The band began by playing rhythm and blues music. After some early lineup changes, the band settled on a line-up of Pinder, Thomas, Edge, guitarist Justin Hayward and bassist John Lodge, which would stay together for most of the band's "classic era" through the late 1960s-early 1970s. Their second album, "Days of Future Passed", released in 1967, was a fusion of rock with classical music and established the band as pioneers in the development of art rock and progressive rock. Days Of Future Passed has been described as a "landmark" and "one of the first successful concept albums".
The Moody Blues became known internationally by recordings of songs including "Go Now", "Nights in White Satin", "Tuesday Afternoon", "Question" and "Your Wildest Dreams". The band has been awarded 18 platinum and gold LP’s. The band sold 70 million albums worldwide. The Moody Blues were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
The Moody Blues formed in 1964 in Erdington, a suburb of Birmingham in the county of Warwickshire. Ray Thomas, a young John Lodge and (occasionally) Mike Pinder had been members of El Riot & the Rebels. They disbanded when Lodge, the youngest member, went to technical college and Pinder joined the army. Pinder then rejoined Thomas to form the Krew Cats. Back from a disappointing spell in the Hamburg region a few months later, the pair recruited guitarist/vocalist Denny Laine and band manager-turned-drummer Graeme Edge. Pinder and Thomas initially approached their former El Riot bandmate John Lodge about being the bass player, but Lodge declined as he was still in college. They instead recruited bassist Clint Warwick. The five appeared as the Moody Blues for the first time in Birmingham in 1964. The name developed from a hoped-for sponsorship from the M&B Brewery which failed to materialise, the band calling themselves both "The M Bs" and "The M B Five", and was also a subtle reference to the Duke Ellington song "Mood Indigo". In an interview it was revealed that the band was named "Moody Blues" because Mike Pinder was interested in how music changes people's moods and due to the fact that the band was playing blues at the time. Around this time the band were the resident group at the Carlton Ballroom, later to become rock music venue Mothers on Erdington High Street.
The Moody Blues' "rich symphonic sound" influenced groups such as Yes, Genesis, the Electric Light Orchestra and Deep Purple. They also helped make synthesizers and philosophy "part of the rock mainstream".
The Moody Blues became members of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. In 2013, readers of Rolling Stone Magazine voted for them as one of the ten bands that should be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ultimate Classic Rock called them "perennial victims of an unaccountable snubbing" and inducted them into its own Hall of Fame in 2014.
Writing for The Guardian in 2015, Rob Chapman described the band as "psychedelia's forgotten heroes". He stated: "Despite their success, rock critics rarely took the Moody Blues seriously, a pattern that continued for the next 45 years." He also wrote: "Despite the critical disapproval, the best of the Moody Blues music between 1967 and 1970 possessed grace and beauty. Like The Beatles, they understood how pop songs worked as ensemble pieces. None of them were particularly virtuosic or showy as musicians and their music is refreshingly free of the noodling longeurs that characterised the output of their more self-indulgent contemporaries."
In December 2017, the band were announced as inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On 14 April 2018, they were inducted as part of the 2018 class. During his acceptance speech in Cleveland, OH, Justin Hayward said, "If you didn't know already, well we're just a bunch of British guys, but of course to us and to all British musicians, this is the home of our heroes and we all know that..." acknowledging the inspirational role of America's rock and roll icons. During the ceremony, Ray Thomas was included as a star that was lost in the past year.
On 11th November 2021 Graeme Edge died. Upon Edge's death, Justin Hayward announced that The Moody Blues had no longer been active since Edge had retired in 2018 (Edge being the only member to remain with the band from formation to ending). Founding member Denny Laine died on 5 December 2023.
Sunset
The Moody Blues Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Across those skies of black
I want to see for myself
And when I've gone the distance
I'll be making tracks
For an English Sunset
We're on a runaway train
And where it's taking us to
Who knows where it's at
But if we hold together
We can make it back
For an English Sunset
We want an English sunset
I feel the rhythm of the earth
In my soul tonight
May I never fade away
And I've decided I can live
With humility
And the sad decay
‘Cause that's the English way.
We keep the faith alive
In everything we do
And at the end of the road
We still keep coming through
And though it's sad and sorry
It's an English sunset
An English sunset
I feel the rhythm of the earth
In my soul tonight
May I never fade away
And I've decided I can wait
For the requiem
We take it day by day
‘Cause that's the English way.
