In Search of the Lost Chord

In Search of the Lost Chord
In Search of the Lost Chord
Studio album by The Moody Blues
Released	26 July 1968
Recorded	January–June 1968
Studio	Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London
Genre	Psychedelic rock, progressive rock
Length	42:07
Label	Deram
Producer	Tony Clarke
The Moody Blues chronology
Singles from In Search of the Lost Chord
	"Voices in the Sky"; Released: 28 June 1968; "Ride My See-Saw"; Released: 12 October 1968;

In Search of the Lost Chord is the third album by The Moody Blues, released in July 1968 on the Deram label.

Content[]

In Search of the Lost Chord is a concept album around a broad theme of quest and discovery, including world exploration ("Dr. Livingstone, I Presume"), music and philosophy through the ages ("House of Four Doors"), lost love ("The Actor"), spiritual development ("Voices in the Sky"), knowledge in a changing world ("Ride My See-Saw"), higher consciousness ("Legend of a Mind"), imagination ("The Best Way to Travel"), and space exploration ("Departure"). Space exploration would go on to become the theme of the group's 1969 album To Our Children's Children's Children, inspired by and dedicated to the Apollo 11 mission. The mysterious "lost chord" of the title is revealed to be the mantra "Om" (in the last stanza of Graeme Edge's poem "The Word"). According to keyboardist Mike Pinder, the title was inspired by Jimmy Durante's humorous song "I'm the Guy that Found the Lost Chord", itself a reference to "The Lost Chord" by Sir Arthur Sullivan.^[1]

Recording[]

Sessions for the album commenced in January 1968 with the recording of Thomas's "Legend of a Mind". Whereas the London Festival Orchestra had supplemented the group on Days of Future Passed, the Moody Blues played all instruments themselves (approximately 33) on In Search of the Lost Chord.^[2] Indian instruments such as the sitar (played by guitarist Justin Hayward), the tambura (played by Mike Pinder) and the tabla (played by drummer and percussionist Graeme Edge) made audio appearances on several tracks (notably "Departure", "Visions of Paradise" and "Om"). Other instruments unusual for this group were also used, notably the oboe (played by percussionist/flute player Ray Thomas) and the cello (played by bassist John Lodge, who tuned it as a bass guitar). The mellotron, played by Pinder, produced many string and horn embellishments.^{[citation needed]}

Having already experimented with spoken word interludes on "Morning Glory" and "Late Lament" on Days of Future Passed, the group tried the practice again on the Graeme Edge-penned pieces "Departure" and "The Word". The latter was recited by Pinder, who was the primary reciter of Edge's poems on this and other Moody Blues albums. "Departure", which escalates from mumbling to hysterical laughter obscuring the final words (presumably "to find the lost chord"), is a rare studio example of Edge reciting his own words.^{[citation needed]}

Release[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
Music-News	^[4]
Rolling Stone	(mixed)^[5]
Sputnikmusic	4/5^[6]

In Search of the Lost Chord was released on 26 July 1968. It peaked at number 5 in the UK Albums Chart^[7] and reached number 23 on the Billboard 200.^[8] Neither of the two singles from the album, "Ride My See-Saw" and "Voices in the Sky", charted in the top 40 on the Billboard charts, although the latter reached number 27 on the UK singles chart.

In Search of the Lost Chord was remastered into SACD in March 2006 and repackaged into a 2-CD Deluxe Edition. Although the other Moody Blues albums released in Deluxe Editions in 2006 featured their original quadrophonic mix (encoded as 5.1 surround sound), In Search of the Lost Chord had never been released in this format, and a new mix was not released until 2018 when a 5.1 mix was released as part of the 50th anniversary box set.^[9] In 2008, a remaster for single standard audio CD was issued with the nine bonus tracks.

In November 2018, the album was reissued as a five-disc In Search of the Lost Chord - 50th Anniversary Box Deluxe Edition set.

Legacy[]

In the Q and Mojo Classic Special Edition Pink Floyd & The Story of Prog Rock, the album was placed at number 37 in its list of "40 Cosmic Rock Albums".^[10]

Track listing[]

Side One
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Departure"	Edge	Edge (narration)	0:44
2.	"Ride My See-Saw"	Lodge	Lodge, Thomas, Hayward, Pinder	3:38
3.	"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume"	Thomas	Thomas	2:58
4.	"House of Four Doors"	Lodge	Lodge	4:13
5.	"Legend of a Mind"	Thomas	Thomas	6:37
6.	"House of Four Doors (Part 2)"	Lodge	Lodge	1:42

Side Two
No.	Title	Writer(s)		Length
1.	"Voices in the Sky"	Hayward	Hayward	3:30
2.	"The Best Way to Travel"	Pinder	Pinder	3:12
3.	"Visions of Paradise"	Hayward, Thomas	Hayward	4:15
4.	"The Actor"	Hayward	Hayward	4:39
5.	"The Word"	Edge	Pinder (narration)	0:49
6.	"Om"	Pinder	Pinder, Thomas	5:47

2006 SACD Deluxe Edition bonus disc
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Departure" (Alternate mix)	Edge	0:55
2.	"The Best Way to Travel" (Additional vocal mix)	Pinder	4:03
3.	"Legend of a Mind" (Alternate mix)	Thomas	6:43
4.	"Visions of Paradise" (Instrumental version)	Hayward, Thomas	4:30
5.	"What Am I Doing Here?" (Original version)	Hayward	3:53
6.	"The Word" (Mellotron mix)	Edge	1:01
7.	"Om" (Extended version)	Pinder	6:07
8.	"A Simple Game" (Justin Hayward vocal mix)	Pinder	3:26
9.	"King and Queen" (1968 studio recording)	Hayward	3:53
10.	"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume" (BBC Top Gear session, 16 July 1968)	Thomas	2:57
11.	"Voices in the Sky" (BBC Top Gear session, 16 July 1968)	Hayward	3:52
12.	"Thinking is the Best Way to Travel" (BBC Top Gear session, 16 July 1968)	Pinder	3:38
13.	"Ride My See-Saw" (BBC Top Gear session, 16 July 1968)	Lodge	3:49
14.	"Tuesday Afternoon" (BBC Afternoon Pop Show 7/10/68)	Hayward	3:23
15.	"A Simple Game" (1968 single 'B' side)	Pinder	3:44

2008 Single Standard CD Remaster bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
13.	"A Simple Game" (Justin Hayward vocal mix)	Pinder	3:26
14.	"The Best Way to Travel" (Additional vocal mix)	Pinder	4:03
15.	"Visions of Paradise" (Instrumental version)	Hayward, Thomas	4:30
16.	"What Am I Doing Here?" (Original version)	Hayward	3:53
17.	"The Word" (Mellotron mix)	Edge	1:01
18.	"Om" (Extended Version)	Pinder	6:07
19.	"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume" (BBC Top Gear session, 16 July 1968)	Thomas	2:57
20.	"Thinking is the Best Way to Travel" (BBC Top Gear session, 16 July 1968)	Pinder	3:38
21.	"A Simple Game" (1968 single B-side)	Pinder	3:44

2018 In Search of the Lost Chord (50th anniversary CD)

CD – The original stereo mix & bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Departure" (Original stereo mix)	0:46
2.	"Ride My See-Saw" (Original stereo mix)	3:39
3.	"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume" (Original stereo mix)	2:58
4.	"House of Four Doors" (Original stereo mix)	4:13
5.	"Legend of a Mind" (Original stereo mix)	6:36
6.	"House of Four Doors (Part 2)" (Original stereo mix)	1:47
7.	"Voices in the Sky" (Original stereo mix)	3:29
8.	"The Best Way to Travel" (Original stereo mix)	3:15
9.	"Visions of Paradise" (Original stereo mix)	4:15
10.	"The Actor" (Original stereo mix)	4:39
11.	"The Word" (Original stereo mix)	0:49
12.	"Om" (Original stereo mix)	5:50
13.	"Voices in the Sky" (mono)	3:27
14.	"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume" (mono)	2:50
15.	"Ride My See Saw" (mono - previously unreleased on CD)	3:46
16.	"A Simple Game" (stereo)	3:47
17.	"Legend of a Mind" (mono mix – previously unreleased)	6:41

2018 In Search of the Lost Chord (50th anniversary deluxe set)

Disc: 1 – The original stereo mix & bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Departure" (Original stereo mix)	0:45
2.	"Ride My See-Saw" (Original stereo mix)	3:39
3.	"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume" (Original stereo mix)	2:58
4.	"House of Four Doors" (Original stereo mix)	4:13
5.	"Legend of a Mind" (Original stereo mix)	6:36
6.	"House of Four Doors (Part 2)" (Original stereo mix)	1:47
7.	"Voices in the Sky" (Original stereo mix)	3:28
8.	"The Best Way to Travel" (Original stereo mix)	3:14
9.	"Visions of Paradise" (Original stereo mix)	4:15
10.	"The Actor" (Original stereo mix)	4:39
11.	"The Word" (Original stereo mix)	0:49
12.	"Om" (Original stereo mix)	5:50
13.	"Voices in the Sky" (mono)	3:27
14.	"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume" (mono)	2:49
15.	"Ride My See Saw" (mono - previously unreleased on CD)	3:45
16.	"A Simple Game" (stereo)	3:46
17.	"Legend of a Mind" (mono mix – previously unreleased)	6:40

Disc: 2 – new stereo mix and new vocal mix / remastered
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Departure" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	0:46
2.	"Ride My See-Saw" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	3:40
3.	"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	2:56
4.	"House of Four Doors" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	4:12
5.	"Legend of a Mind" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	6:36
6.	"House of Four Doors (Part 2)" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	1:48
7.	"Voices in the Sky" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	3:30
8.	"The Best Way to Travel" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	3:12
9.	"Visions of Paradise" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	4:12
10.	"The Actor" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	4:56
11.	"The Word" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	0:49
12.	"Om" ("In Search of the Lost Chord" new stereo mix)	5:51
13.	"A Simple Game" (Justin Hayward vocal mix / remastered 2018)	3:44

Disc: 3 – BBC Radio One *Top Gear* session / various extra mixes
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume" (BBC Radio One Top Gear session / 1968)	2:59
2.	"Voices in the Sky" (BBC Radio One Top Gear session / 1968)	3:53
3.	"The Best Way to Travel" (BBC Radio One Top Gear session / 1968)	3:39
4.	"Ride My See-Saw" (BBC Radio One Top Gear session / 1968)	3:50
5.	"Tuesday Afternoon" (BBC Radio One John Peel Top Gear session – 16 July 1968)	3:24
6.	"Departure" (Alternate mix – mixed at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, September 1968)	0:54
7.	"The Best way to Travel" (Additional vocal mix – mixed at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, September 1968)	4:03
8.	"Legend of a Mind" (Alternate mix – mixed at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, September 1968)	6:45
9.	"Visions of Paradise" (Instrumental mix – mixed at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, September 1968)	4:30
10.	"The Word" (Mellotron mix – mixed at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, September 1968)	1:02
11.	"Om" (Extended mix – mixed at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, September 1968)	6:08
12.	"King and Queen" (Mixed at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, September 1968)	3:54
13.	"Gimmie a Little Something" (Mixed at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, September 1968)	3:12
14.	"What Am I Doing Here?" (Full version – mixed at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, September 1968)	3:54
15.	"A Simple Game" (Justin Hayward vocal version – mixed at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, September 1968)	3:26

Disc: 4 – DVD "In Search of the Lost Chord" 96 kHz / 24-bit 5.1 Surround, new Stereo mix and re-mastered original stereo mix
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Departure"	0:45
2.	"Ride My See-Saw"	3:38
3.	"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume"	2:59
4.	"House of Four Doors"	4:12
5.	"Legend of a Mind"	6:37
6.	"House of Four Doors (Part 2)"	1:47
7.	"Voices in the Sky"	3:29
8.	"The Best Way to Travel"	3:14
9.	"Visions of Paradise"	4:12
10.	"The Actor"	4:56
11.	"The Word"	0:49
12.	"Om"	5:46
13.	"A Simple Game" (Justin Hayward vocal version)	3:44
14.	"Departure" (Remastered original stereo mix)	0:44
15.	"Ride My See-Saw" (Remastered original stereo mix)	3:39
16.	"Dr. Livingston, I Presume" (Remastered original stereo mix)	2:58
17.	"House of Four Doors" (Remastered original stereo mix)	4:13
18.	"Legend of a Mind" (Remastered original stereo mix)	6:37
19.	"House of Four Doors (Part 2)" (Remastered original stereo mix)	1:46
20.	"Voices in the Sky" (Remastered original stereo mix)	3:28
21.	"The Best Way to Travel" (Remastered original stereo mix)	3:14
22.	"Visions of Paradise" (Remastered original stereo mix)	4:15
23.	"The Actor" (Remastered original stereo mix)	4:39
24.	"The Word" (Remastered original stereo mix)	0:49
25.	"Om" (Remastered original stereo mix)	5:47

Disc: 5 – DVD Visual content
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Introduction" (Live on ORTF "Ce Soir on Danse: The Moody Blues" – 13 July 1968)
2.	"Tuesday Afternoon" (Live on ORTF "Ce Soir on Danse: The Moody Blues" – 13 July 1968)	4:42
3.	"Nights in White Satin" (Live on ORTF "Ce Soir on Danse: The Moody Blues" – 13 July 1968)	4:41
4.	"Legend of a Mind (end section)" (Live on ORTF "Ce Soir on Danse: The Moody Blues" – 13 July 1968)	3:05
5.	"Bye Bye Bird" (Live on ORTF "Ce Soir on Danse: The Moody Blues" – 13 July 1968)	4:50
6.	"Fly Me High" (Live on ORTF "Ce Soir on Danse: The Moody Blues" – 13 July 1968)	6:43
7.	"I’ve Got a Dream" (Live on ORTF "Ce Soir on Danse: The Moody Blues" – 13 July 1968)	3:23
8.	"A Beautiful Dream" (Live on ORTF "Ce Soir on Danse: The Moody Blues" – 13 July 1968)	4:13
9.	"Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood" (Live on ORTF "Ce Soir on Danse: The Moody Blues" – 13 July 1968)	3:33
10.	"Peak Hour" (Live on ORTF "Ce Soir on Danse: The Moody Blues" – 13 July 1968)	6:11
11.	"Nights in White Satin" (Live on ORTF "Ce Soir on Danse: The Moody Blues" – 13 July 1968)	4:44
12.	"Departure/Ride My See-Saw" (BBC TV "Colour Me Pop: In Search of the Lost Chord" – 14 September 1968)	3:51
13.	"Dr. Livingstone I Presume" (BBC TV "Colour Me Pop: In Search of the Lost Chord" – 14 September 1968)	2:57
14.	"House of Four Doors" (BBC TV "Colour Me Pop: In Search of the Lost Chord" – 14 September 1968)	5:54
15.	"Voices in the Sky" (BBC TV "Colour Me Pop: In Search of the Lost Chord" – 14 September 1968)	3:24
16.	"The Best Way to Travel" (BBC TV "Colour Me Pop: In Search of the Lost Chord" – 14 September 1968)	3:19
17.	"Visions of Paradise / The Actor" (BBC TV "Colour Me Pop: In Search of the Lost Chord" – 14 September 1968)	3:01
18.	"Om" (BBC TV "Colour Me Pop: In Search of the Lost Chord" – 14 September 1968)	2:01
19.	"Dr. Livingstone, I Presume" (Live on ORTF: "Carte D'or" – 29 October 1968)	3:02
20.	"Ride My See Saw" (Live on ORTF: "Carte D'or" – 29 October 1968)	3:52

Personnel[]

Musicians[]

Mike Pinder – vocals, Mellotron, piano, harpsichord, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, cello, autoharp, tambura, spoken vocals
Ray Thomas – vocals, C flute, alto flute, soprano saxophone, oboe, French horn, tambourine
Justin Hayward – vocals, guitars, sitar, harpsichord, bass, percussion, Mellotron, piano
John Lodge – vocals, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, cello, snare drum, tambourine
Graeme Edge - vocals, drums, timpani, tambourine, piano, percussion, tabla, spoken vocal

Technical[]

Tony Clarke – liner notes, production
Derek Varnals – engineering
Adrian Martins – assistant engineer
Phil Travers – cover design, cover painting^[11]

Chart positions[]

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1968	UK Albums Chart	5
1968	Billboard 200	23

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1968	"Voices in the Sky"	UK Singles Chart	27
	"Ride My See-Saw"	UK Singles Chart	42
	"Ride My See-Saw"	Billboard Hot 100	61

References[]

^ Moody Blues documentary, 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKP3sYEUAm0
^ "Answers - The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions". Retrieved 25 December 2016.
^ Eder, Bruce. "In Search of the Lost Chord". Allmusic. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
^ Quinn, Kevin. "The Moody Blues-In Search of the Lost Chord". Music-News. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
^ "The Moody Blues: In Search of the Lost Chord : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". 6 June 2008. Archived from the original on 6 June 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ "The Moody Blues: In Search of the Lost Chord".
^ "Moody Blues | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
^ Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Albums, p.214 (revised & enlarged 3rd ed. 1995).
^ 2018 box set
^ Q Classic: Pink Floyd & The Story of Prog Rock, 2005.
^ "In Search of the Lost Chord - The Moody Blues - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 September 2018.

External links[]

In Search of the Lost Chord at Discogs (list of releases)

[1] Moody Blues documentary, 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKP3sYEUAm0

[2] "Answers - The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions". Retrieved 25 December 2016.

[3] Eder, Bruce. "In Search of the Lost Chord". Allmusic. Retrieved 22 October 2018.

[4] Quinn, Kevin. "The Moody Blues-In Search of the Lost Chord". Music-News. Retrieved 10 February 2019.

[5] "The Moody Blues: In Search of the Lost Chord : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". 6 June 2008. Archived from the original on 6 June 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

[6] "The Moody Blues: In Search of the Lost Chord".

[UK_chart-7] "Moody Blues | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts. Retrieved 12 June 2016.

[8] Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Albums, p.214 (revised & enlarged 3rd ed. 1995).

[9] 2018 box set

[10] Q Classic: Pink Floyd & The Story of Prog Rock, 2005.

[11] "In Search of the Lost Chord - The Moody Blues - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 September 2018.

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v t The Moody Blues
Graeme Edge Mike Pinder Ray Thomas Justin Hayward John Lodge Denny Laine Clint Warwick Rodney Clark Patrick Moraz
Studio albums	The Magnificent Moodies Days of Future Passed In Search of the Lost Chord On the Threshold of a Dream To Our Children's Children's Children A Question of Balance Every Good Boy Deserves Favour Seventh Sojourn Octave Long Distance Voyager The Present The Other Side of Life Sur la Mer Keys of the Kingdom Strange Times December
Live albums	Caught Live + 5 A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra Hall of Fame Lovely to See You: Live Live at the BBC: 1967-1970 Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 Days of Future Passed Live
Compilations	This Is The Moody Blues Voices in the Sky: The Best of The Moody Blues Prelude Greatest Hits Time Traveller The Best of The Moody Blues Anthology Gold An Introduction to The Moody Blues
Singles	"Go Now" "I Don't Want to Go On Without You" "Nights in White Satin" "Tuesday Afternoon" "Voices in the Sky" "Ride My See-Saw" "Never Comes the Day" "Watching and Waiting" "Question" "The Story in Your Eyes" "Isn't Life Strange" "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" "Steppin' in a Slide Zone" "Driftwood" "Gemini Dream" "The Voice" "Talking Out of Turn" "Blue World" "Sitting at the Wheel" "Your Wildest Dreams" "The Other Side of Life" "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" "No More Lies" "Say It with Love" "Bless the Wings (That Bring You Back)" "English Sunset"
Related articles	Band members Discography Threshold Records Justin Hayward and Friends Sing the Moody Blues Classic Hits Moody Bluegrass Blue Jays