The Moody Blues - Days Of Future Passed

The Moody Blues – Days Of Future Passed

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The Moody Blues were a British prog rock institution, and on this second effort they present a concept album based on the working day, as it was in the late 60’s.

Written by: Explorer
ARTIST: The Moody Blues
ALBUM: Days Of Future Passed
LABEL: Deram
SERIAL: SML 707 (Original Vinyl), 844 767-2 (CD)
YEAR: 1967
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England

LINEUP: Mike Pinder – mellotron, piano, tambura vocals, (including spoken) * Ray Thomas – flutes, percussion, vocals * Justin Hayward – acoustic & electric guitars, piano, sitar, vocals * John Lodge – bass, vocals * Graeme Edge – drums, percussion, vocals * Peter Knight – conductor, arrangements * The London Festival Orchestra

TRACK LISTING: 01 The Day Begins: The Day Begins, Morning Glory * 02 Dawn: Intro, Dawn Is A Feeling * 03 The Morning: Intro, Another Morning * 04 Lunch Break: Intro, Peak Hour * 05 The Afternoon: Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?), (Evening) Time to Get Away * 06 Evening: Intro, The Sun Set, Twilight Time * 07 The Night: Nights in White Satin, Late Lament

WEBLINKS: Site Link

The Moody Blues Background

This album by the Moody Blues was the soundtrack to my growing up in the 60’s. This included the likes of The Beatles and to a lesser extent Jimi Hendrix ‘Are You Experienced?’).

I wasn’t quite old enough to actually own these albums then. My older brother was the perfect age for that 60’s social/cultural explosion. I got to hear these pretty much every day back in the mid 60’s.

In those days,, I was too young to appreciate what I was hearing. But these albums must have seeped into my subconscious at some point. Without a doubt it helped form my later musical tastes. Well, that’s enough about me, so what about the album?

For this review, I have the original vinyl as my template, it’s the best way of listening to the album. There has been a myriad of CD reissues throughout the years. But there were issues with the original tapes and inferior mixes etc. The original vinyl stereo mix is the perfect version to capture the magic contained in the grooves.

This is the Moody Blues second album, their first being a modest white R’n’B incursion which was prevalent back then. It produced the hit single ‘Go Now’. With various lineup and label changes, the band saw fit to try out the new ‘Deramic Sound System’. For their new label they embarked on an ambitious ‘Song Cycle’ or concept album as we know it today.

What The Moody Blues produced was (in some quarters) hailed as the first progressive rock concept album. This album is a true cornerstone in rock history and its importance can never be underplayed. Its innovative use of mellotron and orchestra has ensured legendary status for this album.

The Songs

Most concept albums do tend to hang together rather loosely. Not all songs lending themselves to the story that the band are trying to tell. This is not the case here. Every song flows seamlessly into the next.

The concept or song cycle is centred on the typical working day of the time. It starts us off nicely with side one’s ‘The Day Begins’. It is very orchestral in nature. It has interlinking musical themes that can be found throughout the album There’s a spoken passage from Mike Pinder which sets the scene. It’s all very 1960’s but beautiful nevertheless. Something the Moody Blues helped to perfect.

‘Dawn’ follows which marks the first experience of the now very familiar voice of Justin Hayward. The song is a languid, pastoral affair which he has excelled at throughout his career. ‘The Morning’ is a lively, jaunty song complete with flute from Ray Thomas. The delicate harmonies adds a real vibrancy to the song.

‘Lunch Break’ starts with a busy orchestral arrangement which could easily have adorned any TV documentary of the time. It then breaks into a very upbeat, rocky affair. Again the harmony work pushes the song to greater heights. So that’s side one dealt with, now let’s flip it over onto side two.

It starts with ‘The Afternoon’, Justin Hayward giving an impassioned vocal performance, the song moving gracefully. It passes through various movements. It finishes vwith John Lodge telling us it’s time to get away and get ready for the evening.

‘Evening’ once more starts with lush orchestration with Mike Pinder and Ray Thomas sharing vocal duties. It’s a (initially) strangely subdued, trippy piece before the pace picks up somewhat. The song then moves effortlessly into the closer which any self-respecting music fan will surely be aware of.

‘Nights In White Satin’ has through the years been half-inched by the MOR brigade for weddings etc. It’s the Moody Blues most iconic song. But here it’s in all its 7 and a half minute glory. It fits perfectly into the concept of the working day. Again a wonderful arrangement elevates the song onto unprecedented heights. The song once more wirh a spoken outro ends the album in fine style.

In Summary

This album is fast approaching its 50th birthday, and with that is showing definite signs of ageing. On the surface, the orchestral arrangements come across as twee and ‘BBC light Programme-ish’. At the time it was quite groundbreaking. The thought of combining rock music and an orchestra was unheard of. Yet the Moody Blues pushed through the barrier.

Similarly with the lyrics and in particularly the spoken intro and outro with its 6th form style poetry. From a 50 years distance it’s easy to mock, but back then it was really something to behold. Also use of the mellotron by the band was really a first for rock music.

The influence this album has had on musicians throughout the intervening years is immeasurable. Hence the album’s stature has grown. I love playing it to this day and it recalls, for me a far simpler time. But also it was a time when real experimentation and boundary-pushing by bands was very much the fashion.

It’s been said that this album was the precursor for prog rock, I don’t know about that. All I will say is that ‘Days Of Future Passed’ is an indispensable piece of music. It still fills me with awe and wonder to this very day.

The Moody Blues on Video


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