I saw the English sunset
"Sunset" by The Moody Blues is a song about the band's desire to explore and see the world, yet still hold onto their English heritage and culture. In the first verse, the singer expresses a longing to travel and explore, to "ride the range" and see the night sky, but ultimately wants to return to an "English Sunset". The idea of a sunset represents the comfort and familiarity of home, where the English way of life is preserved.
The second verse takes on a different tone, as the band reveals their uncertainty and fear of where their journey may take them. They feel like they are on a "runaway train" that could take them anywhere, but they also know that they can make it back to their home, as long as they stick together. The English Sunset represents not just a place, but also a way of life that they want to protect and preserve.
The bridge further emphasizes the idea of tradition and resilience, with the singer feeling the "rhythm of the earth" and declaring his dedication to living with "humility" and accepting the "sad decay". He believes that this is "the English way", to keep the faith and keep coming through, even when times are tough.
Overall, "Sunset" is a celebration of the band's love for their country and their desire to explore the world while still staying true to their roots.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to ride the range
I have a strong desire to explore and experience the vastness of the world
Across those skies of black
I want to traverse through the dark, unknown parts of the world
I want to see for myself
I want to witness things firsthand and form my own opinions
And when I've gone the distance
Once I have traveled far enough to satisfy my curiosity
I'll be making tracks
I'll be leaving my mark and moving on to the next adventure
For an English Sunset
In search of a beautiful and peaceful end to a long journey
We're on a runaway train
We are moving forward uncontrollably without knowing where we're headed
Rolling down the track
We're making progress, but in a chaotic and unstable way
And where it's taking us to
We have no idea where this journey will end
Who knows where it's at
We are lost and have no sense of direction
But if we hold together
We can overcome any obstacle if we work together as a team
We can make it back
We can find our way back to safety and familiarity
For an English Sunset
Even though we are lost, we still long for a peaceful and calm end to our journey
We want an English sunset
We want to experience beauty and tranquility after a tumultuous and confusing journey
I feel the rhythm of the earth
I am deeply connected to the natural world
In my soul tonight
I am feeling this connection intensely, right now
May I never fade away
I hope to stay connected to the world and never lose this feeling
And I've decided I can live
I have come to the realization that I can be content with a simple and humble life
With humility
I have no need to indulge in material possessions or status symbols
And the sad decay
I accept that things inevitably deteriorate and come to an end
‘Cause that's the English way.
This attitude is a characteristic of English culture
We keep the faith alive
We hold onto our beliefs and values, even in difficult times
In everything we do
Our faith and values are ingrained in every aspect of our lives
And at the end of the road
Even when our journey comes to an end
We still keep coming through
We carry on and persevere, no matter what happens
And though it's sad and sorry
Even though the end may be a difficult and tragic affair
It's an English sunset
We still seek out beauty and peacefulness at the end of our journey
I saw the English sunset
I have finally reached the end of my journey and have experienced the beauty and tranquility I've been seeking
Lyrics © Fintage House Publishing
Written by: JUSTIN HAYWARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lucascecil6287
Twilight time is my favorite song on this album. Ray freaking killed it. It is such a JAM!
@WocklessGamingforAnimeMoms
Not really a jam,morelike a compositional in the classical sense. Definitely slow and groovy though.
@RobertBrusco-dw5ec
Eerily haunting, what a wonderful song - maybe Ray's finest.
@ianstuart5660
@RobertBrusco-dw5ec Fantastic tune, loved it for over 50 years!
@MichaelHartman-qt4mp
I would give Twilight Time four and a half stars out of five, while The Sunset gets five stars, along with Nights in White Satin and Peak Hour, all from Days of Future Passed.
@joelrobinson6681
Twilight Time is one of Ray’s best. You can just sit back and the imagery enters your mind. RIP great one.
@bradhill1099
What a fabulous musician Ray was. A very kind and decent man as well.
@sososo2445
This video is very well done. Congratulations! Twilight time such a great song by Ray Thomas! RIP Ray!
@billylong9699
I used to listen to this album constantly. It got me through some real tough times and still does. It’s a cool song to play at nighttime when it’s starting to get real dark out. Ecological synchronicity.
@mustangmikep51
we all came to this planet to experience tough times....it was DESIGNED to give us trouble! But its the FAST-TRACK to real Spiritual growth..(if you make it through!) but don't take it too seriously..its only a dream afterall Namaste.