Top 20 Moody Blues Songs

Welcome to Rock and Roll Flashback!  I'm Jumpin' John, and in this podcast episode I will count down my twenty favorite songs by the Moody Blues!  

All podcasts on the Rock and Roll Flashback Podcast are produced by brothers-in-law Bill Price and "Jumpin' John" McDermott. The Podcast Theme Song, "You Essay", was written by John. It was initially recorded by Bill and John on April 1, 2004 with several revisions since then.
Multiple promo videos and photos for Rock and Roll Flashback Podcasts are available on the following social media sites:

https://www.youtube.com/@RockandRollFlashback

https://www.facebook.com/rockandrollflashbackpodcast

https://www.instagram.com/jumpinjohnmcdermott/

Bill and John welcome your feedback and comments, and they can be emailed to rockandrollflashback@outlook.com.
Thank you for listening to Rock and Roll Flashback Podcasts!
Until next time...
Rock On!

Transcript

Thank you for that introduction and welcome to Rock and Roll Flashback!  I'm Jumpin' John, and in this podcast episode I will count down my twenty favorite songs by the Moody Blues!  

I have been a Moody Blues fan since February 1965.  That was when their cover of Bessie Bank's version of "Go Now!" broke into the US Billboard Hot 100 as part of the British Invasion.  The song had already reached #1 in the UK Singles Chart in late January 1965.  In the US, "Go Now!" peaked at #10 in the pop chart.  George Harrison was so impressed with Mike Pinder's piano playing on the song that he added a similar piano part to his Beatles song "Long Long Long" on the White album.  As a piano player, I too was intrigued by the prominent role of the piano in "Go Now!".  Back in 1965 I purchased the vinyl 45 of "Go Now!" by the Moody Blues and would follow the band for the next five decades, always impressed by their beautiful melodies, thoughtful lyrics, and complex arrangements.  

Loyal listeners of the Rock and Roll Flashback podcasts are probably wondering why I'm covering the Moody Blues yet again in another podcast.  While I did cover the history of the band in podcast Episodes #10 and #11, I did not include music samples.  As a long-time fan of the band, I felt that it was important to share samples of their wonderful music with our listeners.  As with any "Top 20" or "Best Of" lists, my list of the twenty best songs by the Moody Blues is highly subjective and certainly open to debate.  With so many great songs in the band's repertoire, it is difficult to pare the list down to only twenty.  There are numerous popular Moody Blues songs that do not appear on my Top 20 list, and faithful fans of the band might certainly question their omission.  I have not included several of the tunes that were fixtures on their touring set lists.  For example, I'm referring to popular songs like "Ride My See-Saw", "Question", "Isn't Life Strange", "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)", "Legend of a Mind", "Your Wildest Dreams", and "I Know You're Out There Somewhere".  All were excellent tunes, but they did not make my Top 20.  

In late 1978 the Moodies were touring the USA in support of their ninth album, Octave.  Sally and I heard that they were going to appear at the Hershey Park Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania on Friday, November 24th, 1978.  At the time, we lived an hour and 15 minutes away from Hershey, so we purchased two tickets in advance.  I skipped work that evening, and we dropped our baby daughter off with Sally's parents.  It was our first Moodies concert, and we were looking forward to seeing the Mark Two version of the band:  Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Graeme Edge, Ray Thomas, and especially Mike Pinder.  Before the band took to the stage the person sitting next to us showed us a program.  I asked him what a photo of Patrick Moraz of Yes was doing on the program, and he told us the disappointing news that Mike Pinder was no longer touring.  Nevertheless, it was still a thrill for us to see a live performance of the band.  Over the years Sally and I would attend several more Moody Blues concerts, always appreciating the Moodies ability to recreate their studio sound in a live setting.  We also subscribed to the Higher and Higher fan magazine in the years before the internet took off.

Some music critics have disdained the Moody Blues and their music as being too cerebral, too pretentious, too soft or easy listening, and not rock enough.  Nevertheless, the Moodies were able to successfully evolve during the post-Pinder years from a psychedelic rock or prog rock band into a more synth pop band.  In so doing  they continued producing more hit albums, Top 40 commercial songs, and popular music videos.  They also were at the forefront of the novelty of a rock band performing live with an orchestra.  The band had always maintained an unwavering, devoted fan base.  In fact, the only reason the Moody Blues entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 was due to that overwhelming fan support.

So here are my Top 20.  Coming it at #20 is a song written by Justin Hayward that was first released on the Moody Blues' 1970 album A Question of Balance.  With its laid back, folksier sound, Hayward sings lyrics over his acoustic guitar that are a simple but joyous celebration of life.  "Dawning is the Day" is a gentle and lovely ballad and is just one of Justin's many beautiful songs.

In 1970 a new design of the Chamberlin electro-mechanical keyboard instrument was being produced.  The new Chamberlin M1 version was smaller and more efficient than the competing Mellotron M400 model.  The new Chamberlin table-top model ended the use of rhythm tapes, incorporated a flawless tape-return roller system, and had higher-quality playback tape heads with no tape warble and greater bandwidth than the Mellotron.  Approximately 130 M1 Chamberlins were built, and Mike Pinder purchased one of them.  Pinder used the Chamberlin in recording the Moody Blues album Seventh Sojourn.

Coming in at #19 is a melancholy cut from 1972's US chart-topping Seventh Sojourn album.  The song lyrics are Mike Pinder addressing psychedelic drug guru Timothy Leary.  The Moody Blues had first met Leary in 1968 during their first tour of America, and Leary became a good friend of the band.  Pinder's song is not as famous as Ray Thomas's song "Legend of a Mind", which is also about Timothy Leary.  Leary was imprisoned on a marijuana charge at a low-security prison in the United States.  Leary escaped that prison and left the United States the month before Seventh Sojourn was released.  "When You're a Free Man" has a slow, haunting melody that features Pinder's skillful playing on his new Chamberlin M1 keyboard.

Coming in at #18 is a Justin Hayward song about love and trying to find meaning in one's life.  The first song on Side 2 of 1969's On the Threshold of a Dream album was released as a single in 1969, but it only reached #91 on the Billboard Hot 100.  "Never Comes the Day" has a plaintive mood, building to a crescendo, and encouraging listeners to share their feelings with each other. 

Coming in at #17 is another beautiful Justin Hayward song about love and reflective introspection.  As the fourth song on Side 2 of 1968's In Search of the Lost Chord album, "The Actor" really shows off Justin's vocal range and emotional depth.

Coming in at #16 is the opening track from my favorite Moody Blues album, 1972's Seventh Sojourn.  In fact, if I were doing the Top 30 Moodies songs, all eight of the songs on Seventh Sojourn would make my cut.  Songwriter Mike Pinder's brilliant song reflects some of the turmoil then currently occurring throughout the world.  The socially conscious lyrics, the lush melody complemented by Pinder's new Chamberlin keyboard, and the arrangement of "Lost in a Lost World" are perfect.

Coming in at #15 is a toe-tapping tune by Justin Hayward from 1970's A Question of Balance album.  While it was inspired by one of Hayward's personal relationships, "It's Up to You" seems to have a broader meaning of taking responsibility on an individual level for global problems. 

Coming in at #14 is a Justin Hayward rocker that kicks off Side 2 of 1969's album with a space exploration theme: To Our Childrens Childrens Children.  "Gypsy (Of a Strange and Distant Time)" would become the group's show opener in 1969 and 1970.

Coming in at #13 is Justin Hayward's opener from 1991's Keys of the Kingdom album.  Only Justin Hayward and John Lodge performed on the recording, with some keyboards and drum programming added by Paul Bliss.  The song was released as a single in 1991 and reached #22 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.  "Say It With Love" is a great example of Hayward rocking out with a positive message of love.

Coming in at #12 is Justin Hayward's lead-off song on 1981's US chart-topping album, Long Distance Voyager.  The song, featuring Justin's lush choral harmonies, was released as a single, and it reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The lyrics of "The Voice" reflect the insecurities Hayward was feeling at the time about his stardom and the stress of continually meeting expectations .

