Days of Future Passed

1967 was a pivotal year in rock music, The Beatles released Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, Jimi Hendrix burst on to the scene with his explosive blues driven guitar, it was the “Summer of Love” rock music was expanding from the R&B based songs in psychedelic music from Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and the Who were carving out their own niche with incredible live performances, The Beach Boys were reaching a new level of their talents under the song writing of Brian Wilson with Pet Sounds being released in May of 1966, James Brown was cementing his title as Godfather of soul, bands were exploring the full capabilities of their talents and technology of the day.

In November of 1967 the Moody Blues were unveiling their new musical direction, having started as an R&B influenced band, Days of Future Passed debuted two new members, Justin Haywood guitarist and vocalist, John Lodge on bass and vocals, this album is the first to feature use of the mellotron by keyboardist Mike Pinder. The Moody Blues contract was set to expire with Decca Records a subsidiary of Decca Records and the band still owed the label “several thousand pounds in advances. Decca and Deram wanted to show off their new stereo recording technique headed up by Tony Clarke and asked the band to record pop and classical pieces accompanied by The London Festival Orchestra. The Moody’s agreed but insisted on creative artistic control. What emerged from the new song writing skills of Haywood, Lodge along with Graeme Edge, Ray Thomas Mike Pinder and composer, conductor and musical arranger Peter Knight was something the rock n roll world had never heard before. Upon its release it was not received very well Rolling Stone magazine said “”The Moody Blues have matured considerably since ‘Go Now’, but their music is constantly marred by one of the most startlingly saccharine conceptions of ‘beauty’ and ‘mysticism’ that any rock group has ever affected.” The New York Magazine called it “a ponderous mound of thought-jello.” Since then, it’s been hailed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the first progressive rock albums and one of rocks first conceptual albums.

Track 1) “The Day Begins:- The Day Begins Morning Glory” – The song opens with a crescendo gong cymbal to announce sunrise has broken and opens with a very classical feel provided by London Festival Orchestra and Mike Pender’s spoken word.

Track 2) “Dawn: Dawn Is a Feeling”- This track has more of a somber feeling with the orchestra still providing the music with Justin Haywood on vocals.

Track 3) “The Morning: Another Morning”- The music in this track is more of the traditional rock instruments with a touch of the orchestra still in the mix with Ray Thomas taking the lead vocals.

Track 4) “Lunch Break: Peak Hour”- The track opens with more orchestral instrumentation but more upbeat than the opening three tracks, at the 1:53 mark in the song the orchestra fades and the traditional rock sound emerges as John Lodge takes the lead on the vocals the song demonstrates the vocal harmonies of the Moody that would become their signature sound.

Track 5) “The Afternoon: Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?) Time To Get Away”- The track opens with guitar and strings Haywood shows his vocal skills and asks the listener to come with him and discover the beauty of Tuesday afternoon, this track provides a perfect mix between the band and the orchestra the song moves from rock to classical feel, and moves the song into the evening “Time to Get Away” where John Lodge takes the lead vocals

Track 6) “The Evening: Sunset, Twilight Time”- A quick intro with strings and the flute, the song turns to psychedelic influence of the band lead vocals by Mike pinder for the first half of the song (The Sunset) has a very mellow groove, song picks up (Twilight Time) led by the piano and Ray Thomas’ vocals and eventually settles into classical feel of the strings which leads into the final track.

Track 7) “The Night: Nights in White Satin, Late Lament/Resolvement”- The album closes with the epic Nights in White Satin written and lead by Justin Haywood, the song provides the perfect mix of classical arrangement led by Ray Thomas’ haunting flute solo, this track would define the Moody Blues sound, Late Lament is spoken word by Mike Pinder whose voice provides a soothing feeling throughout the album.

“Breathe deep the gathering gloom
Watch lights fade from every room
Bedsitter people look back and lament
Another day’s useless energy spent
Impassioned lovers wrestle as one;
Lonely man cries for love and has none;
New mother picks up and suckles her son;
Senior citizens wish they were young

Cold-hearted orb that rules the night
Removes the colours from our sight
Red is grey is yellow white
But we decide which is right
And which is an illusion”

The finale of the album is crowned with a strike of a gong cymbal as it began.

Everything about this album is perfection, the story told in such a short time, going from the day’s break to the evening with resolvement. The mix between the orchestra and the band is perfection in everyway, the harmonies are haunting. In later years it’s popularity grew and has become widely regarded as a masterpiece, It has since been listed among the most important albums of 1967 by Rolling Stone.

I’d like to thank my mom as she was a HUGE Moody Blues fan and after listening to this album and the albums that followed, In Search of the Lost Chord, On a Threshold of a Dream and To Our Children’s Children’s Children cemented why this band is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2018. Thanks mom.