Tie- Stairway To Heaven- Led Zeppelin 7:55 and Papa Was A Rolling Stone - Temptations 11:44. Runnerups: American Pie - Don McClean 8:42; Free Bird- Lynyrd Skynyrd 9:08; Won’t Get Fooled Again - The Who 8:32; Do You Feel Like We Do- Peter Frampton 14:15; Frankenstein - Edgar Winter Group Live 9:18; Hey Jude - The Beatles 7:11; Layla - Derek &The Dominos 7:05.
....I'll do one better.....***MacARTHUR PARK*** , the 1968 baroque classic that got our booties MOVIN' when Donna Summer turned it into a 1978 Disco STOMPER! ....ha-HAAA!!
I was 10 years old when I went to my first concert, it was The Moody Blues. One of the perks of having a brother who was a dozen years my senior. What a gift that we had a brother, who at 22 years of age, was willing to drag his four younger brothers to a rock show. Miss you every day Will
@@ProfessorofRock - Not only were the Moodies one of the first 'prog' bands, I believe they singlehandedly invented the genre that would, a decade later, come to be called _New Age._
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 That was my response when I got to listen to the song in its full splendor in 1972. I got to hear it just once on radio in the States in '67, never to hear it again until it was re-released with _Seventh Sojourn_ in '72, so I was unable initially to figure out who the hell _did_ the song when I first heard it. In the late '60s the only Moody Blues song to get steady airplay was "Tuesday Afternoon," and I couldn't put the two together as being done by the Moodies. When I heard "Nights" the _second_ time in '72 it was the full version and I was absolutely blown away. I ran out and bought both records - _Days of Future Passed_ and _Seventh Sojourn_ - and FEASTED on their music. Every time I replayed "Nights" I'd get more and more emotional, and by the time the orchestra joined the last stanza I was choking up and brought to tears, just seeming to burst out of myself. The entire album was a work of art that didn't get its due until years after it was produced, but _DOFP_ and _Seventh Sojourn_ cemented my love for the Moody Blues, and I eventually bought all of the Classic 7 albums. Over the decades it has been very difficult to rank the Classic 7, but as it stands right now it has to be _Seventh Sojourn,_ _To Our Children's Children's Children,_ and _Days of Future Passed_ -- top three.
I am 70 and was raised on this music and so much more, this came from an era that will never be surpassed for its creativity and shear spectrum of style. Music in this time ranged from Simon and Garfunkel to Jimi Hendrix and no one did it more beautifully than the Moody Blues. Their music was beyond other worldly it wad cosmic, beautifully cosmic. peace
at the time, the Moodies were called " the thinking man's rock group".... I'm 65 and first heard Nights on late night radio on a full moon in winter. The images of the winter night with the song so struck me I called the radio station to find out who made that song. I was 11. By the next week I had the album and they had a life long fan. Saw them live 3 times + Justin solo.
70 as well... my favorite group of that incredibly prolific late 60s/early 70s era, but perhaps all time as well. Bought fresh out of the chute when it debuted in the US, I played "Days..." til I wore it out and had to get a replacement! As they say about picking a favorite child, so it is difficult if not impossible albums of the MBs. Of the "Core 7" that has been referenced, "Days..." almost goes without saying somewhat standing uniquely on its own, but it is the last, appropriately, Seventh Sojourn, that subtly over the years grew to be my favorite or at least the one that I play the most...but as others have suggested, there is not a bad one--either album or song--in the entire bunch. A bit of factoid or minutiae many people don't think about or know, all of those seven were done in just a 5-year period. The Moody Blues, and specifically Justin Hayward, inspired me on guitar. Aside from perhaps the Beatles, you know that 'other' pesky little group of British overachievers, the Moody Blues were perhaps the first to regularly include and blend both acoustic and electric guitars seamlessly throughout their recordings over the years. The Professor mentions that "Nights..." was not a big hit in the US til '72 but, and I may have been just part of an enthusiastic niche (but there were quite a few of us), I remember it being a pretty big deal on the airwaves in the late sixties up to 72 as well. In two concerts early-on that I saw, '68 and '70, when that song was played it was especially, along with Tuesday Afternoon, met with an enormous audience reaction. Edit: there was the "core 7," and technically their eighth, again appropriately "Octave," a worthy 'comeback' album, released after a several-year break up in the mid-70s... but little known to all but the most die hard fans, the two front men, Justin Hayward and John Lodge recorded their own "Blue Jays" in 1974 just two years after MB's break up (or as it turned out, 6 year hiatus). The album, with its soaring vocals and electric and acoustic guitars, lush and complex production and symphonic sound, has the unmistakable Moody Blues DNA, absent of course Pinder's and Thomas' distinctive baritone contributions,..but I've still always viewed it as effectively being the Moody Blues' true "eighth sojourn." Check it out.
If you haven’t heard it yet, check out “Blue Jays” by Justin Hayward and John Lodge. You won’t be disappointed. Very Moody-like with the undeniably excellent voice of Justin Hayward. But you’ve probably heard it by now.
Me too. The Moodies opened my musical landscape and was the first mysic I fiscally invested in. Justin taught me harmonies and brought me endless motivation to move lightly thru' my life.❤
It's wonderful tosay to hear their updated live versions of their own songs, from Justin and John Lodge, re-crested with additional flair and emphasis on parts overlooked before.
As a Canadian that came of age in the late 60's, I was blown away the first time I heard this track in '73. Once you'd heard the full album version, the radio edits just didn't cut it. The timing was perfect as progressive rock, recreational drugs and decent stereo equipment all interacted at the same time....a true synthesis of the 1970's.
I once went off on an internet DJ who thought he was doing me a favor by playing an exremely chopped up radio edit of Nights in White Satin. never listened to his show again after that.
@@Luked0g440 Radio edits are why the majority of American listeners never got to hear "Nights in White Satin" for 7 years after it was first released. If you couldn't get a track in under 3:00, it wasn't getting any air time - period. Such was the formula on AM radio. Once FM took off those unedited songs got lots of air time and listeners flocked to the artists and the FM stations. AM, aside from the crappy fidelity, was a victim of its own greed.
I love the ending. I used to get so mad when hearing it on the radio if they cut off the spoken word portion. As a teenager in the early 70's, FM radio was my music source as it was all we could afford. First heard of The Moody Blues with "I'm Just a Singer". Really loved that one. Also heard "Story in Your Eyes" on an 8-track which I really liked. When I heard "Knights in White Satin", that was a whole new level of WOW! Its been my favorite since then.
Days of Future Passed is one of those albums that is best listened to in order from beginning to end. The first half of the poem at the end of The Day Begins is a perfect bookend with the ending after Nights in White Satin, bringing it full circle. I think my favorite song off the album is The Sun Set / Twilight Time which gets absolutely no radio airplay, unless the station is playing the entire album.
I think a lot of the Moody Blues albums need to be listened to in order from beginning to end. Each album was like an experience. A story being told that wouldn't make sense in any other order. I listen to them when I mow the lawn, and by the time the story is finished, I am done with the lawn.
I saw an excerpt from an interview with Justin Hayward where he said that the song was written between the end of one relationship and the beginning of another, and said he ultimately wrote it "in adoration of all women." It certainly has had awesome staying power - it's one of my absolute favorites of all time. And that such an amazing composition was written by a 19 year old is mind-boggling! Way to go, Justin!! ❤️❤️❤️
Saw these guys in Germany in 1975 as a G.I.. When the lights came on at the end of the show, everyone was crying Americans and Germans all feeling the same emotional release from their greatness simply unbelievable.
6:58 The Mellotron, and the role of Mike Pinder, who worked in the factory that made them for 18 months, in its success, was a story in and of itself. The original concept was pioneered by a guy named Chamberlain who built a sampling synthesizer that used tape segments to recreate orchestral sounds. When he started selling this device in the late 1940s and early 1950s, he created a library of samples with the Lawrence Welk Orchestra, and promoted his not-very-portable device to orchestras, studios, nightclubs, etc. In the early 1960s, one of his salesmen grew restless for a portable version of the device and Chamberlain, who hated rock & roll, was having none of it. So the salesman skipped off to England with 2 stolen samples and made a deal with an unwitting machine shop owner to produce a portable version there. It took a year or two for Chamberlain to discover what had happened, but by that time, the newer version, called the Mellotron, was successful enough that Chamberlain signed a cross-licensing agreement which allowed Chamberlain sales in the USA and Mellotron sales in the UK, where Mike Pinder was one of its more important advocates. Both instruments shared copies of the same sample library, so some of the orchestral sounds on both Beatles and Moody Blues tracks were copies of the original samples recorded by the Lawrence Welk Orchestra. When the Moody Blues recorded Seventh Sojourn in 1972, they used a Chamberlain, which, using earlier generation copies of the original samples, had a better sound than the Mellotron. Both instruments were used for a while in the 1970s, but are rare now, due to the high cost of maintenance of their mechanical chassis.
Great history, and excellent write up of it. But there are now various Mellotron plug-ins for Digital Audio Workstations that are widely available. I only hope that these will be used to make new music that will keep the magic of the Mellotron alive.
I once did some research if Brian Wilson had used a Mellotron in any of his songs, being that for a time he was so far out in advance of everyone else (including working with Robert Moog as early as '66, and was an early user of a Moog), and found he did use a Chamberlain. Interesting that Pinder used a Chamberlain on Seventh Sojourn. I knew about Pinder's history with Mellotron, but not the interplay with Chamberlain, especially both using tapes of the Lawrence Welk Orchestra. This is great! Thanks.
I can't remember whether it was Keith Emerson (of Emerson, Lake and Palmer) or Rick Wakeman (formerly of Yes) who had been given a Mellotron by Mike Pinder. However, it malfunctioned in the middle of a performance and was eventually shoved off the state and destroyed. Much to the person's great regret lateron. Also, asa a side note I believe Mike Pinder customized a couple of Mellotrons and they were marketed as "PinderTron's".
One of the coolest messages I ever received was a thank you from Mike Pinder, through a mutual friend, for something I said remembering his birthday. Mike Pinder is one of main reasons I wanted to play keyboards and he is too often overlooked as one of the great keyboard players in progressive rock. Justin may have written this song but it was Pinder who made it a hit.
The Moody Blues performed at the first Isle of Wight Festival, in 1969, I think, and a man named Murray Lerner filmed their set. They put it on a DVD and talked with Mike Pinder about his keyboard work. It was very interesting. If you get a chance to look it up, do; I recommend it.
He also brought an interesting writing contribution and singing voice to the band. Melancholy Man is beautiful song. I think it Graeme who wrote the spoken poetry, but it was Mike's voice that made it iconic. @@alfinpogform4774
Wow, can't say enough good things about this song. The writing, production & performance are top notch. The lead singer still sounds amazing singing this live, despite his age.
My girlfriend in 6th grade made this “our song”. This was 12 years after its release! She was a VERY dramatic girl. She broke my heart in epic fashion, and I was left with just the song - a really good one to yearn to.
Thank you for covering The Moody Blues, my dads favorite band. They were my earliest love for music, my fondest memories singing along with my father, and the soundtrack to our final moments together. These days, listening to the Moodies is absolutely heartbreaking, yet healing. I could never thank them enough for the impact they’ve made on our lives.
I’ve been blessed to see them in person 5 times. They sounded EXACTLY the same every single time, even years apart. They are the ONLY band that I’ve ever been able to say that about.
I remember hearing this on the radio for the first time as a kid. The song had such a big, epic sound, and I was blown away. It was so different from everything else I was hearing on the radio at the time. The Moody Blues were an underrated, yet influential band. It took them a while, but they finally got in the Rock Hall, which was long overdue. Interesting back story.
@@CC-jl7jz, you will no argument from me! There are so many deserving bands and artists that should have been in long ago, yet acts like Kraftwerk get in after, what, more than a dozen nominations? Give me a break. I won't even get into Madonna and Public Enemy getting in.
The Moody Blues have always been underrated for their music. I remember being in the music room in high school feeling really low (as only angsty teenagers can be), and I put this song on, sitting on the stage and listening to this fill the auditorium. We had great acoustics in the auditorium, and it soared and really filled me with...I don't know... a lightness that took me out of my low mood. I still remember the feeling, and whenever I hear this song, Im that teenager in that auditorium again. People say you can't time travel, but I think the right song can help you go back to a specific place and time. If that isn't time travel, I don't know what is.😊
Possibly the best song ever recorded in my opinion. This has never gotten old to my ears. I often go on UA-cam to see people's reactions to this song. It often ends in tears and utter amazement to every new listener. ( I highly recommend it) Thanks for giving more insight on this masterpiece. The long version of this song is the only version that should ever be played. Love this channel ❤️
Many, if not most, review the live version, which I think leaves out the end spoken "poem." And that just doesn't quite cut it for me; but I do love the emotional reactions. It is so edifying to see younger kids discovering bands that I grew up loving. Even some that discovered "doo-wop" music from the 50s.
The fact that "Nights in White Satin" inspired the band to go on to produce the "7 Core Albums", and the mind-bending content of each of those seven albums, is something still too hard to wrap my brain around, even after all these years (I'm 75).
@@yenbbc8840 And there wasn't a dog in the bunch. The Classic 7 were almost stream-of-consciousness -- with spiritual undertones, the uniqueness of humanity, and wonder over time and space. By far the best lyricist of the crew was Mike Pinder; but every single one of them put out compositions that were durable works of art that have withstood the test of time.
I was a teenager in the 70s The Moody Blues were on my record player and eight track constantly! I played flute and taught myself many of their songs! Concerts of them were so great! My best friend who i knew for 56 years passed away recently and "Isn't life strange" was our song! Beautiful band and beautiful memories! Thank you! ❤❤❤
The flute is such an expressive instrument and it is not featured nearly enough in popular music. It must be like a gift to play it and to share the beautiful melodies of The Moody Blues.
@@charlie-obrien Yes the flute is indeed a lovely instrument. Unfortunately due to severe arthritis and COPD,I can no longer play. But I still listen to the Moody Blues! PEACE!
Thank you so much for the video, Adam. I was was introduced to the Moody Blues by Justin Hayward's cousin, who I went to school with up until 1968. Strangely, he was also called Justin Hayward, but his musical career took him towards choral works. The first album of Moody Blues that I bought was 'In Search of the Lost Chord'. When I did, I was completely blown away by it. I had never heard anything like it before. I immediately went out and bought 'Days of Future Passed' and was equally smitten. The Moody Blues have been the musical background to my whole life. I cannot thank them enough. Justin has recently been embarked on a musical tour, where he introduces new musical talent to the wider musical community. Giving young talented musicians the chances that nearly eluded Justin in his early career. I really wish I could thank his cousin for his recommendation, but unfortunately we lost touch with one another when we left school. I have every single song on every single album and single they ever recorded. In my opinion, Justin is one of the most talented singer/song writers on the planet.
This album and song i played over and over again when I got the album. I was a teenager miserable living with my dad and controlling stepmother. I left in August 1976 after turning 18 and graduating high school. I didn't understand the meaning, but the song and album grabbed my Soul. Thank you for the information and a remembering of how I mentally survived. Many Blessings on you and ALL the bands and musicians who made our Lives better.
Nights in White Satin was the first song that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck and brought tears to my eyes. I still get chills when I hear it. Few songs since have had that effect on me, and sadly, none in the last 20 years.
Same here. Once I got to hear the FULL track I had the same reaction, and I was a hooked Moodies fan from then on. Just unfortunate that I had to wait 7 friggin' years after it was released to finally hear it, because AM radio refused to give "Nights" any air time. When it was re-released alongside _Seventh Sojourn_ that was my 2nd opportunity to hear it in its entirety, and I went out and bought "Days of Future Passed" that very day along with _Seventh Sojourn._
Being arguably the Moody Blues Biggest fan, knights in White Satin also brought tears to my eyes. Truly a beautiful song it's still brings tears to my eyes and chills to my psyche. Also being a musician when I was finally able to afford an 4 track cassette recorder I did my own several versions of it and other Moody Blues songs too. Now at the age of 71. It remains one of my very very favorite songs of all time having heard millions of songs over my 71 years. I mourn every time I hear that one of The Moody Blues has passed away
My wife and I have been Moody Blues fans since the 60's, and Justin Hayward is her favorite singer. His voice is so phenomenal and I don't think he's ever gotten the credit he deserves, also as a songwriter and guitarist. We have seen the MBs and Justin many, many times over the years, and were at the 50th anniversary performance of Days of Future Past in Las Vegas a few years ago. This song will be forever remembered. That this was the start of his career is almost unbelievable. We enjoyed this episode immensely. Keep it up!
I had opportunity to see them perform with a symphony orchestra in a comparatively small setting (8,300 seats) in 1997. Much of "Days of Future Passed" was in the set list and while not in album sequence the orchestra was present in every arrangement making it very special. It was incredible and I cherish the feeling of the music moving through me. I'm 63 now and while a little young for its original release I grew up in a college town with a couple of great radio stations. Life is sweet and a great soundtrack makes it all the sweeter.
In 1973, I was a 10th grader dealing with my own angst and heartache. I heard the US radio version and was so moved. After I saved my money from my after-school job, I went to the record store and bought the album. And that started my journey into Prog Rock! In 1975, Justin and John formed the band "The Blue Jays," and I bought their album too. About 10 years ago, I got to see the Moody Blues perform this live. What a wonderful experience. Thank you for this fantastic expose of a truly groundbreaking classic. I learned a lot!
Blue Jays were like all the best of the Moodies, without the occasionally weaker songs by other songwriters. (Let's face it, Ray Thomas wasn't the strongest songwriter.)
@@brianwooton1992 I'll give you that the Blue Jays album WAS EPIC GREAT!! But the "classic Seven MB albums" were what made me a lifelong fan... AND Ray wrote and STARRED in Legend of a Mind.. Plus, there was real chemistry with the whole band along with Mike Pinder's keyboards who could NEVER be replaced.... But the John Lodge and Justin Hayward duo could be seen as a band within the band.... and are the only ones left.
A Los Angeles classic rock station used to play "Nights in White Satin" every night at midnight. You NEVER got tired of it, it's undoubtedly the greatest song the Moody Blues ever did.
I remember that! And it was the first thing I thought of when I started watching this youtube. It brought back all the memories of working in a pizza parlor that closed at midnight.
I am running out of ways to thank you for your hard work, production quality, research, knowledge and presentation. Once again you capture the essence of a true work of art by a highly underrated band.
"Nights in White Satin" is a wonderful song but "Tuesday Afternoon" deserves more love than it gets. I think my absolute favorite from this band, though, is "Story in Your Eyes".
In 1989 my dad had moved us from Niagara county in Western New York to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, transferring with Harrison Radiator Division of GM. The next year, (my junior year of High School) I bought a '49 Chevy 3100 1/2 ton step-side pickup truck. A friend of ours that also transferred down & worked at the plant came over asking us for help moving in to his new house. We used my truck. Later he was riding in the back by himself, My dad & I in the cab could hear him singing aloud, "Knights in white Satin".
I was only a kid at the time, so I was sort of aware of The Moody Blues in a passing way. But it's only recently that I've listened to Days of Future Passed. It was like a revelation, and cemented my appreciation of them forever.
In 1981 as a 18 year old I purchased a new truck. The salesman included a case of random cassettes with the deal. Days of Future Past was one of them. When I would listen to it my friends thought I was crazy. Around the same time I found a copy of Jeff Waynes War of the Worlds. I recognized the singer of Forever Autumn. I've listined to him and the Moody Blues ever since.
Born in 63, don’t know when I discovered the Moody Blues, but it was love at first sound. This is probably my favorite album of the post war era. So much to return to over and over.
Justin Hayward is one of most underappreciated I can think of, and for my money, "Days of Future Passed" is one of the most. overlooked masterpieces of 1967. With all due respect to Denny Laine, and much is due, Hayward not only jumpstarted the dying band, but took them places they'd have never gone otherwise. And the great thing is that the surviving Moodies are still out there on the road on occasion. A tremendously talented lot.
We were sitting in a house on Morrison Street in Washington DC when we first heard the Moody Blues over and over and over again -- seeing them perform -- and watching the amazing Ray Thomas -- wow -- thankfully Hayward and Lodge are still bringing the music to the needy world -- their music is inspirational and they grew into their role as true leaders --
Oh man. This was the first album I bought for myself with my own money as a teenager back in the 70s. And this was the song that compelled me to have it in my possession. I would listen to it and think, "This is a man that loves as deeply as I do!" I remember singing it with such passion . . .
Saw the Moody Blues with my dad. We had front row, center stage seats and it was phenomenal! Love this band and such hits like “Isn’t Life Strange,” “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere,” “Question of Balance,” to name a few!
This is an album that you need to listen to with a really good set of headphones, preferably late at night. Nights In White Satin should always have the lament at the end. Sadly most of the time it doesn't. I would put this album on my Magnavox counsel stero, plug in headphones, shut out the lights and lay on the couch and enjoy. Really great on a Friday night after a hard week of work.
Yes indeed. But I would have to sit up, otherwise I would spill my Martini. I have that final lament memorized, but not the shorter, earlier in the record one.
Actually, the one MB album with headphones would be To Our Children's Children's Children. That one will blow your mind. DOFP is tough to listen to when you're winding down because Peak Hour is too 'loud'. It doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the album.
I need new headphones bad. Christmas is coming! You don't have to get me a gift, but when you do, make sure it's a good pair of over-ear headphones! Lol!
I wish Mike Pinder would get the recognition he deserves. His Melotron is what makes Days of Futures Passed so special. It's even said that he introduced the instrument to The Beatles, which lead to its use on the intro to Strawberry Fields.
@@craigaust3306 Quite right, but Pinder meant for the mellotron to be a substitute for a full orchestra, likely because he could make it _sound_ like one without having to hire a string section. That mellotron was where the band really made its money as they cranked out the Classic 7 albums. By the time they got to _Seventh Sojourn_ Pinder ditched the mellotron for the Chamberlain, and that had a MUCH more authentic orchestral sound. Wasn't long after that that synthesizer keyboards became standard, and ironically Pinder left the band not long afterward.
Saw the Moody Blues in 2005. The closest to album perfection I've seen on a stage. Justin is a great guitarist as well as vocalist. Thankful they added him to spur on their success.
If I had to pick only one album that I could listen to on a record player it would be this one. The depth of this album has never been matched in my opinion and I am so glad you covered it as it's a once in a lifetime record.
I first heard the intro to Every Good Boy Deserves Favor from my older brother late after coming home from babysitting neighbors. I feel in love with their sound, and soon after discovered Days of the Future Passed. This was all in 1971. In 1972, as you note, Nights charted again (along with I'm Just a Singer) and I've been hooked ever since. I enjoyed the history that you shared. I thought I knew all that there was to know about the band and this song...but your info regarding the Seattle DJ and how that led to this becoming a US hit was new to me, and fun. Thanks.
Hey Adam. Great job bringing this to light. Never knew the Moody's back story or how they transitioned from the "Go Now" era to their ultimate configuration. I was the lead singer in a progressive rock band myself and the Moodys were certainly an influence on me and many other bands of the day. Keep doing what you're doing! Peace.
We were known as "Harvest". We opened for Mountain, Canned Heat, and Hot Tuna at the Ritz in New York back in 1970. I still have a photo of the Ritz marquee from the Canned Heat show. @@ProfessorofRock
Thanks.We were professional and took our music very seriously. I wish we had been signed to a label . We only have some poorly recorded basement tapes to prove we were together. Still I look back on those years with a great fondness. @@slaphead8835
Thank you, professor. This is my favorite album of all time. From grades 3-6 I went to sleep to it, side B in which you covered. Magical music for a 10-year-old boy to dream to.
Great video! I've listened to this song since I was a teenager. That was when it first came out. It's still as special today. And Justin's voice is magical. What a song, what a singer and what a group!!! Thanks for bringing back 50+ years of great memories.
Will never forget the first time I heard Nights, 16, and driving home at night. I literally pulled over to the side of the road in my old 52 Chevy and stared at my cheap radio until the song finished. Have been hooked ever since then. Another classic ...Seventh Sojourn
This song's re-release in 1972 was the beginning of my love for the Moody Blues music. I was privileged to see them several times in concert thru the years.❤🎶
In 1972 when I first heard this song I had just started dating my first true love. I was so deeply in love with her it hurt and this song described my feelings for her perfectly. I bought the album and played it over and over and over. The next year in 1973 we married. We are still in love with each other today after 50 years and share 3 children and 10 grandchildren. This song still evokes the same feelings I had back then and it made me a Moody Blues fan for life. We saw them live a couple of times and they were incredible on stage. I really enjoyed hearing the back story about the song and the band. Thanks Adam!
THIS is my lifelong favorite band. I was too young to be one of their fans, but they've been the soundtrack of my life for my ENTIRE life! I've seen them live every time they came to my area. I took my little brother (his 1st concert) and later on my husband which was my last concert. I still get chills when I hear Nights in White Satin and just recently saw an old interview when I found out the song title was literally about bed-sheets!
Mine too! I've seen them 8 times. Twice in Vegas in the early 90's, and I met Justin at Caesars Palace. Then I won meet ad greet tickets to his solo show in 2014.
My favourite too, they have always been able to soothe my soul in troubled times. Their music and words seemed to come from Outside, like a quiet promise that, despite the turmoils of life, everything will be ok.
So nice to see the Moodies being covering by the inimitable Professor of Rock! Became a lifelong fan after Your Wildest Dreams in 1986, but when a friend shared their Greatest Hits... this, Tuesday Afternoon and Driftwood captivated me... I've been fortunate to see them at least a dozen times since then. Such an underrated, undervalued band... that evolved with times, yet made remarkable and meaningful music throughout their career. I cried when I heard they'd finally been accepted to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame - long overdue. Thank you for sharing the backstory - longtime Moodies fans may know most of this, but thanks for sharing with the rest of the rockin' world!
My brother and I would stay up till 10:pm on weeknights so we could hear the DJ on our local FM station play Nights in White Satin to close his show. He'd play the full song. School was the next day, so we were in bed by 9, but we didn't care. We watched the clock for 10pm 4 a chance 2Listenin to that poetry on the radio. It was worth risking getting in trouble.
One of my favorite songs from my "hippie days." It still is. So glad I got to hear Nights performed live in 1993 by the man I always pictured as the perfect Prince Charming.
As a kid- I found this record in my mother’s collection. I must of been in middle school. This ,to me, was a “Shakespeare “ experience. The voice, the lyrics.. a record that had a vibe that changes from the A to the B side. Thanks Prof of Rock- truly our Lester Bangs of our generation
My jaw is still on the floor, that I am watching Professor of Rock presenting a formative favorite of my early days on the planet. It came out in 67, but I was 3 in 71 when I first remember my older sisters playing this album. I've never stopped loving it. Thank you, Adam!
Always loved the Moody Blues ! - I probably heard NIWS on the radio first no doubt, but I would listen to In Search of the Lost Chord over and over by the time I got to high school - Justin Haywood is such an underrated and overlooked artist & guitarist ! One of the best shows I’ve ever seen in my LIFE was the Moody Blues at Radio City Music Hall in NYC ! (& I’ve been to many !) Thank you for your attention to the details in informing your audience about the Moodies ! ❤ They truly are a treasure !!!
I love this channel so much! Learning the history of the songs that have shaped our lives, and sometimes discovering yourself in those songs that you could never put in words. Also, love the De La Soul shirt. Thanks Professor!
Been a Moody Blues fans since the days of Your Wildest Dreams. This song is amazing on so many levels. I'm glad it set the stage for the band to produce the catalogue of music that they did. Their songs resonate at different moments in my life. I still find new meaning in lyrics I've heard a hundred times. Such a gift!
They used to play this song everyday at noon when I was in middle school and HS. We would go home for lunch back in the day and it was always playing. Made me a huge fan. The radio version has the poem and gong at the end. My first concert was a Moody Blues concert.
@@ProfessorofRock July 1981(I think...I have the tickets in my Long Distance Voyager Album)The first of 3 times! Including one time with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Awesome band. Your channel is too!
I love the stories behind the music. It's crazy how the 'Mellotron' changed the sound of 'Nights' for Moody! Thank you Justin Hayward! I absolutely love the sound, especially in ELP and Depeche Mode, and of course all of the other great Synth-pop bands. Love the sound!!!
The entire album was infused with orchestral interludes and it turned the album into an immersive experience. The Moody Blues were the _fathers_ of progressive rock, and there are several of the best bands ever that owe their fame to the Moodies paving the way for them.
It IS one of the greatest songs ever! I had a bad motorcycle wreck on May 15, 1972 and laid in a hospital bed for 2 weeks, listening to that song on a 5" reel-to-reel portable tape recorder that I had dubbed the song onto. I was also on the verge of losing my college girlfriend's love and closeness as summer came on, and her life moved on. The powerful but bittersweet strains of "Nights in White Satin" somehow carried me through those tough times. The Moodies' "Core 7" albums remain some of my favorites of all time.
I'll say again how special it was having a local album rock station growing up. We the listeners of WXKE were graced with the full song including hearing "Coldhearted orb that rules the night..." So wonderful.... 🤗 Thank you Doc West & his cast of good trouble makers.
I’m 68 years old this month. This song has been my most favorite of all time and has taken me through over 5 decades of life. Justin is my most favorite artist ever. Loved his presence in “War of the Worlds” musical rendition. I would like to have known him.
This song caught my attention the first time I heard it on the radio. I had to hear it again (and again, and again). When I finally heard the album version I was amazed by how much better the song was with the poem. I'm not a singer but this is one song that I have sung to various girlfriends. My low voice and the words of the song seem to meld and the surprise I saw on their faces was well, surprising. All of the girls I sang this too said I did a great rendition (maybe they were just being nice but it still a nice compliment). To this day I still think of them and of course my late wife who was the last person I sang this for. The car is auch a great place to practice this song. Thanks for covering this great group Professor. The Moody Blues are so underated by today's younger people as they haven't heard enough of their music.
