Seventh Sojourn
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Seventh Sojourn | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 23 October 1972 (UK) 17 November 1972 (US) | |||
Recorded | January–September 1972 | |||
Studio | Decca Studios, Tollington Park, London | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 39:29 | |||
Label | Threshold | |||
Producer | Tony Clarke | |||
The Moody Blues chronology | ||||
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Singles from Seventh Sojourn | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | (favorable)[2] |
Uncut | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Seventh Sojourn is the eighth album by the Moody Blues, released in 1972.
Music and lyrics[]
Although the album's lyrics address political concerns, in the 1990 documentary The Moody Blues: Legend of a Band, bassist John Lodge described "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" as a response to fans who mistakenly read guru-like wisdom into the Moodies' lyrics.
Instrumentally, singer/keyboardist Mike Pinder, in addition to the Mellotron used on previous Moody Blues albums, used a similar keyboard device called the Chamberlin.
Reception[]
Seventh Sojourn reached #5 in the United Kingdom, and became the band's first American chart topper, spending five weeks at #1 to close out 1972.
Two hit singles came from this album: "Isn't Life Strange" (#13 UK, #29 US) and "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" (#36 UK, #12 US). However, both songs were overshadowed by the re-release of "Nights in White Satin," which had been first released in 1967. Whereas both singles from Seventh Sojourn made the top 40, "Nights In White Satin" bested both, hitting #9 in the UK and #2 in the United States and gaining the highest American chart position for a Moody Blues single.
Aftermath[]
As this album proved difficult to record, with a 1973 follow-up quickly shelved after inception, the group decided to go on hiatus after their tour of Asia in 1974 (Mike Pinder's last tour with the group), before reuniting in 1977 for Octave (1978) and its subsequent tour without Pinder.
In April 2007 the album was remastered into SACD format and repackaged with four extra tracks. "Island", the fourth bonus track, is an unfinished recording from 1973, made during the brief sessions for a follow-up album that never happened.[4]
In 2008 a remaster for standard audio CD was issued with the same bonus tracks.
Track listing[]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
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1. | "Lost in a Lost World" | Mike Pinder | Pinder | 4:42 |
2. | "New Horizons" | Justin Hayward | Hayward | 5:11 |
3. | "For My Lady" | Ray Thomas | Thomas | 3:58 |
4. | "Isn't Life Strange" | John Lodge | Lodge, Hayward | 6:09 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
5. | "You and Me" | Hayward, Graeme Edge | Hayward, Thomas, Pinder | 4:21 |
6. | "The Land of Make-Believe" | Hayward | Hayward | 4:52 |
7. | "When You're a Free Man" | Pinder | Pinder | 6:06 |
8. | "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" | Lodge | Lodge | 4:18 |
Total length: | 39:29 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
9. | "Isn't Life Strange" (original version) | Lodge | 8:10 |
10. | "You and Me" (Beckthorns backing track) | Hayward, Edge | 6:33 |
11. | "Lost in a Lost World" (instrumental demo) | Pinder | 4:41 |
12. | "Island" (previously unreleased) | Hayward | 4:30 |
Personnel[]
- Justin Hayward ― vocals, guitars
- John Lodge ― vocals, bass, acoustic guitar
- Ray Thomas ― vocals, flute, tambourine, saxophone, oboe
- Graeme Edge ― drums, percussion, vocals
- Mike Pinder ― vocals, Chamberlin, piano, harmonium
Production[]
- Producer - Tony Clarke
- Recording engineers - Derek Varnals and Tony Clarke ("Isn't Life Strange")
- Assistant engineer - David Baker
- Cover and liner art - Phil Travers
- Innersleeve - The Moodies
- All instruments played by The Moody Blues
- Recorded at Tollington Park Studios, London
Charts[]
Album[]
Year | Chart | Position |
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1972 | UK Albums Chart | 5 |
Billboard 200 | 1 | |
Danish Albums Chart[5] | 4 |
Singles[]
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1972 | "Isn't Life Strange" | UK Singles Chart | 13 |
Billboard Hot 100 | 29 | ||
"I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" | UK Singles Chart | 36 | |
Billboard Hot 100 | 12 |
Notes[]
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ "Rolling Stone review". Archived from the original on 6 June 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2012.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- ^ David Stubbs Uncut, May 2007, Issue 120
- ^ "JUSTIN HAYWARD ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS!". The Moody Blues | Official Site. 17 March 2011.
- ^ http://danskehitlister.dk/?song_id=6326
- The Moody Blues albums
- 1972 albums
- Threshold Records albums
- Albums produced by Tony Clarke (record producer)