Moody Blues: Days of Future Passed
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=116218
Printed Date: July 18 2025 at 14:05
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Topic: Moody Blues: Days of Future Passed
Posted By: SteveG
Subject: Moody Blues: Days of Future Passed
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 04:31
| For me, I don't believe that Renaissance's classical orchestration would have happened had not the Moody Blues come out first with DOFP in 1967 and having a re-emergence in 1972, one year before the release of Ashes Are Burning. Possible influence or not, what's you take on Days of Future Passed, more then 50 years after it was first released? |
Replies:
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 07:26
| I love the album, some great songs (Tuesday Afternoon!) and some very cheesy orchestral sections. Not quite the orchestra/rock band merger and it's mainly songs with orchestral bits in between. |
Posted By: Evolver
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 07:44
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"Aches are Burning"? When did Renaissance write about arthritis? ------------- Trust me. I know what I'm doing. |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 07:48
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chopper wrote:Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 08:06
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On an emotional level I can't connect that well to most songs on this album, but I find that the whole thing is put together in a very creative and tasteful manner, particularly the orchestral interludes. Despite the changes in instrumentation and approach it feels very organic to me. One can call the orchestral sections cheesy night and day but they work well together with these songs, so I find this combination fresh and inspiring. Surely it has taught some people about what can be done with band and orchestra, and be it by enticing them to go further.
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 11:00
 Damn auto correct!  ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 11:03
------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 11:10
------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 11:26
| Also I havenīt ever liked a lot about orchestral sections, to me they sounds quite typical of the time in not very serious classical music (mean to be light music in the back of some tv serie etc.). I think those orchestral sections is the reason why I prefer Moodies next four album instead of Days, although all the songs are really great. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 11:36
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I like the album, I prefer the way that The Who's Tommy (1969) was orchestrated (and better yet, the arrangements for the Atom Heart Mother suite). Keith West's Excerpt from a Teenage Opera in 1967 is interesting. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 11:36
yeah the orchestral sections to DOFP are cheesy but damn it, I love it!
------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: MrMHead
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 19:09
Gotta agree with AHM! I was more of an "In Search Of .." fan, but DOFP was a definite early influence ------------- No Civilization here. Tried it on but it would not fit. Seems only a thin veneer. A little rubbing and it comes off quick. - The Bears |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 20:34
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DoFP is one of my all-time favorites. If there is such a thing as beauty in rock music, then that album is a sterling example of it. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 21:28
| I just got Days of Future Passed a few years ago, and I do love it. Though indeed I could do without most of the orchestral bits... as well as the spoken words. I wonder how the early live versions when they played the songs that ended in the album sounded (or if they played the complete album live before or after it was released). |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: August 30 2018 at 22:34
| It sounds very dated these days but I like it anyway. Why is it dated? Not just the orchestra but the surf guitar sounds and bouncy positive vibe of the album which doesn't seem to take the psychedelic flavor into consideration even though it had already started and even with the "the smell of grass just makes me pass" line. Still, I think it's a great album even if it sounds like the band accidentally stumbled on something new. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 04:32
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And Graham Edge's closing poem, recited by Mike Pinder! It's still startling after 50 years!
------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 05:06
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Instead of "dated" one can also say that it bears the marks of its time very clearly and that this contributes to its interest. I'd call an album "dated" that I think one could have enjoyed more in the past but not so much anymore in the present because what was cool then is no longer cool but rather anachronistic and boring. However I wouldn't call an album "dated" that transports a certain atmosphere and approach of a time in such a way that it can now be appreciated as a historical document or a messenger of that time, as holds for DOFP. I mean, sure, nobody would make an album like this anymore and for good reason, but still...
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Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 05:21
| I think calling some music dated is very subjective thing. Also seemed already many years to be the way to try to make people think some old music is not important, at least as important as some new music. |
Posted By: Tero1
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 05:51
| Some guys in my dorm played it to death the first year in college so I did not bother with it. My favorite orchestral LPs of the time were Five Bridges and Procol Harum's attempt with an orchestra. Conquistador was quite effective. |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 05:55
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 06:48
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I find that it's more production than music that makes rock sound dated but perhaps that just me. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Fischman
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 10:47
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Easily one of my favorite albums of all time. Sometimes, I think it is the absolute #1 (fighting Moving Pictures/Images and Words for my top spot). Every thing about that album is spot on perfect. Ever song is outstanding, but even more valuable as a part of the whole package. The songwriting is stellar, the music magnificent, the orchestration stellar, the concept and its execution beyond reproach. The energy, the vocals, you name it.... all quite unbelievable. I could gush about this album on and on and on, but you get the picture.
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 11:41
^ No problem. This is the thread where's it's ok to go on and on!  ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 13:36
Well everyone has their opinions. I didn't mean dated in a bad way though. I was referring more to the production(ie use of strings, spoken word, lyrics etc)than the actual music itself.
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Posted By: Fischman
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 15:58
But it wasnt just the use of strings like was being put into pop recordings. This was complete integration with a full symphony orchestra. And it was the first time that had been done, but the concept is hardly dated as rock bands have recorded with orchestras ever since. Spoken word continues to this day as well. As for the lyrics, they are timeless. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 20:38
I remember when I was first introduced to Wakeman, with the album Arthur (before I got into prog), it did sound dated or something... and of course, just weird. Little by little I got to like it, until now it has become one of my favourite albums. And of course it doesn't sound dated at all to me now, though I guess I can understand where that impression came from in the first place. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 20:49
I agree.
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Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: August 31 2018 at 23:07
I have always loved quite raw production, in the eighties I started to love sixties and seventies music and really didnīt like that typical eighties plastic sounding production. Well, I quess many says now those eighties sounds dated, although the eighties have been trend quite recently. Also, in other forum there was thread about Trumans Water, that is nineties band and has lots of influences from Beefheart. Then somebody said it is really dated. Iīll quess to him the greatest music was 2000 sounding electro. I have been open minded always towards music, I donīt care is it new or old, but with my 40 years listening my thinking of whatīs great sounds and what not just havenīt changed.
I just donīt really care, is my music taste absolutely dated (I will believe there will be many who thinks so) All I care is that I want to listen music that sounds to me great. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: September 01 2018 at 21:09
| ^ I can hardly notice anymore if something is supposed to sound dated to other people. I just spend so much time listening to music from different decades (since the 60's, before that I haven't really gotten to know very much). About the 80's plastic production, I guess once again I have a reason to like live albums... mainly with Genesis from the 80's. Mostly their songs on studio versions do sound plastic an so... I guess it's got a good deal to do with the so called drum machine. But live they do play all the instruments (at least as far as I understand), and they do sound more alive, more real, and the drums are so much better. |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: September 01 2018 at 23:42
| ^I can stand some of the eighties plastic sounding albums just because the music is great although horrible production. But I believe I would listen those albums more often if they had better sounds. Also, I really love lo-fi drum machines! |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: September 02 2018 at 08:25
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80s plastic sound is a delight when used in the right way. (Sorry, back to topic...)
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: September 02 2018 at 20:55
Perhaps exactly if you could find some of those songs that you like in live versions, specially from concerts after the 80's, you could enjoy them better. |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: September 03 2018 at 02:22
| ^Thanx, but I am still studio album guy. And at the moment I have 60/70 mood going, not much interest on eighties (except some post punk greaties that doesnīt have plastic production). For example listened yesterday great Matching Mole first album, the Deviants third & also some Parliament & Joni Mitchell from the seventies! |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: September 03 2018 at 21:22
| ^ Just don't close your mind to checking out some live stuff from time to time, I would be missing some of my very favourite ones if I did that. Just to not go too far, there's Pink Floyd, specially pre-dark side... it's almost two different bands live and studio... and many of their songs for me are just incomplete in their studio versions after hearing the much greater live ones (Atom Heart Mother wouldn't be the case, though, for that one the studio one reigns supreme). |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: September 03 2018 at 21:59
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^Well, Pink Floyd has long been great exception in my studio/live -albums listenings. I have three bootlegs from them from 1967-1971, also listened a lot that Rainbow Theatre concert about Dark Side from 1972. For example Fat Old Sun in that 1971 live is absolutely terrific, a lot better than studio version!
Also, I got live recorded from Playhouse Theatre 1970 (Libest Spacement Monitor) where is really great version of Atom Heart, although they really play it same way as it is in the original album.
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Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: September 04 2018 at 15:01
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Wonderful album......great for 1967 and certainly must have influenced others. But I do find some of it to sound a bit dated....it could be the production or just the fact that it is from 1967 after all. Nights and Tuesday are still two of my favorite older pieces but I don't play it as often as the later Moody albums. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: grantman
Date Posted: October 28 2018 at 05:38
| Great album took the lead on rock groups, combining orchestra and rock merging making one amazing epic album |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: October 28 2018 at 06:21
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amazing album... one of the few 'rock' albums IMO that has the ability,that classical music often has, to really tug at one's emotions and enrich the soul ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |