I've been trying to figure out how to do this. Let's face it, we all have bands we like a whole lot more than others. As a direct result, these bands will produce more "omg favorite" songs. If I am going to remain true to the concept of the Sunday Superlative (and I am!) and stick to the whole "all-time favorite songs" thing, this issue must be addressed. Either I present a disproportionate amount of songs by a certain band or artist week by week, or I clump 'em all together. The solution has been reached. I'm clumping 'em all together. Or, in more poetic terms, I'm doing an Artist Spotlight.
The Moody Blues are my favorite band. At least, they're my favorite band insofar as someone who listens to as much music as I do can ever have a favorite. They were the band that got me into music, they were the first band I remember liking, and they are the only band I have seen in concert three times. They mean a lot to me. And I know they're not "cool" in the way that bands like The Beatles or The Who or Led Zeppelin are; in fact, they're the very epitome of uncool. But I don't care. I will defend them to the ends of the earth, because in my opinion they are responsible for some of the most sublimely beautiful pop music ever recorded. As far as I'm concerned, if you can write a gorgeous pop song, you've won my heart forever. In the case of The Moody Blues, they've been writing them inexhaustibly for forty years.
I have chosen for this blog my three all-time favorite Moodies songs, all of which are superb enough to be starred entries. If you've been around me long enough, chances are you've heard 'em. If not, give 'em a try. I can't guarantee you'll like 'em, though I've spent so many years in such deep love with them that I can scarcely see how disliking them could be possible, but I have a feeling you might. Just a hunch. (By the way, this isn't to say you'll never see these guys on this blog again. Oh no. There are definitely more favorites. Many more.)
*The Moody Blues - "Nights in White Satin" (mp3|7.00MB)
The Moodies' indisputable career best, and one of the pinnacles of recorded music. For my money, this song sits in constant rotation with about half a dozen others in competition for the title of Greatest Song Ever Written. And Justin Hayward was only 20 when he wrote it (so, uh, what have you done lately?). Also, any arguments against Hayward's position as one of rock music's finest vocalists can be laid to rest right here. Everything is perfect here. Everything. It's not a fantastic song; it's fucking earth-shattering.
(from the 1967 album Days of Future Passed)
*The Moody Blues - "The Voice" (mp3|4.92MB)
They didn't write rockers. Whenever they tried, they really just came out sounding like more uptempo pop songs. "The Voice" was the best of these. It doesn't rock at all, but man, it pops hard. It's catchy, energetic, and somehow it still manages to pack a melodic punch that blows 99% of its competition clear out of the water. I even hear this one on the radio from time to time, if you can believe that. The next time it happens, you'll know that the distant but intense glow is coming from me.
(from the 1981 album Long Distance Voyager)
*The Moody Blues - "Your Wildest Dreams" (mp3|4.44MB)
They never had a "big hit," per ce (other than "Go Now," which really isn't a very good song and was actually recorded by a completely different group of people than were responsible for what I consider the real Moody Blues), but I guess this was pretty successful for them back in the day. It should have been a hell of a lot bigger. This is yet another swoon-worthy creation, so overflowing with melancholic beauty that it's almost overwhelming. And it has one of my favorite lyrics ever: "When the music plays / When the words are touched with sorrow / When the music plays / I hear the sound I had to follow / Once upon a time." Indeed.
(from the 1986 album The Other Side of Life)
To reiterate: I really frigging love The Moody Blues. In case this was at all unclear.
Okay, I'm tired. It's been a long weekend, and it's going to be an even longer week. (No, really. Think about it.) I'll see you folks later!
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