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.
Eyes Of A Child II
The Moody Blues Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The child awakes
Wonder all around
The child awakes
Now in his life, he never must be lost
No thoughts must deceive him
In life he must trust
With the eyes of a child
You must come out and see
That your world's spinning 'round
And through life you will be
A small part of a hope
Of a love that exists
In the eyes of a child you will see
Earth falls far away
New life awaits
Time it has no day
New life awaits
Here is your dream
And now how does it feel?
No words will go with you
And now what is real?
With the eyes of a child
You must come out and see
That your world's spinning 'round
And through life you will be
A small part of a hope
Of a love that exists
In the eyes of a child you will see
The Moody Blues's song "Eyes Of A Child" is a beautiful ode to the innocence and wonder of childhood. The song speaks to the idea that as we grow older and become more jaded and cynical, we lose sight of the magic and beauty that surrounds us in the world. Through the eyes of a child, we are able to see the world in a different light, with a sense of joy and openness that is often lost as we age.
The first verse sets the stage for the rest of the song, with the simple lines "Listen, hear the sound / The child awakes / Wonder all around / The child awakes." The child is waking up to a world full of wonder and possibilities, and the sound that he hears is the sound of life itself. The second verse contains the core of the message of the song, with the lines "Now in his life, he never must be lost / No thoughts must deceive him / In life he must trust." The child is innocent and trusting, and it is only through growing up and experiencing the harshness of the world that we lose this sense of trust and openness.
The chorus of the song reinforces the idea that we need to see the world through the eyes of a child in order to fully appreciate its beauty and wonder. "With the eyes of a child / You must come out and see / That your world's spinning 'round / And through life you will be / A small part of a hope / Of a love that exists / In the eyes of a child you will see."
Overall, "Eyes Of A Child" is a powerful reminder of the importance of maintaining our sense of wonder and openness, even in the face of the hard realities of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen, hear the sound
Pay attention, open your ears and take in the world around you.
The child awakes
A new day has dawned and the innocence and wonder of childhood remains.
Wonder all around
The world is full of amazing and mysterious things to be discovered.
Now in his life, he never must be lost
As we grow up, it is important to stay grounded and never lose our way.
No thoughts must deceive him
We must be careful to filter out harmful thoughts and ideas that can lead us astray.
In life he must trust
It is important to have faith in oneself and trust in the journey of life.
With the eyes of a child
By seeing the world through innocent and curious eyes, we can find greater meaning and joy.
You must come out and see
You need to be open to new experiences and perspectives to truly appreciate life.
That your world's spinning 'round
The world is constantly changing and moving, and we must adapt to keep up.
And through life you will be
We are all on a journey through life, and must accept the ups and downs along the way.
A small part of a hope
We are each a small piece of a greater purpose or plan, and must work towards creating a better future.
Of a love that exists
There is love and goodness in the world, but we must actively seek it out to find it.
Earth falls far away
The world we know can sometimes feel distant or disconnected.
New life awaits
There are always new opportunities and experiences waiting to be discovered.
Time it has no day
Time marches on without regard for our daily struggles and triumphs.
Here is your dream
This is your vision or goal for the future, something to work towards and strive for.
And now how does it feel?
Take a moment to reflect on your emotions and reactions to your dreams and aspirations.
No words will go with you
In pursuing your dreams, verbal communication may not translate the entirety of your experiences.
And now what is real?
Life can be difficult to navigate, making it difficult to discern what is true or important.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: JOHN CHARLES LODGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind