Posted on 11/21/2024 4:47:07 PM PST by nickcarraway
It was no instant success, but gradually, the group’s new marriage of pop and orchestral ingredients began to turn heads.
In the timeless flight of the Moody Blues, “Nights In White Satin” is such a classic that it’s strange to recount the slow, almost faltering progress of this epic ballad when it was first released.
Justin Hayward’s song, and its parent album, the Moodies’ career-changing Days Of Future Passed, were both released on November 10, 1967 — and for the first few weeks of their lives, the sum total of their UK chart presence was precisely nil.
But gradually, the group’s new marriage of pop and orchestral ingredients began to turn heads. With the additional attractions of Mike Pinder’s keyboard effects on the Mellotron, little-used in popular music to that point, and Ray Thomas’ flute, both the single and the album began to capture the imagination of both the public and the media.
“Satin” may have had an uncertain start, but few singles have gone on to such recurring and multi-faceted success, both in the UK and around the world. After attracting radio support, the single on Decca’s Deram label finally made the British Top 50 in the first week of 1968, some seven weeks after release.
It was the first chart appearance of the Moodies’ new line-up, retooled with the addition of Hayward and John Lodge. This was also the first time the group name had been on the UK singles list for more than two years, since “Everyday” limped to No.44.
Even then, “Satin” only just clambered onto the bottom rung of the Top 50, as The Beatles continued at No.1 into the new year with “Hello Goodbye.” The ballad then climbed to No.35, making less than spectacular progress over the coming weeks before coming to a halt at No.19 on the February 20 chart. It fared much better elsewhere, going all the way to No.1 in 1968 in Holland, and reaching the Top 10 in Austria, Belgium and Switzerland, and the Top 20 in Germany.
A continuing chart story
The initial UK activity was enough to kick-start Days Of Future Passed, which showed up on the bestsellers for the first time in late January 1968 and got as high as No.27 in both February and March. The album reappeared from time to time over the next few years, making its last showing in 1973. By then, with the Moodies established as a major album and touring force, “Nights In White Satin” had belatedly become a massive hit, reaching No.2 in Billboard and No.1 in the rival Cash Box countdown.
That transatlantic success, in turn, prompted the first reissue of “Satin” in the UK, where it charted anew and became a much bigger hit second time around. The song spent three weeks in the Top 10 in late 1972 and early 1973, landing at No.9. In 1979, it rose once again, in a new 12-week run that gave it another five weeks in the Top 20 and a No.9 peak.
This historic recording even managed one further chart week in 2010, prompted by a performance of the song by the eventual winner of that year’s X Factor series, Matt Cardle. Those satin sheets that inspired Justin Hayward were made of the most enduring material.
Likewise on all of that.
Bob Dylan called Witchita Lineman “the greatest song ever written.”
Glen Campbell was a superlative song interpreter and a masterfully adept guitarist. A friend once showed me a documentary about him made towards the end of his life, when he was suffering from Alzheimer's, but still remembered many of his old tunes and actually did a farewell tour for more than a year. It was very moving. Here is the trailer: Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me Official Trailer 1 (2014)
And here is my favorite gospel song by Glen Campbell: No More Nights
Awesome story!
Never liked it. Reminded me of the KKK
Saw Yes live in massive arenas twice, with the amazing set designs by Roger Dean that were as impactful as the music.
I thought similarly until later in life when my kid bought me a Dylan greatest hits album. Just sitting and listening, unlike hearing him as background to keg parties and "rap sessions" or other 1970s emphemera, I started to really get the fundamental originality of his vocals. It is as if he invented his own musical scale, with 16 notes per octave. I also received a book of his lyrics long ago and had never read it; but on appreciating the greatest hits, I sat down and went through it, and again discovered his particular troubadour genius. Not Shakespeare; but uniquely American mid-20th-century musings.
Rick Wakeman was one the many keyboard phenoms that emerged from the 70’s. People say the music today is as good as the 70’s, I say who is today’s Rick Wakeman, Keith Emerson, Lyle Mays, Billy Joel, Rick Wright, John Lord
https://youtu.be/7UacelSJUBk?feature=shared
The thing about In-a gadda-da-vita was that it inspired young people to play music and dream of being in a rock and roll band.
FYI, Provincetown on Cape Cod is a major homosexual sanctuary and hot spot.
The only one not wearing a mask was me. And if anyone approached me, I was going to tell them to pound sand.
When I relayed this story to a friend, and said I didn't give a crap, I wasn't going to comply, and if they wanted to arrest me, then so be it, he pointed out that given the homosexual proclivities of the area, perhaps I shouldn't be so cavalier about being thrown in jail!
“That and Whiter Shade...”
My theory regarding Whiter Shade of Pale is that Gary Brooker had some lyrics but was stuck for a melody.
So he thought to himself, “What the hell. Bach can’t sue me if I rip off Air on a G String. So here we go...”
Read later.
Music from the Moody Blues often wafted from dorm rooms, a clear indication that a dormmate was entertaining a coed. This was 73+76. Didn't apply to me, though. I was not very confident with women.
That changed 180 de grees after a couple years in Germany. 2+ years as a Platoon Leader was a definite confidence builer. Didn't get much help from the Moody Blues, but from Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits. The woman I was dating simply loved Dire Straits.
Highway 6 used to start at Long Beach Blvd., across the street from the beach in Long Beach, Calif. and ran all the way to Provincetown. Today, it begins at Bishop, Calif.
Was that the one they did “Gumball Rally” on?
Silly movie, but I liked it...:)
It was amazing to watch his nimble hands spread wide on the keyboard from where we sat at one of those concerts. Unforgettable, 50 years later.
There are sooo many other great spots on the cape making it easy to avoid Provincetown.
Sure are, but we usually go in the offseason when there are fewer people around!
It has gotten so crazy there in the last few years, and one of our favorite restaurants closed recently, so I don’t see us going down there much anymore.
Bump
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