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.
Wherever You Are
The Moody Blues Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's time that we moved on
Into a new tomorrow
And leave behind the hurt
The sorrow and the pain
'Cause tonight will never
Pass this way again
Wherever you go
Wherever you stand
Let your shadow show
Whatever you think
Whatever you do
Whatever you want
Let your feelings show
These times have passed and gone
It's time that we moved on
Into a new tomorrow
And leave behind the hurt
The sorrow and the pain
'Cause tonight will never
Pass this way again
'Cause tonight will never
Pass this way again
Just like the winter sun
That hides behind the dawn
Just like the shifting sands
That ride upon the storm
Tonight will never
Pass this way again
'Cause tonight will never
Pass this way again
'Cause tonight will never
Pass this way again
'Cause tonight will never
Pass this way again
The Moody Blues's song Wherever You Are is an uplifting and empowering song about letting go of the past and embracing a brighter future. The lyrics encourage listeners to move on from hurt, sorrow, and pain, and to not let those negative emotions hold them back anymore. The song suggests that tonight, this moment, will never come again, so it's important to seize the day and let your feelings show wherever you go and whatever you do.
The song uses vivid imagery to convey its message. The winter sun hiding behind the dawn, the shifting sands riding upon the storm, and the shadow that follows wherever you stand are all examples of how the song paints a picture of life's fleeting moments. The song's use of repetition of the phrase "tonight will never pass this way again" emphasizes the importance of embracing every moment and living life to the fullest.
A key takeaway from the song is the idea that our feelings and how we express them are important. We should let our shadow show and let our feelings be seen and heard wherever we are. The song encourages us to not be afraid to be ourselves and to express our emotions openly.
Line by Line Meaning
These times have passed and gone
We should acknowledge that these times are in the past and we need to move on.
It's time that we moved on
It's time to leave the past behind and start anew.
Into a new tomorrow
We should focus on a better tomorrow with new opportunities.
And leave behind the hurt
We should try to forget and move on from painful experiences.
The sorrow and the pain
We should let go of the sadness and emotional pain in our hearts.
'Cause tonight will never
We should cherish every moment as it won't come again.
Pass this way again
We should appreciate the present, as every moment is fleeting.
Wherever you are
It doesn't matter where you are, what matters is that you live in the moment and appreciate it.
Wherever you go
No matter where you go, the importance of living in the present remains the same.
Wherever you stand
The place where you are, is the perfect place to live in the present.
Let your shadow show
Be true to yourself always and don't be afraid to show who you really are.
Whatever you think
Your thoughts shape who you are, so be mindful of them.
Whatever you do
Your actions and decisions define your life, make them count.
Whatever you want
Be ambitious and have aspirations, as long as you appreciate each moment.
Let your feelings show
Express your emotions and don't hold them in, truly embrace the moment.
Just like the winter sun
The beauty of winter can be found in the sunrises and sunsets, even in the darkest of times.
That hides behind the dawn
The sun always shines bright after the darkest point in the night.
Just like the shifting sands
Life is constantly changing, like the sands that shift with the tides.
That ride upon the storm
Storms may come and go, but we must be strong and endure whatever comes our way.
'Cause tonight will never
Just as every moment in life, tonight will never be repeated again.
Pass this way again
We should appreciate the unique moments in our lives, as they will never come again.
'Cause tonight will never
Each moment is irreplaceable and unique.
Pass this way again
We should savor the moments, as they occur only once in a lifetime.
'Cause tonight will never
We should appreciate the present we live in.
Pass this way again
We should treasure every moment and live it to the fullest.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN CHARLES LODGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind