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Nights in White Satin
The Moody Blues Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning

Nights in white satin
Never reaching the end
Letters I've written
Never meaning to send

Beauty I'd always missed
With these eyes before
Just what the truth is
I can't say anymore

'Cause I love you
Yes, I love you
Oh how I love you

Gazing at people, some hand in hand
Just what I'm going through they can't understand
Some try to tell me, thoughts they cannot defend
Just what you want to be, you will be in the end

And I love you
Yes, I love you
Oh how I love you
Oh how I love you

Nights in white satin
Never reaching the end
Letters I've written
Never meaning to send

Beauty I've always missed
With these eyes before
Just what the truth is
I can't say any more

'Cause I love you
Yes, I love you
Oh how I love you
Oh how I love you
'Cause I love you
Yes, I love you
Oh how I love you
Oh how I love you

Overall Meaning

The Moody Blues’ Nights in White Satin is a timeless ballad that is widely recognized for its poetic and ambiguous lyrics. The song is about the narrator's experience of unrequited love, melancholy, and self-discovery. The title of the song, Nights in White Satin, refers to a type of fabric used in high-end clothing, particularly of wedding dresses, that signifies purity, innocence, and transcendence. The song is composed of two distinct sections, the first of which is a slow, melancholic ballad with orchestral strings and a haunting flute, and the second section featuring a robust guitar solo that gives the otherwise delicate song some dynamic range.


The first verse of the song speaks about the narrator's inability to express his feelings to the object of his affection. He refers to letters he has written but never meaning to send, which suggests a sense of regret and longing for things that could have been. The second verse speaks about the narrator's sense of isolation, as he is in a crowd of people yet feels disconnected from them. The imagery used in this verse is significant, as it portrays the narrator as an outsider, watching from afar. The chorus acts as an affirmation of the narrator's feelings for his love interest, despite everything.


Line by Line Meaning

Nights in white satin
The speaker is describing a romantic setting, where they are surrounded by smooth and luxurious white fabrics.


Never reaching the end
The experience of this romance seems infinite and timeless, never reaching a conclusion.


Letters I've written
The speaker has attempted to express their feelings through written words.


Never meaning to send
However, the letters are not intended to be delivered, so they remain private and unsent.


Beauty I'd always missed
In this moment, the speaker is able to see something beautiful that they have been unable to appreciate in the past.


With these eyes before
They are seeing this thing with their own eyes, but it is something they have overlooked or disregarded previously.


Just what the truth is
The speaker is unsure of the reality of their situation, and what they are experiencing may be a fleeting moment of clarity.


I can't say anymore
The speaker is at a loss for words and cannot express their feelings in a clear or certain way.


'Cause I love you
Despite the uncertainty and confusion, the speaker knows that they have deep feelings of love for someone.


Gazing at people, some hand in hand
The speaker observes others around them who are in relationships, holding hands and being affectionate.


Just what I'm going through they can't understand
However, the speaker realizes that these outsiders cannot comprehend the unique feelings and experiences they are having.


Some try to tell me, thoughts they cannot defend
Although others may offer advice or opinions, they are unable to fully articulate why the speaker should think or feel a certain way.


Just what you want to be, you will be in the end
The speaker believes that if one desires something deeply enough, they will ultimately achieve it in due time.


Oh how I love you
The speaker repeats this phrase multiple times, emphasizing the strength of their love for the person they are addressing.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Justin Hayward

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Deborah Padgett

I'm 70 years old now and this song still overwhelms me with emotion. I always get goosebumps and will always remember the joys of playing the album over and over and over and over..... It was one of the first exposures to orchestral music for me back then. "Band member Justin Hayward wrote and composed the song at age 19 while touring in Belgium and titled the song after a girlfriend gave him a gift of satin bedsheets. The song itself was a tale of a yearning love from afar, which leads many aficionados to term it as a tale of unrequited love endured by Hayward."

