The Moody Blues: Nights in White Satin

[BillST4s]

According to the Youtube notes, this 1967 video is the first official video of "Nights in White Satin". Given the haunting music and rich lyrics, it is not very imaginative. The shots of Paris look like they were taken from someone's vacation home movie.

I first heard this song on the album "Days of Future Passed". According to Wikipedia, it was also released as a single. I liked the album as every song told a story about one day, starting with daybreak and ending with night. The art work on the album jacket contributed to the story. There were spoken passages before the first and last songs. Here is what Wikipedia says about the format of the album:

"Deram executives were initially sceptical about the hybrid style of the resulting concept album[1], but Days of Future Passed (released in November 1967) became one of the most successful pop/rock releases of the period, earning a gold record award and reaching #3 on the British album chart. The album was a song cycle that (like James Joyce's Ulysses) took place over the course of a single day. In production and arrangement it drew inspiration from the pioneering use of the classical instrumentation by The Beatles, but took the form to new heights, using the London Festival Orchestra to provide full orchestral backing throughout the album, combined with rock instrumentation, centred on Pinder's Mellotron."

Wikipedia notes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moody_Blues

 

[Docpsycho]

...........Pinder's Mellotron."

:rad That is a sound I just dig. Mellotrons

 

[mnb]

Breathe deep the gathering gloom
Watch lights fade from every room
Bedsitter people look back and lament
Another days useless energies spent

Empassioned lovers wrestle as one
Lonely man cries for love and has none
New mother picks up and suckles her son
Senior citizens wish they were young

Cold hearted orb that rules the night
Removes the colors from our sight
Red is gray and yellow white
But we decide which is right
And which is an illusion


---
Epilogue to Nights in White Satin
Days of Future Passed
The Moody Blues

 

[BillST4s]

For Curt: 45 years later, Nights in White Satin was used in the opening credits for the Tim Burton/Johnny Depp movie remake of the old TV series "Dark Shadows."

I recently watched the movie for the first on HBO. It was nice to hear the song played on a modern sound system plus the opening scenes are much better than the original 1967 video. Only a train geek like me would recognize that the railroad equipment is not from the early 70's. :nerd

I'm also glad they decided to cast the movie in 1972, like the original TV show, as it had a lot of songs from that era.

 

[BillST4s]

Recent performance, date unknown. Still a classic.

 

[Andy]

^^^ the ending is amazing!