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.
I'm Just A Singer
The Moody Blues Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Meeting so many people who are trying to be free
And while I'm traveling I hear so many words
Language barriers broken, now we've found the key
If you want this world of yours to turn about you
You can see exactly what to do, don't tell me
A thousand pictures can be drawn from one word
Only who is the artist, we got to agree
A thousand miles can lead so many ways
Just to know who is driving, what a help it would be
So if you want this world of yours to turn about you
And you can see exactly what to do, don't tell me
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band
How can we understand
Riots by the people for the people
Who are only destroying themselves
And when you see a frightened
Person who is frightened by the
People who are scorching this earth, scorching this earth
I'm just a wandering on the face of this earth
Meeting so many people, who are trying to be free
While I'm traveling I hear so many words
Language barriers broken, now we've found the key
If you want this world of yours to turn about you
You can see exactly what to do, don't tell me
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band
How can we understand
Riots by the people for the people
Who are only destroying themselves
When you see a frightened
Person who is frightened by the
People who are scorching this earth, scor-scorching this earth
Music is the traveler crossing our world
Meeting so many people, we're bridging the seas
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band
We're just the singers in a rock and roll band
The Moody Blues's song I'm Just A Singer is a reflection of the band's philosophy of life and their desire to bring people together through music. The lyrics express the idea that through traveling and meeting different people, we can break down language barriers and find common ground. The singer acknowledges that he is just one person, but as a member of a rock and roll band, he can contribute to the collective effort of bridging cultures and bringing people together.
The song also touches on the theme of personal responsibility and the need for individuals to take action if they want to make a difference in the world. The singer encourages listeners to take control of their own lives and not rely on others to make the world a better place. He acknowledges the problems facing society, such as riots and destruction, but also offers hope that by coming together and working towards a common goal, we can overcome these challenges.
Overall, the song portrays a positive message of unity and encourages listeners to actively participate in making the world a better place.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just a wandering on the face of this earth
I am an aimless traveler on this planet
Meeting so many people who are trying to be free
I encounter lots of individuals attempting to attain liberty
And while I'm traveling I hear so many words
As I journey, I listen to numerous declarations
Language barriers broken, now we've found the key
With the obstacle of linguistic differences surpassed, we have found the answer
If you want this world of yours to turn about you
If you wish the world to revolve around your desires
You can see exactly what to do, don't tell me
You know the exact action to take, do not inform me
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band
I am only a vocalist in a rock and roll group
A thousand pictures can be drawn from one word
One word may give rise to a thousand interpretations
Only who is the artist, we got to agree
We must acknowledge who the artist behind it is
A thousand miles can lead so many ways
A thousand miles may result in many paths
Just to know who is driving, what a help it would be
Simply knowing who is in control would be incredibly helpful
How can we understand Riots by the people for the people
How can we comprehend that the people are rioting for the people
Who are only destroying themselves
They are self-destructive
And when you see a frightened Person who is frightened by the People who are scorching this earth, scorching this earth
When you witness a scared individual who fears those who are ruining the planet
Music is the traveller crossing our world
Music acts as the wanderer traversing our globe
Meeting so many people, we're bridging the seas
We establish connections and unite individuals across vast waters
We're just the singers in a rock and roll band
We are simply vocalists in a rock and roll ensemble
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN CHARLES LODGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnsonpgd9164
Every member in this band is working every single second of this song. A masterpiece!
@ayhaque
Well yeah except there’s no baritone sax on the song so Ray Thomas is just playing for the look.
@catharinaketelaar7299
Do do do agree , masterpiece like all music at their albums ! Why don’t excist no bands anymore like these ?
@georgepruitt637
@@ayhaque Lip synching ???
@triciabyrne7761
Yes!!! Blows my mind! 🤯🤯🤯
@ireneleung5644
I’m saddened by the fact that Ray Thomas was just mimicking playing the saxophone here.
@CaptainHandbrake
This is one of the most kick-ass, energy packed numbers in all the rock genre. It is the audio equivalent of a supernova.
@sarahdee374
Incredible. and for giggles, compare the drummer with Animal drumming in the Muppet band. Epic. Always make me happy, and not a lot does in these times!!
@Sasfoot
John Lodge was/is known for writing the high energy, up tempo songs like this.
@ladyhecate9450
@@Sasfoot John is up tempo anyway. I've been to John's solo gig as well as Justin's (Justin's more so because I fell in love with that haunting voice in Nights in White Satin when I heard that song back in 1970.) Anyway, John's gigs are up tempo where Justin's is a little more mellow.