Lyrics
Nights in white satin
Never reaching the end
Letters I've written
Never meaning to send
Beauty I'd always missed
With these eyes before
Just what the truth is
I can't say anymore
'Cause I love you
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Gazing at people
Some hand in hand
Just what I'm going through
They can't understand
Some try to tell me
Thoughts they cannot defend
Just what you want to be
You will be in the end
And I love you
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Oh, how I love you
Nights in white satin
Never reaching the end
Letters I've written
Never meaning to send
Beauty I'd always missed
With these eyes before
Just what the truth is
I can't say anymore
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Oh, how I love you
Yes I love you
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Oh, how I love you
Breathe deep the gathering gloom
Watch lights fade from every room
Bed sitter people look back and lament
Another days 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 colors from our sight
Red is gray and yellow white
But we decide which is right
And which is an illusion
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Justin Hayward
Nights In White Satin lyrics © Tyler Music Ltd. C/o Essex Music Int. Ltd., Tyler Music Ltd., Ilfaend Ltd.



Funee man

Nuits en satin blanc
Ne jamais atteindre la fin
Lettres que j'ai écrites
Je n'ai jamais eu l'intention d'envoyer
La beauté qui m'a toujours manqué
Avec ces yeux devant
Juste ce qu'est la vérité
je ne peux plus en dire
'Parce que je t'aime
Oui je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Regarder les gens
Certains main dans la main
Juste ce que je traverse
Ils ne peuvent pas comprendre
Certains essaient de me dire
Pensées qu'ils ne peuvent pas défendre
Juste ce que tu veux être
Vous serez à la fin
Et je t'aime
Oui je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Nuits en satin blanc
Ne jamais atteindre la fin
Lettres que j'ai écrites
Je n'ai jamais eu l'intention d'envoyer
La beauté qui m'a toujours manqué
Avec ces yeux devant
Juste ce qu'est la vérité
je ne peux plus en dire
Oui je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Oui je t'aime
Oui je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Respirez profondément l'obscurité qui s'accumule
Regardez les lumières s'estomper de chaque pièce
Les gens assis au lit regardent en arrière et se lamentent
Un autre jour d'énergie inutile dépensée
Les amants passionnés luttent comme un seul
L'homme seul pleure d'amour et n'en a pas
La nouvelle mère prend et allaite son fils
Les seniors aimeraient être jeunes
Orbe au cœur froid qui gouverne la nuit
Enlève les couleurs de notre vue
Le rouge est gris et jaune blanc
Mais nous décidons ce qui est juste
Et qui est une illusion



Anita Gross

"Nights in White Satin" is a song by the British rock band The Moody Blues, released in 1967 as a single and later included on the album "Days of Future Passed". The song was written by the band's lead vocalist, Justin Hayward, and it became one of their biggest hits, reaching the top ten in several countries and becoming an enduring classic of the era.

The song's lyrics describe the emotions and thoughts of a man as he reflects on his love for a woman. The imagery is vivid and poetic, evoking a dreamlike atmosphere of darkness, moonlight, and white satin. The song is notable for its haunting melody and intricate orchestration, which features lush strings, flute, and mellotron, an early electronic keyboard that produced a distinctive ethereal sound.

The Moody Blues were one of the pioneers of progressive rock, a genre that combined rock, classical, and other musical styles to create complex, sophisticated music that was popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The band's sound was characterized by their use of classical instruments and innovative studio techniques, such as overdubbing and tape loops, which allowed them to create multilayered, textured music that was ahead of its time.

The band was formed in Birmingham, England in 1964, and their early albums were typical of the British Invasion sound of the time. However, they soon began experimenting with new sounds and styles, and "Days of Future Passed", their second album, was a groundbreaking concept album that combined rock music with a symphony orchestra. The album was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to establish the Moody Blues as one of the most innovative and influential bands of the era.

Justin Hayward, who wrote "Nights in White Satin", joined the Moody Blues in 1966, and his distinctive voice and songwriting skills helped to shape the band's sound. Hayward's lyrics were often introspective and poetic, and his songs explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition. "Nights in White Satin" is one of his most enduring compositions, and it remains a beloved classic of rock music.

In conclusion, "Nights in White Satin" is a beautiful, evocative song that captures the mood and spirit of the late 1960s. Its haunting melody, lush orchestration, and poetic lyrics make it a timeless classic of rock music, and it stands as a testament to the creative genius of the Moody Blues and Justin Hayward.



Salva

Nights in white satin
Never reaching the end
Letters I've written
Never meaning to send
Beauty I'd always missed
With these eyes before
Just what the truth is
I can't say anymore
'Cause I love you
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Gazing at people
Some hand in hand
Just what I'm going through
They can't understand
Some try to tell me
Thoughts they cannot defend
Just what you want to be
You will be in the end
And I love you
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Oh, how I love you
Nights in white satin
Never reaching the end
Letters I've written
Never meaning to send
Beauty I'd always missed
With these eyes before
Just what the truth is
I can't say anymore
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Oh, how I love you
Yes I love you
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Oh, how I love you
Breathe deep the gathering gloom
Watch lights fade from every room
Bed sitter people look back and lament
Another days 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 colors from our sight
Red is gray and yellow white
But we decide which is right
And which is an illusion



Funee man

@Jeanine Vrancken Nuits en satin blanc
Ne jamais atteindre la fin
Lettres que j'ai écrites
Je n'ai jamais eu l'intention d'envoyer
La beauté qui m'a toujours manqué
Avec ces yeux devant
Juste ce qu'est la vérité
je ne peux plus en dire
'Parce que je t'aime
Oui je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Regarder les gens
Certains main dans la main
Juste ce que je traverse
Ils ne peuvent pas comprendre
Certains essaient de me dire
Pensées qu'ils ne peuvent pas défendre
Juste ce que tu veux être
Vous serez à la fin
Et je t'aime
Oui je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Nuits en satin blanc
Ne jamais atteindre la fin
Lettres que j'ai écrites
Je n'ai jamais eu l'intention d'envoyer
La beauté qui m'a toujours manqué
Avec ces yeux devant
Juste ce qu'est la vérité
je ne peux plus en dire
Oui je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Oui je t'aime
Oui je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Oh, comme je t'aime
Respirez profondément l'obscurité qui s'accumule
Regardez les lumières s'estomper de chaque pièce
Les gens assis au lit regardent en arrière et se lamentent
Un autre jour d'énergie inutile dépensée
Les amants passionnés luttent comme un seul
L'homme seul pleure d'amour et n'en a pas
La nouvelle mère prend et allaite son fils
Les seniors aimeraient être jeunes
Orbe au cœur froid qui gouverne la nuit
Enlève les couleurs de notre vue
Le rouge est gris et jaune blanc
Mais nous décidons ce qui est juste
Et qui est une illusion



Abelis 🇺🇦

@Private Account
It doesn't sound stupid at all.
It's called empathy.
It is a good sign that you are a good, caring person.
But, be careful!!!
Some people could abuse of your kindness and good heart.
Don't let people do that.
The people who do need your kindness are usually those who are quiet about it.
Abusers will make overt demands of you.
Be kind, but be smart and aware.
Take care!



All comments from YouTube:

Jim McIntosh

Timeless classic. I’m now 76 and was 22 when this classic emerged. Still up there with the very best.

Sudharson Dhanarajan

great times the 60's and 70's. I am 69 the music fills me with memories of those times. The best music ever.

Larry Floyd

74 years young. Great music !!!

Kenneth Cheong

Derinda Smith

It's 3/18/2022 and still l8ving it. Love 💘 and light to all

Jennifer Wells

I was 15, I grew up with the best of the best ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

122 More Replies...

Alfonso Adalberto

55 years after the song was published and it continues to sound majestic.

A whole classic.

Cindy McDonald

I was 17 when it came out....loved it then and still do.

María Jesús Solís Hernández

Maravillosa canción de nuestros jóvenes años inolvidable para los de 70 o así

Alan Helgeson

Great music never goes out of date ☺️☺️☺️

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