The Moody Blues are one of those bands that made so much incredible music. They were also able to have hits in multiple decades and kept producing great albums such as Sur La Mer, The Voice. Justin Hayward has written so many special songs for both the Moody Blues and for his solo career. Forever Autumn is another Justin Hayward song that makes you feel and see the imagery of the song. If you were in high school in the 70's, I'm fairly sure that one of your proms had the theme of "Nights in White Satin". Thanks for sharing!
Justin didn't write Forever Autumn. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I learned that. Jeff Wayne certainly chose the right voice to sing it!
This song will always bring me back to Saturday mornings during the school year. I belonged to a Junior bowling league (ages 10-18) and this song was constantly played on the jukebox when it first came out.
@@ProfessorofRock One more example of how music so often puts us at a certain time and place in our lives. it would have been around 1972 and I was in High School.
@@hectorsmommy1717 I started high school in 1972, but Nights in White Satin came out five years earlier, in November 1967; the same month Steven Wilson was born. 🤣💞🤣💞🤣
@@Keyspoet27 If you listened to The Professor, you would have heard that a revised version was released in 1972 and THAT was the one that hit big on US radio . The 1967 version only reached 103 on Billboard but 1972 release hit #2. OK "first" is a relative term. First came out on small town US radios would be totally accurate but too many words.
Considering I was just playing the album before seeing this post I can sincerely say Nights in White Satin remains in constant rotation as do all the albums of the Moody Blues. It was 50 years ago last summer my friend played me 7th Sojourn. I have never stopped listening. I never will.
Glad to see you're doing the Moody Blues today. On The Threshold of a Dream was one of the first "albums" I owned (before that 45s) and they've always held a special place in my musical heart. Thanks Adam. Have a great week everybody!
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 It's still a favorite. I can still quote that whole " I think. I think I am..." section from memory. 😆 How are you Lovely Lil?
I'm not surprised the Seattle figures prominently in 'Nights...' story as it has always been a local favorite. I was just a few feet off the stage for the Moody's reunion tour in the early 80's in Seattle. After 'Nights' last notes faded the entire arena erupted in a sustained roar that simply refused to stop. I was close enough to see the expressions on the faces of the band and specifically recall Justin looking over at John with this look of shocked amazement on his face and then as the band smiled at each other and shook their heads and the crowd continued to roar their approval for several minutes. Seattle has always loved the Moodys.
Justin's remark _"I owned an amp and a guitar, so I was in."_ always struck me as so real. My boyfriend in high school had *exactly* the same experience. When they discovered that his mother also owned a station wagon that could haul the equipment....! He was a shoe in, even though the other three guys were from a different school. (Rural area, it mattered since it made scheduling rehearsals more challenging)
I can never forget _Nights In White Satin,_ an incredible song. After graduating from high school at 17, I had very recently been "kicked out" of my mother's apartment to live on my own. I had just turned 18 and was living in a room in a college boarding house [where you share a kitchen and bathroom] in Colorado west of Denver. I first heard this song probably around November or December, 1967 on the local AM radio rock station in Denver. Admittedly, I didn't truly "understand" this song with the mesmerizing spoken poem in the middle of it. But it definitely intrigued me. After hearing it a few more times, I just fell in love with it because of the incredible voice of Justin Hayward. When a couple more songs became hits in 1968, I started Moody Blues albums and through the years, I've had at least 8 albums by them. One album was actually recorded in the _natural amphitheater_ called Red Rocks southwest of Denver.
In 1978, the Moody Blues opened for Electric Light Orchestra and I was lucky enough to see them perform that song live and pretty close. It was AWSOME.
I always wondered about the history of this song, and I’m glad you covered it here. I love songs that you can put on and get lost in and forget about the world for a few minutes. This is certainly one of them for me.
Days of the Future Passed was one of the earliest albums that I became "addicted to"...as mom put it. She grew tired of it and threatened to break it! Through the years, I return to it and listen from front to back...sometimes the LP...the CD...or the electronic version. Now that I know the story behind Nights In White Satin...it becomes even more of a cherished listen. Thanks for the scoop! And wow...19 years old and he comes up with this...just...WOW!!!
Really great episode! Finally, one on the Moodies! One major fact left out, though, is the album was originally to be a recording of Dvorak's "New World Symphony", with Peter Knight conducting orchestrated parts, and the Moody Blues to play rock versions of the same. It was to be a demonstration record to show the spectrum of the Deramic Sound System. It was after Peter Knight attended a live performance of the Moody Blues (which was already called Days of Future Passed), that Peter came up with the idea for the Moodies to play their own songs, while he lifted certain melodies from them and orchestrated those. The idea was communicated to Tony Clarke and Hugh Mendl, and they were for it. After completing the album, and playing it for Decca London top brass who was expecting Dvorak's New World Symphony, they said, to their disappointment, "This isn't Dvorak...". Walt Maguire, head of Decca London (London Records) in the USA, then said that he could sell that album in the U.S. more than he could Dvorak. And, so, Decca London released it.
A true classic. When I first heard this on AM radio as a teen in the early 70's, I discounted it.... A few months later, I got my first stereo with an FM radio.... In its full richness I finally >heard< the song and was taken by the emotion - pain of lost love in the midst of the awesome musicality of the arrangement. I wondered what it must be like to experience such a deep love to bring one to such anguish at the loss of it. I would find out a few years later. In the aftermath, this song helped me through that loss and remains a true favorite to this day. Thanks Prof for the wonderful analysis of the back story and helping this old geezer relive some wonderful memories!
The Moody Blues is one of my Dads favorite bands ever. They played a show in New Jersey with the New Jersey philharmonic Orchestra in 1998. Naturally being a great son I took him and my Mom for his birthday. I'm glad I did. It was a truly amazing experience.
Days of Future Passed is the cornerstone of progressive rock. The perfect confluence of concept, melody, lyrics, instruments and vocals. I memorized every line and have purchased the album on almost every media available. Still have the 1967 album. Thank you for the background on Nights in White Satins, Adam.
1975 at age 16, I had been on a purely classical diet with over 200 classical albums. Then one night I heard Nights in White Satin. Then I heard it the next night. It was slippery slope that opened the genre of rock ‘n’ roll to me. By 1980’s I had gotten into Nuggets and Pebbles garage rock and punk. I was never the same again.
Poll: What is the greatest "LONG" song of the rock era? Over 5 mins long?
Sister Ray- Velvet Underground
Alice's Restaurant - Arlo Guthrie
Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits
"Voodoo Chile" - Jimi Hendrix
Tie- Stairway To Heaven- Led Zeppelin 7:55 and Papa Was A Rolling Stone - Temptations 11:44.
Runnerups: American Pie - Don McClean 8:42; Free Bird- Lynyrd Skynyrd 9:08;
Won’t Get Fooled Again - The Who 8:32; Do You Feel Like We Do- Peter Frampton 14:15;
Frankenstein - Edgar Winter Group Live 9:18; Hey Jude - The Beatles 7:11; Layla - Derek &The Dominos 7:05.
....I'll do one better.....***MacARTHUR PARK*** , the 1968 baroque classic that got our booties MOVIN' when Donna Summer turned it into a 1978 Disco STOMPER! ....ha-HAAA!!
American Pie
I was 10 years old when I went to my first concert, it was The Moody Blues. One of the perks of having a brother who was a dozen years my senior. What a gift that we had a brother, who at 22 years of age, was willing to drag his four younger brothers to a rock show. Miss you every day Will
Sorry Will's gone. Great memory of him, though.
"Nights in White Satin" is exquisite. It's lush, sultry and a little heart wrenching, now that I know the backstory, I understand why.
Thanks Christine!
It’s a beautiful song that can bring one to tears.
@@ProfessorofRock - Not only were the Moodies one of the first 'prog' bands, I believe they singlehandedly invented the genre that would, a decade later, come to be called _New Age._
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 That was my response when I got to listen to the song in its full splendor in 1972. I got to hear it just once on radio in the States in '67, never to hear it again until it was re-released with _Seventh Sojourn_ in '72, so I was unable initially to figure out who the hell _did_ the song when I first heard it. In the late '60s the only Moody Blues song to get steady airplay was "Tuesday Afternoon," and I couldn't put the two together as being done by the Moodies. When I heard "Nights" the _second_ time in '72 it was the full version and I was absolutely blown away. I ran out and bought both records - _Days of Future Passed_ and _Seventh Sojourn_ - and FEASTED on their music. Every time I replayed "Nights" I'd get more and more emotional, and by the time the orchestra joined the last stanza I was choking up and brought to tears, just seeming to burst out of myself.
The entire album was a work of art that didn't get its due until years after it was produced, but _DOFP_ and _Seventh Sojourn_ cemented my love for the Moody Blues, and I eventually bought all of the Classic 7 albums. Over the decades it has been very difficult to rank the Classic 7, but as it stands right now it has to be _Seventh Sojourn,_ _To Our Children's Children's Children,_ and _Days of Future Passed_ -- top three.
Thank you ❤
"I'm just a Singer in a Rock and Roll Band" Is where thay all are giving 110% and playing their hearts out. The energy is just amazing.
In 200 years, people will be talking about and studying this era of music like they do with Classical music.
I am 70 and was raised on this music and so much more, this came from an era that will never be surpassed for its creativity and shear spectrum of style. Music in this time ranged from Simon and Garfunkel to Jimi Hendrix and no one did it more beautifully than the Moody Blues. Their music was beyond other worldly it wad cosmic, beautifully cosmic. peace
at the time, the Moodies were called " the thinking man's rock group"....
I'm 65 and first heard Nights on late night radio on a full moon in winter.
The images of the winter night with the song so struck me I called the
radio station to find out who made that song. I was 11. By the next week
I had the album and they had a life long fan. Saw them live 3 times + Justin solo.
70 as well... my favorite group of that incredibly prolific late 60s/early 70s era, but perhaps all time as well. Bought fresh out of the chute when it debuted in the US, I played "Days..." til I wore it out and had to get a replacement! As they say about picking a favorite child, so it is difficult if not impossible albums of the MBs. Of the "Core 7" that has been referenced, "Days..." almost goes without saying somewhat standing uniquely on its own, but it is the last, appropriately, Seventh Sojourn, that subtly over the years grew to be my favorite or at least the one that I play the most...but as others have suggested, there is not a bad one--either album or song--in the entire bunch. A bit of factoid or minutiae many people don't think about or know, all of those seven were done in just a 5-year period. The Moody Blues, and specifically Justin Hayward, inspired me on guitar. Aside from perhaps the Beatles, you know that 'other' pesky little group of British overachievers, the Moody Blues were perhaps the first to regularly include and blend both acoustic and electric guitars seamlessly throughout their recordings over the years. The Professor mentions that "Nights..." was not a big hit in the US til '72 but, and I may have been just part of an enthusiastic niche (but there were quite a few of us), I remember it being a pretty big deal on the airwaves in the late sixties up to 72 as well. In two concerts early-on that I saw, '68 and '70, when that song was played it was especially, along with Tuesday Afternoon, met with an enormous audience reaction.
Edit: there was the "core 7," and technically their eighth, again appropriately "Octave," a worthy 'comeback' album, released after a several-year break up in the mid-70s... but little known to all but the most die hard fans, the two front men, Justin Hayward and John Lodge recorded their own "Blue Jays" in 1974 just two years after MB's break up (or as it turned out, 6 year hiatus). The album, with its soaring vocals and electric and acoustic guitars, lush and complex production and symphonic sound, has the unmistakable Moody Blues DNA, absent of course Pinder's and Thomas' distinctive baritone contributions,..but I've still always viewed it as effectively being the Moody Blues' true "eighth sojourn." Check it out.
Yes the 60's and 70s are the best of music
Justin Hayward was the reason I became a big Moody Blues fan in the late 1960's. He wrote so many great songs for the group and as a solo artist.
If you haven’t heard it yet, check out “Blue Jays” by Justin Hayward and John Lodge. You won’t be disappointed. Very Moody-like with the undeniably excellent voice of Justin Hayward. But you’ve probably heard it by now.
I was just thinking the same thing! Great album!@@slaphead8835
Yes I have a copy of 'Blue Jays' on vinyl.
@@slaphead8835
Me too. The Moodies opened my musical landscape and was the first mysic I fiscally invested in. Justin taught me harmonies and brought me endless motivation to move lightly thru' my life.❤
It's wonderful tosay to hear their updated live versions of their own songs, from Justin and John Lodge, re-crested with additional flair and emphasis on parts overlooked before.
As a Canadian that came of age in the late 60's, I was blown away the first time I heard this track in '73. Once you'd heard the full album version, the radio edits just didn't cut it. The timing was perfect as progressive rock, recreational drugs and decent stereo equipment all interacted at the same time....a true synthesis of the 1970's.
Radio edits NEVER top the full album versions, of ANY song.
@@Luked0g440- *True. I can't even think of ONE.*
I once went off on an internet DJ who thought he was doing me a favor by playing an exremely chopped up radio edit of Nights in White Satin. never listened to his show again after that.
@@Luked0g440 Radio edits are why the majority of American listeners never got to hear "Nights in White Satin" for 7 years after it was first released. If you couldn't get a track in under 3:00, it wasn't getting any air time - period. Such was the formula on AM radio. Once FM took off those unedited songs got lots of air time and listeners flocked to the artists and the FM stations. AM, aside from the crappy fidelity, was a victim of its own greed.
I love the ending. I used to get so mad when hearing it on the radio if they cut off the spoken word portion. As a teenager in the early 70's, FM radio was my music source as it was all we could afford. First heard of The Moody Blues with "I'm Just a Singer". Really loved that one. Also heard "Story in Your Eyes" on an 8-track which I really liked. When I heard "Knights in White Satin", that was a whole new level of WOW! Its been my favorite since then.
Days of Future Passed is one of those albums that is best listened to in order from beginning to end. The first half of the poem at the end of The Day Begins is a perfect bookend with the ending after Nights in White Satin, bringing it full circle. I think my favorite song off the album is The Sun Set / Twilight Time which gets absolutely no radio airplay, unless the station is playing the entire album.
That is an underrated track.
For me, it was essential to toke on a little of the devil’s lettuce, cut the lights, slap on my Koss headphones and just this album track.
YES! I used to put that LP on the turntable to fall asleep to back in High School.
I think a lot of the Moody Blues albums need to be listened to in order from beginning to end. Each album was like an experience. A story being told that wouldn't make sense in any other order. I listen to them when I mow the lawn, and by the time the story is finished, I am done with the lawn.
Still one of the best albums of all time! ❤
I saw an excerpt from an interview with Justin Hayward where he said that the song was written between the end of one relationship and the beginning of another, and said he ultimately wrote it "in adoration of all women." It certainly has had awesome staying power - it's one of my absolute favorites of all time. And that such an amazing composition was written by a 19 year old is mind-boggling! Way to go, Justin!! ❤️❤️❤️
Saw these guys in Germany in 1975 as a G.I.. When the lights came on at the end of the show, everyone was crying Americans and Germans all feeling the same emotional release from their greatness simply unbelievable.
6:58 The Mellotron, and the role of Mike Pinder, who worked in the factory that made them for 18 months, in its success, was a story in and of itself. The original concept was pioneered by a guy named Chamberlain who built a sampling synthesizer that used tape segments to recreate orchestral sounds. When he started selling this device in the late 1940s and early 1950s, he created a library of samples with the Lawrence Welk Orchestra, and promoted his not-very-portable device to orchestras, studios, nightclubs, etc. In the early 1960s, one of his salesmen grew restless for a portable version of the device and Chamberlain, who hated rock & roll, was having none of it. So the salesman skipped off to England with 2 stolen samples and made a deal with an unwitting machine shop owner to produce a portable version there. It took a year or two for Chamberlain to discover what had happened, but by that time, the newer version, called the Mellotron, was successful enough that Chamberlain signed a cross-licensing agreement which allowed Chamberlain sales in the USA and Mellotron sales in the UK, where Mike Pinder was one of its more important advocates. Both instruments shared copies of the same sample library, so some of the orchestral sounds on both Beatles and Moody Blues tracks were copies of the original samples recorded by the Lawrence Welk Orchestra. When the Moody Blues recorded Seventh Sojourn in 1972, they used a Chamberlain, which, using earlier generation copies of the original samples, had a better sound than the Mellotron. Both instruments were used for a while in the 1970s, but are rare now, due to the high cost of maintenance of their mechanical chassis.
Great history, and excellent write up of it. But there are now various Mellotron plug-ins for Digital Audio Workstations that are widely available. I only hope that these will be used to make new music that will keep the magic of the Mellotron alive.
Great story, thanks.
Really interesting!.....didn't know any of this!
I once did some research if Brian Wilson had used a Mellotron in any of his songs, being that for a time he was so far out in advance of everyone else (including working with Robert Moog as early as '66, and was an early user of a Moog), and found he did use a Chamberlain. Interesting that Pinder used a Chamberlain on Seventh Sojourn. I knew about Pinder's history with Mellotron, but not the interplay with Chamberlain, especially both using tapes of the Lawrence Welk Orchestra. This is great! Thanks.
I can't remember whether it was Keith Emerson (of Emerson, Lake and Palmer) or Rick Wakeman (formerly of Yes) who had been given a Mellotron by Mike Pinder. However, it malfunctioned in the middle of a performance and was eventually shoved off the state and destroyed. Much to the person's great regret lateron.
Also, asa a side note I believe Mike Pinder customized a couple of Mellotrons and they were marketed as "PinderTron's".
One of the coolest messages I ever received was a thank you from Mike Pinder, through a mutual friend, for something I said remembering his birthday. Mike Pinder is one of main reasons I wanted to play keyboards and he is too often overlooked as one of the great keyboard players in progressive rock. Justin may have written this song but it was Pinder who made it a hit.
Love that!
What a sweet man!
The Moody Blues performed at the first Isle of Wight Festival, in 1969, I think, and a man named Murray Lerner filmed their set. They put it on a DVD and talked with Mike Pinder about his keyboard work. It was very interesting. If you get a chance to look it up, do; I recommend it.
Justin was the voice of The Moody Blues; Mike was it's soul.
He also brought an interesting writing contribution and singing voice to the band. Melancholy Man is beautiful song. I think it Graeme who wrote the spoken poetry, but it was Mike's voice that made it iconic. @@alfinpogform4774
Wow, can't say enough good things about this song. The writing, production & performance are top notch. The lead singer still sounds amazing singing this live, despite his age.
Agreed. It's a true masterpiece of the 20th century!
@@ProfessorofRock - Truly!
My girlfriend in 6th grade made this “our song”. This was 12 years after its release! She was a VERY dramatic girl.
She broke my heart in epic fashion, and I was left with just the song - a really good one to yearn to.
It’s just an otherworldly song overall.
@@carlodave9
She sure found a way to make certain that you would always remember her.
I truly appreciate that Moody Blues lyrics and poems were used in school English classes. That in itself lends credence to their genius.
Wow!
The Moody Blues is my favorite band of all time. I am another 70 year old whose life soundtrack is heavily weighted with their music.
Thank you for covering The Moody Blues, my dads favorite band. They were my earliest love for music, my fondest memories singing along with my father, and the soundtrack to our final moments together. These days, listening to the Moodies is absolutely heartbreaking, yet healing. I could never thank them enough for the impact they’ve made on our lives.
Finally, the Professor covers this Band!
You really touched my hart.
It's almost overwhelming when you can dig the same music with your own father
I never heard about this chapter of the moodies
How many members are there altogether in the Moody Blues?
I’ve been blessed to see them in person 5 times. They sounded EXACTLY the same every single time, even years apart.
They are the ONLY band that I’ve ever been able to say that about.
I remember hearing this on the radio for the first time as a kid. The song had such a big, epic sound, and I was blown away. It was so different from everything else I was hearing on the radio at the time. The Moody Blues were an underrated, yet influential band. It took them a while, but they finally got in the Rock Hall, which was long overdue. Interesting back story.
Thanks Greg!
I first heard this on mono AM radio. Wow.
I was annoyed when the Moody Blues got inducted into the Hall of Fame - I always thought the Moodies were far to good for it.
At this point not getting into the Hall might be a badge of honor.
@@CC-jl7jz, you will no argument from me! There are so many deserving bands and artists that should have been in long ago, yet acts like Kraftwerk get in after, what, more than a dozen nominations? Give me a break. I won't even get into Madonna and Public Enemy getting in.
The Moody Blues have always been underrated for their music. I remember being in the music room in high school feeling really low (as only angsty teenagers can be), and I put this song on, sitting on the stage and listening to this fill the auditorium. We had great acoustics in the auditorium, and it soared and really filled me with...I don't know... a lightness that took me out of my low mood. I still remember the feeling, and whenever I hear this song, Im that teenager in that auditorium again. People say you can't time travel, but I think the right song can help you go back to a specific place and time. If that isn't time travel, I don't know what is.😊
Absolutely a beautiful, wonderful story. Thank you for sharing this part of your soul. Go Moodies!
Justin Hayward has one of those most plaintive, moving voices of all time.
Thank you for love and support 😊♥️
Possibly the best song ever recorded in my opinion. This has never gotten old to my ears. I often go on UA-cam to see people's reactions to this song. It often ends in tears and utter amazement to every new listener. ( I highly recommend it) Thanks for giving more insight on this masterpiece. The long version of this song is the only version that should ever be played. Love this channel ❤️
Many, if not most, review the live version, which I think leaves out the end spoken "poem." And that just doesn't quite cut it for me; but I do love the emotional reactions. It is so edifying to see younger kids discovering bands that I grew up loving. Even some that discovered "doo-wop" music from the 50s.
For me, it is right up there with Sebastian by Cockney Rebel.
The fact that "Nights in White Satin" inspired the band to go on to produce the "7 Core Albums", and the mind-bending content of each of those seven albums, is something still too hard to wrap my brain around, even after all these years (I'm 75).
yes. the core 7. what a run of creativity.
So the Moody Blues are the Yankees of prog rock? Think again.@@yenbbc8840
@@yenbbc8840 And there wasn't a dog in the bunch. The Classic 7 were almost stream-of-consciousness -- with spiritual undertones, the uniqueness of humanity, and wonder over time and space. By far the best lyricist of the crew was Mike Pinder; but every single one of them put out compositions that were durable works of art that have withstood the test of time.
Each one of those 7 core albums transports you away from the everyday. It's because of them that I've been a Moody Blues fan for 50+ years.
I hear you! @@FluffyChikki
I was a teenager in the 70s The Moody Blues were on my record player and eight track constantly! I played flute and taught myself many of their songs! Concerts of them were so great! My best friend who i knew for 56 years passed away recently and "Isn't life strange" was our song! Beautiful band and beautiful memories! Thank you! ❤❤❤
So sorry for your loss.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Thank you!
I was lucky to catch the Moody Blues live in concert in Miami in 78 or 79 at the Hollywood Sportatorium.
The flute is such an expressive instrument and it is not featured nearly enough in popular music.
It must be like a gift to play it and to share the beautiful melodies
of The Moody Blues.
@@charlie-obrien Yes the flute is indeed a lovely instrument. Unfortunately due to severe arthritis and COPD,I can no longer play. But I still listen to the Moody Blues! PEACE!
Thank you so much for the video, Adam. I was was introduced to the Moody Blues by Justin Hayward's cousin, who I went to school with up until 1968. Strangely, he was also called Justin Hayward, but his musical career took him towards choral works. The first album of Moody Blues that I bought was 'In Search of the Lost Chord'. When I did, I was completely blown away by it. I had never heard anything like it before. I immediately went out and bought 'Days of Future Passed' and was equally smitten. The Moody Blues have been the musical background to my whole life. I cannot thank them enough. Justin has recently been embarked on a musical tour, where he introduces new musical talent to the wider musical community. Giving young talented musicians the chances that nearly eluded Justin in his early career. I really wish I could thank his cousin for his recommendation, but unfortunately we lost touch with one another when we left school. I have every single song on every single album and single they ever recorded. In my opinion, Justin is one of the most talented singer/song writers on the planet.
This album and song i played over and over again when I got the album. I was a teenager miserable living with my dad and controlling stepmother. I left in August 1976 after turning 18 and graduating high school. I didn't understand the meaning, but the song and album grabbed my Soul. Thank you for the information and a remembering of how I mentally survived. Many Blessings on you and ALL the bands and musicians who made our Lives better.
Nights in White Satin was the first song that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck and brought tears to my eyes. I still get chills when I hear it. Few songs since have had that effect on me, and sadly, none in the last 20 years.
Same here. Once I got to hear the FULL track I had the same reaction, and I was a hooked Moodies fan from then on. Just unfortunate that I had to wait 7 friggin' years after it was released to finally hear it, because AM radio refused to give "Nights" any air time. When it was re-released alongside _Seventh Sojourn_ that was my 2nd opportunity to hear it in its entirety, and I went out and bought "Days of Future Passed" that very day along with _Seventh Sojourn._
One of the greatest love songs ever written, IMO.
Being arguably the Moody Blues Biggest fan, knights in White Satin also brought tears to my eyes. Truly a beautiful song it's still brings tears to my eyes and chills to my psyche. Also being a musician when I was finally able to afford an 4 track cassette recorder I did my own several versions of it and other Moody Blues songs too. Now at the age of 71. It remains one of my very very favorite songs of all time having heard millions of songs over my 71 years. I mourn every time I hear that one of The Moody Blues has passed away
They've passed like the days of future. And so will we. @@butcharmstrong9645
May I suggest four non blondeswhat's going on
My wife and I have been Moody Blues fans since the 60's, and Justin Hayward is her favorite singer. His voice is so phenomenal and I don't think he's ever gotten the credit he deserves, also as a songwriter and guitarist. We have seen the MBs and Justin many, many times over the years, and were at the 50th anniversary performance of Days of Future Past in Las Vegas a few years ago. This song will be forever remembered. That this was the start of his career is almost unbelievable. We enjoyed this episode immensely. Keep it up!
Those 9 shows at the Wynn were their last gig together. Graeme was absent the night we saw them😢💙💙💙💙💙
I had opportunity to see them perform with a symphony orchestra in a comparatively small setting (8,300 seats) in 1997. Much of "Days of Future Passed" was in the set list and while not in album sequence the orchestra was present in every arrangement making it very special.
It was incredible and I cherish the feeling of the music moving through me. I'm 63 now and while a little young for its original release I grew up in a college town with a couple of great radio stations. Life is sweet and a great soundtrack makes it all the sweeter.
I have an eternal, undying love for Justin Hayward and the beauty he has brought to the world thru his music.
In 1973, I was a 10th grader dealing with my own angst and heartache. I heard the US radio version and was so moved. After I saved my money from my after-school job, I went to the record store and bought the album. And that started my journey into Prog Rock! In 1975, Justin and John formed the band "The Blue Jays," and I bought their album too. About 10 years ago, I got to see the Moody Blues perform this live. What a wonderful experience. Thank you for this fantastic expose of a truly groundbreaking classic. I learned a lot!
Blue Jays were like all the best of the Moodies, without the occasionally weaker songs by other songwriters. (Let's face it, Ray Thomas wasn't the strongest songwriter.)
@@brianwooton1992 I'll give you that the Blue Jays album WAS EPIC GREAT!! But the "classic Seven MB albums" were what made me a lifelong fan... AND Ray wrote and STARRED in Legend of a Mind.. Plus, there was real chemistry with the whole band along with Mike Pinder's keyboards who could NEVER be replaced.... But the John Lodge and Justin Hayward duo could be seen as a band within the band.... and are the only ones left.
Yes, point well taken. Mike Pinder's work on the mellotron was ground breaking.@@pheresy1367
Same here! For a band that was around a very short while...their songs were incredible.@@pheresy1367
A Los Angeles classic rock station used to play "Nights in White Satin" every night at midnight. You NEVER got tired of it, it's undoubtedly the greatest song the Moody Blues ever did.
I remember that! And it was the first thing I thought of when I started watching this youtube. It brought back all the memories of working in a pizza parlor that closed at midnight.
I am running out of ways to thank you for your hard work, production quality, research, knowledge and presentation. Once again you capture the essence of a true work of art by a highly underrated band.
Not underrated - under appreciated maybe. But they had hits in 60's, 70's and 80's and sold something like 75 million albums.
"Nights in White Satin" is a wonderful song but "Tuesday Afternoon" deserves more love than it gets. I think my absolute favorite from this band, though, is "Story in Your Eyes".
I've always loved 1988's "I know you're out there somewhere"🎶🙂
I always loved the guitar solo in “Ride My Seesaw.”
I could not agree more.
what about 'Watching and Waiting'? That's a stormer too, but NIWS will always hog attention.
@@vexdup949 I did not discover that one till much later. Absolutely love that track 🙂
In 1989 my dad had moved us from Niagara county in Western New York to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, transferring with Harrison Radiator Division of GM. The next year, (my junior year of High School) I bought a '49 Chevy 3100 1/2 ton step-side pickup truck. A friend of ours that also transferred down & worked at the plant came over asking us for help moving in to his new house. We used my truck. Later he was riding in the back by himself, My dad & I in the cab could hear him singing aloud, "Knights in white Satin".
I was only a kid at the time, so I was sort of aware of The Moody Blues in a passing way. But it's only recently that I've listened to Days of Future Passed. It was like a revelation, and cemented my appreciation of them forever.
One of the all time best song ever written!
Thank you.
One of the best songs ever written. And that voice!! Bravo, Justin!! ❤️
Thank you..
always in the mood for Moody Blues
In 1981 as a 18 year old I purchased a new truck. The salesman included a case of random cassettes with the deal. Days of Future Past was one of them. When I would listen to it my friends thought I was crazy. Around the same time I found a copy of Jeff Waynes War of the Worlds. I recognized the singer of Forever Autumn. I've listined to him and the Moody Blues ever since.
Born in 63, don’t know when I discovered the Moody Blues, but it was love at first sound. This is probably my favorite album of the post war era. So much to return to over and over.
I can not imagine Music without this Song! One of the Best songs ever written!!
Justin Hayward is one of most underappreciated I can think of, and for my money, "Days of Future Passed" is one of the most. overlooked masterpieces of 1967. With all due respect to Denny Laine, and much is due, Hayward not only jumpstarted the dying band, but took them places they'd have never gone otherwise. And the great thing is that the surviving Moodies are still out there on the road on occasion. A tremendously talented lot.
We were sitting in a house on Morrison Street in Washington DC when we first heard the Moody Blues over and over and over again -- seeing them perform -- and watching the amazing Ray Thomas -- wow -- thankfully Hayward and Lodge are still bringing the music to the needy world -- their music is inspirational and they grew into their role as true leaders --
Oh man. This was the first album I bought for myself with my own money as a teenager back in the 70s. And this was the song that compelled me to have it in my possession. I would listen to it and think, "This is a man that loves as deeply as I do!" I remember singing it with such passion . . .
The Moody Blues is my all time favorite band. After seeing them live with a full orchestra, I told my husband I could die happy now.
Saw the Moody Blues with my dad. We had front row, center stage seats and it was phenomenal!
Love this band and such hits like “Isn’t Life Strange,” “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere,” “Question of Balance,” to name a few!
This is an album that you need to listen to with a really good set of headphones, preferably late at night. Nights In White Satin should always have the lament at the end. Sadly most of the time it doesn't. I would put this album on my Magnavox counsel stero, plug in headphones, shut out the lights and lay on the couch and enjoy. Really great on a Friday night after a hard week of work.
Couldn't agree more!
I might have to listen to this song on headphones tonight!
Yes indeed. But I would have to sit up, otherwise I would spill my Martini. I have that final lament memorized, but not the shorter, earlier in the record one.
Actually, the one MB album with headphones would be To Our Children's Children's Children. That one will blow your mind.
DOFP is tough to listen to when you're winding down because Peak Hour is too 'loud'. It doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the album.
I need new headphones bad. Christmas is coming! You don't have to get me a gift, but when you do, make sure it's a good pair of over-ear headphones! Lol!
I wish Mike Pinder would get the recognition he deserves. His Melotron is what makes Days of Futures Passed so special. It's even said that he introduced the instrument to The Beatles, which lead to its use on the intro to Strawberry Fields.
A fair amount of the string sound on the album is from a real orchestra
@@craigaust3306 Quite right, but Pinder meant for the mellotron to be a substitute for a full orchestra, likely because he could make it _sound_ like one without having to hire a string section. That mellotron was where the band really made its money as they cranked out the Classic 7 albums. By the time they got to _Seventh Sojourn_ Pinder ditched the mellotron for the Chamberlain, and that had a MUCH more authentic orchestral sound. Wasn't long after that that synthesizer keyboards became standard, and ironically Pinder left the band not long afterward.
So the picture you have on the side is of the pre NIWS Moodies including Denny Laine and Clint Warwick...odd
Saw the Moody Blues in 2005. The closest to album perfection I've seen on a stage. Justin is a great guitarist as well as vocalist. Thankful they added him to spur on their success.
Agreed!
Justin can still sing like an angel. Where did you see them at?
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980I saw them in Pittsburgh in the late 90s and they didn't disappoint
I saw them in 1977.
@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 the now gone Star Plaza in NW Indiana.
If I had to pick only one album that I could listen to on a record player it would be this one. The depth of this album has never been matched in my opinion and I am so glad you covered it as it's a once in a lifetime record.
I first heard the intro to Every Good Boy Deserves Favor from my older brother late after coming home from babysitting neighbors. I feel in love with their sound, and soon after discovered Days of the Future Passed. This was all in 1971. In 1972, as you note, Nights charted again (along with I'm Just a Singer) and I've been hooked ever since. I enjoyed the history that you shared. I thought I knew all that there was to know about the band and this song...but your info regarding the Seattle DJ and how that led to this becoming a US hit was new to me, and fun. Thanks.
Hey Adam. Great job bringing this to light. Never knew the Moody's back story or how they transitioned from the "Go Now" era to their ultimate configuration. I was the lead singer in a progressive rock band myself and the Moodys were certainly an influence on me and many other bands of the day. Keep doing what you're doing! Peace.
What was your band called?
We were known as "Harvest". We opened for Mountain, Canned Heat, and Hot Tuna at the Ritz in New York back in 1970. I still have a photo of the Ritz marquee from the Canned Heat show. @@ProfessorofRock
What was the name of the progressive rock band you fronted?
@@johnfrank3177you must have been damn good. Those are some big names to be opening for!
Thanks.We were professional and took our music very seriously. I wish we had been signed to a label . We only have some poorly recorded basement tapes to prove we were together. Still I look back on those years with a great fondness. @@slaphead8835
Thank you, professor. This is my favorite album of all time. From grades 3-6 I went to sleep to it, side B in which you covered. Magical music for a 10-year-old boy to dream to.
Great video! I've listened to this song since I was a teenager. That was when it first came out. It's still as special today. And Justin's voice is magical. What a song, what a singer and what a group!!! Thanks for bringing back 50+ years of great memories.
Will never forget the first time I heard Nights, 16, and driving home at night. I literally pulled over to the side of the road in my old 52 Chevy and stared at my cheap radio until the song finished. Have been hooked ever since then. Another classic ...Seventh Sojourn
This song's re-release in 1972 was the beginning of my love for the Moody Blues music. I was privileged to see them several times in concert thru the years.❤🎶
In 1972 when I first heard this song I had just started dating my first true love. I was so deeply in love with her it hurt and this song described my feelings for her perfectly. I bought the album and played it over and over and over. The next year in 1973 we married. We are still in love with each other today after 50 years and share 3 children and 10 grandchildren. This song still evokes the same feelings I had back then and it made me a Moody Blues fan for life. We saw them live a couple of times and they were incredible on stage. I really enjoyed hearing the back story about the song and the band. Thanks Adam!
Thanks for sharing! Happy 50th!
Amazing story! Thanks. Here’s to 50 more 🥂
THIS is my lifelong favorite band. I was too young to be one of their fans, but they've been the soundtrack of my life for my ENTIRE life! I've seen them live every time they came to my area. I took my little brother (his 1st concert) and later on my husband which was my last concert. I still get chills when I hear Nights in White Satin and just recently saw an old interview when I found out the song title was literally about bed-sheets!
“Satin” is most definitely an exquisite term!
Mine too!
I've seen them 8 times.
Twice in Vegas in the early 90's, and I met Justin at Caesars Palace.
Then I won meet ad greet tickets to his solo show in 2014.
My favourite too, they have always been able to soothe my soul in troubled times. Their music and words seemed to come from Outside, like a quiet promise that, despite the turmoils of life, everything will be ok.
@@alfinpogform4774 What an absolutely poignant and poetic way of putting that. Well done!
So nice to see the Moodies being covering by the inimitable Professor of Rock! Became a lifelong fan after Your Wildest Dreams in 1986, but when a friend shared their Greatest Hits... this, Tuesday Afternoon and Driftwood captivated me... I've been fortunate to see them at least a dozen times since then. Such an underrated, undervalued band... that evolved with times, yet made remarkable and meaningful music throughout their career. I cried when I heard they'd finally been accepted to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame - long overdue. Thank you for sharing the backstory - longtime Moodies fans may know most of this, but thanks for sharing with the rest of the rockin' world!
Loved this song since my youth in the 70s. Hauntingly beautiful.
My brother and I would stay up till 10:pm on weeknights so we could hear the DJ on our local FM station play Nights in White Satin to close his show. He'd play the full song. School was the next day, so we were in bed by 9, but we didn't care. We watched the clock for 10pm 4 a chance 2Listenin to that poetry on the radio. It was worth risking getting in trouble.
One of my favorite songs from my "hippie days." It still is. So glad I got to hear Nights performed live in 1993 by the man I always pictured as the perfect Prince Charming.
I appreciate you 😊
Wow
@@marymayer8160 Mary are you a fan?
As a kid- I found this record in my mother’s collection. I must of been in middle school. This ,to me, was a “Shakespeare “ experience. The voice, the lyrics.. a record that had a vibe that changes from the A to the B side. Thanks Prof of Rock- truly our Lester Bangs of our generation
My jaw is still on the floor, that I am watching Professor of Rock presenting a formative favorite of my early days on the planet. It came out in 67, but I was 3 in 71 when I first remember my older sisters playing this album. I've never stopped loving it. Thank you, Adam!
Always loved the Moody Blues !
- I probably heard NIWS on the radio first no doubt, but I would listen to In Search of the Lost Chord over and over by the time I got to high school - Justin Haywood is such an underrated
and overlooked artist & guitarist !
One of the best shows I’ve ever seen in my LIFE was the Moody Blues at Radio City Music Hall in NYC ! (& I’ve been to many !)
Thank you for your attention to the details in informing your audience about the Moodies ! ❤
They truly are a treasure !!!
I love this song, I have heard it in concert many times and the Moody's always got a long standing ovation. It's one of my favorites.
I love this channel so much! Learning the history of the songs that have shaped our lives, and sometimes discovering yourself in those songs that you could never put in words.
Also, love the De La Soul shirt.
Thanks Professor!
Glad you enjoy it!
One of my favorite shirts Adam has worn this year.
Been a Moody Blues fans since the days of Your Wildest Dreams. This song is amazing on so many levels. I'm glad it set the stage for the band to produce the catalogue of music that they did. Their songs resonate at different moments in my life. I still find new meaning in lyrics I've heard a hundred times. Such a gift!
They used to play this song everyday at noon when I was in middle school and HS. We would go home for lunch back in the day and it was always playing. Made me a huge fan. The radio version has the poem and gong at the end. My first concert was a Moody Blues concert.
What year did you see them?
@@ProfessorofRock July 1981(I think...I have the tickets in my Long Distance Voyager Album)The first of 3 times! Including one time with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Awesome band. Your channel is too!
When and where?
I love the stories behind the music. It's crazy how the 'Mellotron' changed the sound of 'Nights' for Moody! Thank you Justin Hayward! I absolutely love the sound, especially in ELP and Depeche Mode, and of course all of the other great Synth-pop bands. Love the sound!!!
Thank you for covering this song. As a kid in the early 70s I remember this song playing on my dads am car radio. I was so fascinated with it.
Love the full length version of this with the orchestral parts
Yes! Have you ever seen them live?
@@ProfessorofRock afraid not but would have gone to see them in Vegas years ago but already had tickets for Splash at the Riveria
Best version of the song easily.
The entire album was infused with orchestral interludes and it turned the album into an immersive experience. The Moody Blues were the _fathers_ of progressive rock, and there are several of the best bands ever that owe their fame to the Moodies paving the way for them.
It IS one of the greatest songs ever! I had a bad motorcycle wreck on May 15, 1972 and laid in a hospital bed for 2 weeks, listening to that song on a 5" reel-to-reel portable tape recorder that I had dubbed the song onto. I was also on the verge of losing my college girlfriend's love and closeness as summer came on, and her life moved on. The powerful but bittersweet strains of "Nights in White Satin" somehow carried me through those tough times. The Moodies' "Core 7" albums remain some of my favorites of all time.
I'll say again how special it was having a local album rock station growing up. We the listeners of WXKE were graced with the full song including hearing "Coldhearted orb that rules the night..."
So wonderful.... 🤗
Thank you Doc West & his cast of good trouble makers.
I’ve always thought this song was phenomenal. Knowing the background now makes it even more, so thank you so much.
I’m 68 years old this month. This song has been my most favorite of all time and has taken me through over 5 decades of life. Justin is my most favorite artist ever. Loved his presence in “War of the Worlds” musical rendition. I would like to have known him.
This song caught my attention the first time I heard it on the radio. I had to hear it again (and again, and again). When I finally heard the album version I was amazed by how much better the song was with the poem.
I'm not a singer but this is one song that I have sung to various girlfriends. My low voice and the words of the song seem to meld and the surprise I saw on their faces was well, surprising. All of the girls I sang this too said I did a great rendition (maybe they were just being nice but it still a nice compliment). To this day I still think of them and of course my late wife who was the last person I sang this for. The car is auch a great place to practice this song.
Thanks for covering this great group Professor. The Moody Blues are so underated by today's younger people as they haven't heard enough of their music.
One of the most beautiful songs of all time, IMHO.
Agreed....Just riveting. Thanks for watching.
words can't express how much the moody blues means to me , so many songs that seem to touch the soul.. .. ever since i was a kid
The Moody Blues are one of those bands that made so much incredible music. They were also able to have hits in multiple decades and kept producing great albums such as Sur La Mer, The Voice. Justin Hayward has written so many special songs for both the Moody Blues and for his solo career. Forever Autumn is another Justin Hayward song that makes you feel and see the imagery of the song. If you were in high school in the 70's, I'm fairly sure that one of your proms had the theme of "Nights in White Satin". Thanks for sharing!
Justin didn't write Forever Autumn. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I learned that. Jeff Wayne certainly chose the right voice to sing it!
One of the most Beautiful Songs ever!!
This song will always bring me back to Saturday mornings during the school year. I belonged to a Junior bowling league (ages 10-18) and this song was constantly played on the jukebox when it first came out.
Great memory!
@@ProfessorofRock One more example of how music so often puts us at a certain time and place in our lives. it would have been around 1972 and I was in High School.
Did it improve your bowling experience in any way?
@@hectorsmommy1717 I started high school in 1972, but Nights in White Satin came out five years earlier, in November 1967; the same month Steven Wilson was born.
🤣💞🤣💞🤣
@@Keyspoet27 If you listened to The Professor, you would have heard that a revised version was released in 1972 and THAT was the one that hit big on US radio . The 1967 version only reached 103 on Billboard but 1972 release hit #2. OK "first" is a relative term. First came out on small town US radios would be totally accurate but too many words.
Considering I was just playing the album before seeing this post I can sincerely say Nights in White Satin remains in constant rotation as do all the albums of the Moody Blues. It was 50 years ago last summer my friend played me 7th Sojourn. I have never stopped listening. I never will.
Glad to see you're doing the Moody Blues today. On The Threshold of a Dream was one of the first "albums" I owned (before that 45s) and they've always held a special place in my musical heart. Thanks Adam. Have a great week everybody!
Rock on! Have a great Monday my friend!
Before 45s ???????? WHAT??
@@josephboyce4522 78s, but I never bought them. LOLOL
It’s a great record!
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 It's still a favorite. I can still quote that whole " I think. I think I am..." section from memory. 😆
How are you Lovely Lil?
This song and the song Forever Autumn still pierce my hart to this day.
I'm not surprised the Seattle figures prominently in 'Nights...' story as it has always been a local favorite.
I was just a few feet off the stage for the Moody's reunion tour in the early 80's in Seattle. After 'Nights' last notes faded the entire arena erupted in a sustained roar that simply refused to stop. I was close enough to see the expressions on the faces of the band and specifically recall Justin looking over at John with this look of shocked amazement on his face and then as the band smiled at each other and shook their heads and the crowd continued to roar their approval for several minutes.
Seattle has always loved the Moodys.
Justin's remark _"I owned an amp and a guitar, so I was in."_ always struck me as so real. My boyfriend in high school had *exactly* the same experience. When they discovered that his mother also owned a station wagon that could haul the equipment....! He was a shoe in, even though the other three guys were from a different school.
(Rural area, it mattered since it made scheduling rehearsals more challenging)
Shoo-in
Wow.
I don't ❤ know ea
More Moody's! and more 60s stories!! Love it. One of the best songs ever and delivered so well! Thanks Professor!
This is one of the most Powerful ballads of all time! It can literally send shivers down the spine of grown men!
I can never forget _Nights In White Satin,_ an incredible song. After graduating from high school at 17, I had very recently been "kicked out" of my mother's apartment to live on my own. I had just turned 18 and was living in a room in a college boarding house [where you share a kitchen and bathroom] in Colorado west of Denver. I first heard this song probably around November or December, 1967 on the local AM radio rock station in Denver. Admittedly, I didn't truly "understand" this song with the mesmerizing spoken poem in the middle of it. But it definitely intrigued me. After hearing it a few more times, I just fell in love with it because of the incredible voice of Justin Hayward. When a couple more songs became hits in 1968, I started Moody Blues albums and through the years, I've had at least 8 albums by them. One album was actually recorded in the _natural amphitheater_ called Red Rocks southwest of Denver.
In 1978, the Moody Blues opened for Electric Light Orchestra and I was lucky enough to see them perform that song live and pretty close. It was AWSOME.
I always wondered about the history of this song, and I’m glad you covered it here. I love songs that you can put on and get lost in and forget about the world for a few minutes. This is certainly one of them for me.
Days of the Future Passed was one of the earliest albums that I became "addicted to"...as mom put it. She grew tired of it and threatened to break it! Through the years, I return to it and listen from front to back...sometimes the LP...the CD...or the electronic version. Now that I know the story behind Nights In White Satin...it becomes even more of a cherished listen. Thanks for the scoop! And wow...19 years old and he comes up with this...just...WOW!!!
Really great episode! Finally, one on the Moodies!
One major fact left out, though, is the album was originally to be a recording of Dvorak's "New World Symphony", with Peter Knight conducting orchestrated parts, and the Moody Blues to play rock versions of the same. It was to be a demonstration record to show the spectrum of the Deramic Sound System. It was after Peter Knight attended a live performance of the Moody Blues (which was already called Days of Future Passed), that Peter came up with the idea for the Moodies to play their own songs, while he lifted certain melodies from them and orchestrated those. The idea was communicated to Tony Clarke and Hugh Mendl, and they were for it. After completing the album, and playing it for Decca London top brass who was expecting Dvorak's New World Symphony, they said, to their disappointment, "This isn't Dvorak...". Walt Maguire, head of Decca London (London Records) in the USA, then said that he could sell that album in the U.S. more than he could Dvorak. And, so, Decca London released it.
A true classic. When I first heard this on AM radio as a teen in the early 70's, I discounted it.... A few months later, I got my first stereo with an FM radio.... In its full richness I finally >heard< the song and was taken by the emotion - pain of lost love in the midst of the awesome musicality of the arrangement. I wondered what it must be like to experience such a deep love to bring one to such anguish at the loss of it. I would find out a few years later. In the aftermath, this song helped me through that loss and remains a true favorite to this day. Thanks Prof for the wonderful analysis of the back story and helping this old geezer relive some wonderful memories!
I bought Days Of Future Passed in 1968 while stationed at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. Played it to death! One of my favorite albums.
The Moody Blues is one of my Dads favorite bands ever. They played a show in New Jersey with the New Jersey philharmonic Orchestra in 1998. Naturally being a great son I took him and my Mom for his birthday. I'm glad I did. It was a truly amazing experience.
Days of Future Passed is the cornerstone of progressive rock. The perfect confluence of concept, melody, lyrics, instruments and vocals. I memorized every line and have purchased the album on almost every media available. Still have the 1967 album.
Thank you for the background on Nights in White Satins, Adam.
I couldn't agree more - the album is one of the best of all time.
You can still see Justin and John individually today!
1975 at age 16, I had been on a purely classical diet with over 200 classical albums. Then one night I heard Nights in White Satin. Then I heard it the next night. It was slippery slope that opened the genre of rock ‘n’ roll to me. By 1980’s I had gotten into Nuggets and Pebbles garage rock and punk. I was never the same again.