Tag Archives: the Moody Blues

Music Monday: January 15, 2024

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to a triple play edition of Music Monday.

Blog image for 2024

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Last month we lost Denny Laine who died on December 5, 2023 at age 79. In 1964 he helped found the band that would become The Moody Blues. In November of that year they released their first single which hit #1 in the UK and #10 in the US in 1965. But when the band failed to capitalize on that record’s success, Laine quit in October 1966 and was replaced by Justin Hayward. In 1971 Laine, Paul McCartney & his wife, Linda, formed Wings with the three of them staying as the consistent members until the group broke up in 1981. So for ten years, Laine performed his #1 Moody Blues song on tour with Wings with and Paul & Linda as his back-up singers. Not a bad gig. RIP. 

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Paul McCartney (L) with Denny Laine (R) sometime in the 1970’s. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

James Patrick Page OBE, better known as Jimmy Page, guitarist extraordinaire and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin turned 80 years young last week. Born January 9, 1944 in England, this milestone birthday coincides with the 55th anniversary of Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album, which was released on January 12, 1969. While most of the songs were written by Page and the band including “Good Times Bad Times” and “Dazed and Confused”, the album also featured three covers: two by legendary blues musician Willie Dixon (“I Can’t Quit You Baby” and “You Shook Me”) and one by folk singer Anne Bredon, who wrote it sometime in the 1950’s. Page discovered the track after hearing Joan Baez’s 1962 version. But Led Zeppelin made it their own, due in large part to Page’s arrangement.

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Top: John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page circa 1970. Bottom: Page onstage circa 2005. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

R&B singer Al Wilson had the #1 song in the country for one week 50 years ago on Jan 19, 1974. He had three other songs crack the Top 40 during his career but it was his top selling hit that he is best remembered for. It is a great track with a fabulous vocal. 

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Al Wilson in the 1970’s. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Moody Blues: ”Go Now” (1964, written by Larry Banks and Milton Bennett).

Led Zeppelin: ”Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” (1969, written by Anne Bredon, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant).  

Al Wilson: ”Show And Tell” (1973, written by Jerry Fuller). 

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: July 10, 2023

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to another edition of Music Monday.

Bruce quote 2023

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

If you have been lucky enough to see the latest commercial for Bleu de Chanel with actor Timothee Chalamet, then you know it features one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs of the last six decades by the English band, The Moody Blues.

They formed in 1964 but the track was written by Justin Hayward who joined two years later as the band’s lead vocalist, lead guitarist and primary composer. He wrote the song when he was only 19 years old while the group was on tour in Belgium. His credits include about two dozen of the band’s songs including three others I love, “Tuesday Afternoon”, “Question” and “The Story In Your Eyes”.

Today’s song is an elegant testament to how well a fusion of an incredibly gifted rock band worked with a more formal sound courtesy of The London Festival Orchestra. Add to that Hayward’s polished vocals to his moving and eloquent lyrics, Ray Thomas’s flute arrangement and a remarkable production by Tony Clarke and the song had everything necessary to become the impeccable recording it is.

This band is another that somehow stays on my periphery. And each time I hear one of their unmistakable songs, I ask myself why they did not play a more central role in my musical world. But today’s track illustrates how unforgettable they are in any era.

“Beauty I’d always missed
With these eyes before
Just what the truth is
I can’t say anymore“.

“Gazing at people
Some hand in hand
Just what I’m going through
They can’t understand“.

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Justin

Top: The Moody Blues at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in 1970 (L to R): Mike Pinder, Graeme Edge, Justin Hayward, Ray Thomas, John Lodge. Bottom: Justin Hayward circa 2015. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

The Moody Blues: “Nights In White Satin” (1967, written by Justin Hayward).

Stay safe and well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 227

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Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

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(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day.  And if this helps anyone else, even better.

When I was a teenager and I would visit my cousins, they usually had music playing while they watched whatever sports game was on. They were huge Paul McCartney fans so for a while the album I heard the most was “Wings Over America”. As a Beatles fan myself of course I enjoyed it. But I must admit the one song I loved the best from that record was not by McCartney but rather by Wings’ lead guitarist, Denny Laine, who turns 76 today.

Born Brian Frederick Hines in England on this day in 1944, Laine started playing guitar very young, joined his first band at age 12 & took on the stage name he became known by. In 1964 he left his group and helped found the band that would become The Moody Blues. In November of that year they released their first single which is today’s song. It was first recorded earlier the same year by American singer Bessie Banks. By 1965 The Moody Blues version hit #1 in the UK and #10 in the US. When the band failed to capitalize on the success of that hit record Laine quit in October 1966 and was replaced by Justin Hayward.

For the next five years Laine played in a couple of other bands and made some music as a solo artist. In 1971 he, McCartney & his wife, Linda, formed Wings with the three of them staying as the consistent members until the group broke up in 1981. Laine put out two solo records during his time with Wings and continued with his own career when the band broke up. Rumor has it that Laine forced the band’s end when McCartney announced he no longer wished to tour out of fear for his safety after John Lennon’s death. But for ten years, Laine performed this song on tour with Wings and Paul & Linda McCartney were his back-up singers. Not a bad gig.

“I don’t want you to tell me just what you intend to do now
‘Cause how many times do I have to tell you darlin’, darlin’
I’m still in love, still in love with you now“.

Moody Blues 1964

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Top: The Moody Blues circa 1964 (L-R): Clint Warwick, Graeme Edge, Denny Laine, Mike Pinder and Ray Thomas. Bottom: Wings circa 1978 (L-R): Linda McCartney, Paul McCartney & Laine. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Denny Laine with Paul McCartney & Wings: “Go Now” (recorded live for the 1976 album, “Wings Over America”. Based on the 1964 version by The Moody Blues. Written by Larry Banks and Milton Bennett).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

So Long, January!!!

Posted in Month End Reviews, Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  How crazy is it that we arrived at the end of January so quickly?  What did you take away from the first month of the year?

I took in my new place surroundings and pondered my decorating scheme, which I have yet to act on LOL!!!  But I did get some great inspiration (thank you Kathleen at Faded Charm), explored some more local sights, got back into my groove of “estate saling” (although I have not had a chance to really dig for a treasure yet but I am hopeful it will happen soon!!!), figured out some shortcuts to a few of my regular places (work, grocery store, antiques stores) and decided I have to get out more despite all that I have to do at home.  So I got my library card, joined a church and a book club.  For our meeting next month, we are reading “Everything I Never Told You” by Celeste Ng.  Have any of you read this yet?

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January also brought the first snowstorm of my CT residency.  To mark the occasion with more than just snow boots, I made home made chicken soup, which turned out pretty well for my first attempt at it.  I do not use salt at all due to its negative health benefits, so once I got the seasonings to a correct balance (pepper, oregano & basil), it was not bad if I do say so myself.  It was so hearty I did not even add noodles!!!

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But most of all for me, January was an unbelievably sad month for the music industry.  Losing an icon like David Bowie was an incredible blow, and we will not see a visionary artist like him again in our lifetime.  For a career to span as many decades as his and encompass as many musical genres as his did only underscores that point.  He left us with a parting gift, “Black Star“*** which is as classic and bold as we remember Bowie to be.

But in the end he was also a beloved man who was taken from his wife and family way too soon, and that is the worst part of the story.  Hopefully 2016 will be the year we finally see cancer obliterated from our world.

Bowie

Source:  YouTube (original source unknown)

Bowie’s loss was followed by those of Glenn Frey of the Eagles; R&B singers Otis Clay and Nicholas Caldwell, who was a member of the group, “The Whispers“; Rene Angelil, who brought us the voice of Celine Dion; Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane/Starship fame and one of his co-founders of Airplane, Signe Toly Anderson, who died on the same day.  What she and Kantner did in their band changed the landscape of music forever.  In the mid 1960’s, rock and roll bands were a boy’s only game:  The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Moody Blues, the list goes on and on.  But when Airplane was being formed, another co-founder Marty Balin along with Kantner, knew how important a female voice & presence was.  Anderson provided that until she left the band in 1966 to have a baby.  But the precedent was set and it was a vital turning point in rock and roll and music overall.  Think about who soon followed:  Janis Joplin, Grace Slick, Carole King, Deborah Harry, et al.  Thank God for Balin’s & Kantner’s vision.

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Paul Kantner & Signe Toly Anderson, second and third from the left.  Source:  Tumbler (original source unknown).

And today marks what would have been the 70th birthday of Terry Kath, a founding member, guitarist, songwriter and vocalist for the band Chicago.  Kath was the unbelievably gorgeous voice behind classics such as “Colour My World” and “Make Me Smile“.  He was compared to Jimi Hendrix for his musical ability and to Ray Charles for his vocal style.  He died from an accidental gunshot infliction a week before his 32nd birthday in 1978.  He will be inducted posthumously into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the rest of Chicago at the induction ceremony in April.

Kath

Source:  premierguitar.com

But things are starting to turn around.  Reports are circulating that Paul Rodgers, who’s latest solo release*** includes fabulous covers of classic songs like “Walk On By” and “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long”, and Bad Company are working on a new record together, which I PRAY is true!!!  What a band!!!  Swoon!!!  But best of all Bruce Springsteen’s “The River” tour is in full swing to promote “The Ties That Bind:  The River Collection“***.  All is right in my world when the Boss is on the road and headed my way (next month in Hartford!!!)  Double swoon!!!

I do not own the rights to any of the music I am sharing with you, but the starred links*** are my affiliate links. I only share what I love and am grateful for the support 🙂

So, how was your first month of the year?

Until next time, fellow Vixens, happy digging!!!