you
Oozing with thick mellotron!!! "In Search of the Lost
Chord" is anther good one!!!
Happy days, beautiful!
While listening you sometimes look bored, but then in the discussion part you do a great interpretation of the album, its lyrics, its artwork. Nice celebration of one of the best concept albums in history!
The guys from the Moody Blues were heavily into Transcendental Meditation, which origins come from the Hindu religion. The endings being the same as the beginnings, the circular (or rather a mobius strip) nature of all things, is a similar idea to Samsara's in the Hindu religion, death and rebirth etc. In Hinduism, time is cyclical. The word Kala means both "time" and "death." Hindus consider the real self to be ever-existing, not only in the future but also from the past. The material world is the illusion because it's impermanent.
Even the title "Nights in White Satin" can have a double meaning. White Satin as in the bed sheets with a lover, but also on a bigger thematic scale, it could mean "Night" being "death" and the "white satin" being the lining of the coffin. "Never reaching the end" - the Samsara cycle.
Now let's look at these lyrics:
"Just what you want to be
You will be in the end"
"Cold hearted orb that rules the night
Removes the colors from our sight
Red is gray and yellow white
But we decide which is right
And which is an illusion"
Now, here's something from Upanishads (Vedic/ Hindu religious text). It's a very similar philosophy/idea as the lyrics above:
“We are like the spider,” said the king. “We weave our life, and then move along in it. We are like the dreamer who dreams and then lives in the dream. This is true for the entire universe."
Wow, I just learned something new here. Thanks so much for this information. It adds a completely new layer to a beloved piece of music I have enjoyed for so many decades. 👍😍
I was just reading through the comments checking whether anyone had mentioned the possibility that "Nights in white satin, never reaching the end" could refer to time spent in a coffin. You did; I'd never thought of it that way before this video.
Did You see the two faces on the cover? There's a woman on the right and a man on the left. Right is birth, on the left it's death. You find quite a few symbols for that on both sides, like the flowers. There's even a fetus on the right side. And there's a line of people around the "noser area" of both faces, slowly growing, from being a child to being an adult, then a senior, then falling to a female figure on the far middle left, probably symbolizing beig reborn, completing the cycle.. And yep, the gong at the end is placed at the start too, but stretched and in reverse.