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.
Nights in white satin
The Moody Blues Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
'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
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 singer'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 singer'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 singer'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 singer as an outsider, watching from afar. The chorus acts as an affirmation of the singer's feelings for his love interest, despite everything.
Line by Line Meaning
Nights in white satin
The singer 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 singer 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 artist 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 singer 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 artist 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 artist knows that they have deep feelings of love for someone.
Gazing at people, some hand in hand
The artist 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 singer 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 artist should think or feel a certain way.
Just what you want to be, you will be in the end
The singer believes that if one desires something deeply enough, they will ultimately achieve it in due time.
Oh how I love you
The singer 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
eyebee eddie
The Moodies are a rare once in a life time musical group
Alessandra Santi
Just listening to this song and thinking of him. I'm so happy right now. I love him so much.