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.
Candle Of Life
The Moody Blues Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Says you're lonely
Hidden deep inside
Of you only
It's there for you to see
Take a look and be
Burn slowly the candle of life
Says we're only
In the hands of time
Falling slowly
It's there for us to know
With love that we can go
Burn slowly the candle of life
So love everybody
And make them your friend
So love everybody
And make them your friend
Something you can't hide
Says you're lonely
Hidden deep inside
Of you only
It's there for you to see
Take a look and be
Burn slowly the candle of life
Something there outside
Says we're only
In the hands of time
Falling slowly
It's there for us to know
With love that we can go
Burn slowly the candle of life
The Moody Blues's song "Candle Of Life" conveys a message of hope and love, despite the inevitability of life's fleeting nature. The somber tone of the song is evident in the opening lines which suggest that there is an unspoken sadness or loneliness within oneself. However, the lyrics also suggest that we have the power to recognize and overcome these feelings by taking a closer look at ourselves. The candle metaphor represents the fragility of life and the need for us to cherish every moment. It reminds us that we must appreciate the beauty in our existence, even if it is temporary.
As the song progresses, the lyricist mentions the passing of time, highlighting the idea that we are all at the mercy of its grip. This serves as a reminder to the listener to live life to the fullest and make the most of every moment. The final chorus encourages the listener to embrace love and make amends with those around them. In doing so, they will have a fulfilling life and leave a positive impact on the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Something you can't hide
There are aspects of your true self that you cannot conceal from others.
Says you're lonely
It appears that you are feeling isolated and alone.
Hidden deep inside
These emotions are buried within you, not easily expressed or shared.
Of you only
These feelings belong solely to you, and cannot be attributed to anyone else.
It's there for you to see
However, these emotions are perceptible to you, and you can choose to acknowledge them.
Take a look and be
Reflect upon your feelings and allow yourself to experience them fully.
Burn slowly the candle of life
Live your life at a measured pace, always mindful of your emotions and experiences.
Something there outside
There are external factors that can impact our lives.
Says we're only
These factors suggest that we are limited in our abilities and choices.
In the hands of time
Time is an unstoppable and inevitable force that we must accept and respect.
Falling slowly
As time passes, we must acknowledge that aspects of our lives will slowly fade away.
It's there for us to know
We must recognize this phenomenon and learn from it, rather than fight against it.
With love that we can go
By embracing love and compassion, we can find peace and acceptance as we move through life.
So love everybody
The key to a fulfilling life is to love and cherish those around you.
And make them your friend
Treat those around you with kindness and respect, building connections and friendships that enrich your life.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN CHARLES LODGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
P Heresy
I was 16 yrs old in 1971, We were setting up the weekend to be perfect at our friend's (parent's) house who was now living in an affluent part of Long Island... The parents were AWAY for a whole week on a cruise.
One friend set up his super fine sound system. We all teamed up to prepare a weekend's worth of nutritious and tasty food,
The "special" package we were anticipating finally arrived. It was sent from a friend who was attending UC Berkeley. The package contained "Window Pane".
Carefully following instructions, laid out by Dr Tim Leary, we prepared the "set and setting" for the weekend's journey
We were in need of absolutely NOTHING.
The turntable was loaded with albums to play in succession.
King Crimson, YES, ELP, Rennaisance, Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, Beatles, It's a Beautiful Day, and of course THE MOODY BLUES.
This was the first time I got to hear To Our Children's Children's Children in its entirety and that is when I fell in love with this album.
This song Candle of Life is my all-time favorite. It's just perfection.
That weekend was transformational... it set me off in a new direction.
JOHN DYER
I'm now 63. Listened to Days OFP when it was first released. I was helping a friend paint his parent's house in Outback NSW, Australia. We had a crappy turntable and DOFP. Nothing else. We easily played it 100 times over a 3-day session. After that, I was an MB tragic. Every girlfriend I had was given the MB intro. Not one didn't like them. They have been there for me for the last 50+ years. At every bad time in my life they were there and always with a pertinent song to help me along. And more so in the last 6 months after being diagnosed with Prostate cancer (I was not aware at the time that Ray has passed from this cancer). It appears that 99% is gone and maybe even 100%. I had 39 radiation treatments over an 8 wk period and whilst motionless on the machine I would request my music thru their system which piped into the lab. The MB's got a helluva good workout. The young technicians started coming up to me to ask who they were being played (much to their surprise they really liked the music and unique sounds). More converts!
My point?
Every day whilst motionless being treated I was crying my eyes out with the emotions running thru me. I never used to cry, not sure why I do now but I think it all takes me back to better times?
You never go on to any other band's website etc and have the fans saying how their music saved them etc (OK, maybe there's another band but get my drift) as you do with the MB's.
Question?
I'm surprised how little variation there is in available original videos/live concerts/etc. Apart from YouTube is there anywhere else to find this? I am a member of the Fanclub but admit I rarely go there. Thank you, EVERYBODY.
SUCH A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLES WITH ONE COMMON LOVE
Rose Randle
Wonderful song from the greatest band. Kids today don't know what they're missing.
Susan Sult
I am 68 years old and have been listening to The Moody blues daily since I was a teenager. Listening to The Moody blues is one of my most favorite things to do.
robert daggitt
It is hard to pick any one favorite song by the Moody Blues because there are so many fantastic songs. Absolute magic.
Brenda Drumm
I lost my daughter a few yrs ago aged 42 Yr half after I lost my son aged 32 I buried them in the same grave sister and brother with an inscription from the moody blues song forever autumn my life will be forever autumn cos your not here x
Robert Langley
So sorry for your loss I am not sure if I could carry on 🙏🏼
Brenda Drumm
@robertlangley1664 Robert what can I do I've gone to 7stone I can't taste or smell or hear in one ear from grief I'm 73 but have to go on I look after my remaining son who is 51 with head injuries I have grandchildren and great-grandchildren but it's not the same I long for my daughter and son thank you for listening to me x
Robert Langley
@Brenda Drumm Try to stay strong you had a lot of grief and life doesn’t seems to be fair but we have no choice we must go on
Loulovesspeed
I'm 74 and grew up, like many of you here, listening to the very best bands that ever existed. The Moody Blues were, and still are, my very favorite by a mile. I've been fortunate to see them live 13 times in my life. They were the only band whose music I completely listened to, focusing on every word of their story. I would listen to them in pitch dark with my Pioneer headphones on, and literally drift away into their world of unrestricted vision and euphoria. No other band then, or since, has had that effect on me. To call them unique is a major understatement. They clearly are the best combination of incredibly talented musicians that may never be seen again. RIP, Ray, and thank you for your contributions. P.S. - fifty two years later, I still have the headphones and they still work. Some of the very best memories of my life!
Sue Condon
Moody Blues plus Pioneer Headphones... Swoon! I'm 64 but I was also blown away, sitting in my bedroom, with my parents pottering around downstairs, listening to MB albums on the cheap portable my Dad gave me. No Pioneer headphones for me until much later, but they were the best.
Clifford S.
Ever since I heard Nights In White Satin for the first time in the mid 70's it became and still is my favorite song. My oldest brother bought the album it was on and I would only be able to listen to it when he was and he would not let me play it when he was not around. I've never heard this song I just listened to and it is very relaxing too.