142: The Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed (1967)

“We were terrible at speaking to an audience, so we had the idea of pulling all our songs together so we didn’t have to talk. Basically that was the origin of the idea of Days of Future Passed.”

-Graeme Edge

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For our annual Moody Blues episode, we’re traveling back to the beginning (sort of) and finally discussing Days of Future Passed. Although the band themselves dismissed this idea, this album is clearly one of the starting points of progressive rock, and it’s certainly one of the earliest concept albums. It’s unique not just in the Moody Blues’ discography but in all of popular music, and we had a fantastic time discussing all the reasons why it’s still so beautiful, moving, effective, and entertaining 57 years after it was first released.  

Miscellany

• We all miscounted; we’ve done five Moody Blues episodes already, and this is the sixth. 

• That cover of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” was recorded live for the BBC and can be found on many reissues of Days. We do not recommend seeking it out. 

• None of the Moody Blues’ albums are currently in print on vinyl, but since they sold in the millions, it’s not hard to find vintage copies of them. Check out our Instagram post for tips on how to tell which mix of Days you’re looking at. 

• “Nights in White Satin” actually didn’t become a big chart hit until it was re-released in 1972. Rock and roll legend has it that the reason it eventually became so popular on the radio is because it was the right length for the DJ to put it on and then go outside for a smoke. 

• “Nights” was covered beautifully by soul singer Bettye LaVette in 2010, and Justin Hayward has said repeatedly that it’s his favorite version of the song. 

• For the 50th anniversary tour in 2017 (which Amanda was at), “Morning Glory” and “Late Lament” were recited by Jeremy Irons on a video screen. It was awesome.

• We deliberately did not mention that John Lodge recently recorded Days of Future Passed with the subtitle “My Sojourn.” We have not listened to it (honestly we’re scared to) but there’s a possibility it might turn up on the bonus feed at some point.  

Other links 

• Derek Varnals Q&A (Traveling Eternity Road via the Wayback Machine)

• The Moody Blues’ ‘Nights in White Satin’: An Oral History (Rolling Stone via the Wayback Machine)

• Backtrack By Track: John Lodge of The Moody Blues on “Days of Future Passed” (Culture Sonar)

• “The Sunset” at the Isle of Wight Festival (YouTube)

• “Maud: A Monodrama” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (Poetry Foundation)

• Discord & Rhyme’s Days of Future Passed playlist (Spotify)

• Discord & Rhyme’s merch store (TeePublic)

• Discord & Rhyme’s Patreon

Discord & Rhyme Roll Call

• Phil Maddox (moderator)

• Mike DeFabio

• John McFerrin

• Amanda Rodgers 

Days of Future Passed tracklist

1. The Day Begins

2. Dawn: Dawn Is a Feeling

3. The Morning: Another Morning

4. Lunch Break: Peak Hour

5. The Afternoon

1. Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?)

2. (Evening) Time to Get Away

6. Evening

1. The Sunset

2. Twilight Time

7. The Night

1. Nights in White Satin

2. Late Lament 

Other clips used 

The Moody Blues:

• Cities

• Go Now

• It Ain't Necessarily So

• From the Bottom of My Heart (I Love You)

• The Morning: Another Morning (1978 mix)

• Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

• Lazy Day

• Nice to Be Here

• Deep

• The Afternoon: (Evening) Time to Get Away (1978 mix)

• The Sun Set (Isle of Wight performance)

• Fly Me High

• The Sun Set (live) 

Others:

• Wings - No Words

• Antonín Dvořák - Symphony No. 9: IV. Allegro Con Fuoco

• The Doors - Celebration of the Lizard

• The Fugees - Killing Me Softly with His Song

• Pink Floyd - See Emily Play

• David Rose & His Orchestra - Gay Spirits

• Yes - The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun)

• Giorgio Moroder - Knights in White Satin

• The Dickies - Nights in White Satin

• King Crimson - In the Wake of Poseidon

• XTC - Summer's Cauldron

• XTC - Grass

• Procol Harum - Salad Days (Are Here Again)

Band/album personnel 

• Justin Hayward – vocals, guitar

• John Lodge – bass, vocals

• Mike Pinder – Mellotron, vocals, spoken word

• Ray Thomas – flute, vocals

• Graeme Edge – drums

• Peter Knight – conducting, arrangements

• The London Festival Orchestra

• Tony Clarke – production

• Derek Varnals – engineering

• Hugh Mendl – executive production, liner notes

• Michael Dacre-Barclay – production

Credits 

“Discord & Rhyme (theme),” composed by the Other Leading Brand, contains elements of: 

• Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf

• Amon Düül II - Dehypnotized Toothpaste

• The Dukes of Stratosphear - What in the World?? ...

• Faith No More - Midlife Crisis

• Herbie Hancock - Hornets

• Kraftwerk - Autobahn

• Talking Heads - Seen and Not Seen

• The Moody Blues - The Afternoon: Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?) (this episode only) 

You can buy or stream Days of Future Passed and other albums by the Moody Blues at your local record store, or the usual suspects such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Amazon. Follow Discord & Rhyme on Instagram @DiscordPod for news, updates, and other random stuff. Editing is by Rich Bunnell, and special thanks to our own Mike DeFabio, the Other Leading Brand, for production and original music. See you next album, and keep as cool as you can.