Coming in at #11 is another upbeat tune from 1981's Long Distance Voyager.  Written by Hayward and John Lodge, the song was originally going to be called "Touring in the USA".  Lodge realized that they were actually talking about dual situations that musicians find themselves in.  In other words, you're either on the road as a performer, or you're at home as anyone else.  This song was John Lodge's attempt to explain that the same person was living two different lives.  "Gemini Dream" was also released as a single, reaching #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it became a set list regular at Moodies concerts.

Coming in at #10 is a wistful tune written by Justin Hayward and Ray Thomas that closed 1969's To Our Childrens Childrens Children album.  The song was released as a single three weeks before the album's release, but it didn't chart.  Nevertheless, "Watching and Waiting" has a beautiful, almost spiritual, melody.

Coming in at #9 is my favorite song written and sung by Ray Thomas.  From Side 2 of 1969's To Our Childrens Childrens Children album, "Eternity Road" gives one the feeling of drifting along over time while searching for answers.

Coming in at #8 is another upbeat staple from Moody Blues concerts.  From the 1971 album Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, this song is one of the Moodies best hard rockers.  The song was released as a single in 1971, and it reached #23 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Featuring its recognizable opening guitar lick, "The Story in Your Eyes" has a vibrant energy from start to finish.

Coming in at #7 is a classic Justin Hayward song from 1967's concept album Days of Future Passed.  Listening to this song, one can almost see Justin Hayward sitting in the middle of a field on a Spring afternoon with his acoustic guitar.  The song was released as a single in 1968, and it reached #24 on the Billboard Hot 100.  "Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon)" certainly showcases Justin's beautiful voice.

Coming in at #6 in another classic Justin Hayward tune from 1967's Days of Future Passed.  The song, written when Justin was only 20 years old, talks about the changes between one love affair and the beginning of another relationship.  The song was released twice as a single, first in 1968 and then again in 1972.  It performed much better on the singles charts in 1972, reaching #1 in Canada, #9 in the UK, #1 on the US Cashbox chart, and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.  "Nights in White Satin" is undoubtedly the most famous song by the Moody Blues.

Coming in at #5 is a Justin Hayward song that jump starts the 1969 On the Threshold of a Dream album.  It immediately follows the eerie, mechanical, computer sounding introductory "In the Beginning".  The upbeat "Lovely to See You", with its welcoming lyrics, would serve as a concert opener during the later part of the group's career.

Coming in at #4 is my favorite song sung by Mike Pinder.  It closed out Side 1 of the 1969 album To Our Childrens Childrens Children.  With songwriting credits to Mike Pinder and John Lodge, the song draws from Pinder's lifelong fascination with space and the night sky.  "Out and In", with its philosophical lyrics and beautiful melody, is an astronomer's dream!

Coming in at #3 is my favorite John Lodge tune, which appears on Side 2 of 1969's To Our Childrens Childrens Children.  The highlight of the song is the uplifting grand piano chorus.   John Lodge's emotional "Candle of Life" discusses loneliness, while carrying a message of love and compassion.

Coming in at #2 is a wonderful Justin Hayward ballad that is a deep cut from 1978's Octave album.  The song's sweet melody and uplifting lyrics discuss searching for dreams and falling in love.  Sally and I liked "Had to Fall In Love" so much that we recorded our own version of it to share with our daughters and granddaughters.

Finally, coming in at #1 is a Justin Hayward ballad that I feel is superior even to his excellent "Nights in White Satin"!  This heartfelt song is a perfect blend of Hayward's soaring vocals, his acoustic guitar, and Pinder's Chamberlin keyboard.  Hayward's use of his red Gibson ES-355 electric guitar to play lead at the 2 minute 37 second mark of the song is masterful.  I defy anyone to listen to "New Horizons" and not drift off toward tranquility and peace of mind!  Also, this song makes a wonderful song choice for a father-daughter dance at her wedding!

Thank you for listening to this episode of Rock and Roll Flashback where I counted down my twenty favorite songs by the Moody Blues.  And so fellow travelers, as you travel eternity road, may your path be smooth and your music always be rockin'!  And until next time...Rock On!