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This is the second of two albums that the Moody Blues recorded in 1969 and the first to be released on the Threshold label - the label that still hosts their releases in the UK.
'Children's' is another concept album. There are traces of psychedelic influences again (not surprising for the time it was written) . There are orchestral sounds and experimental arrangements. The lyrics are often open to interpretation. There is a theme pervading the whole disc which is pre-occupied with space, time, heredity and eternity. There are hints of the relativity and fragility of the lifetime of man, the lifetime of a planet (seen as a man) and the lifetime of the universe. It is also a programme album in the sense that the songs run one into the next without audible breaks between the tracks. The line up of the band remains Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Ray Thomas, Graeme Edge and Mike Pinder.
The running order and my personal assessment of each track follows:
1. Higher And Higher. ***
An explosive opening sound (lasting 1 minute 20 seconds) is gradually replaced by high flying voices. This is a rocker with an incessant driving beat and contains a Graeme Edge monologue memorable for its "Blasting, Billowing, Bursting Force with the power of ten billion butterfly sneezes". The song announces early man's arrival with the discovery of fire.
2. Eyes Of A Child. ***
A John Lodge song with a slow verse and a gentle upbeat chorus., There is a harp continuum countered by flutes.
3. Floating. ***
Ray Thomas provides a standard song with his simplistic words ("Bouncing about on the moon guess you'll all be up here soon. The candy stores will be brand new and you'll buy rock with the moon right through") but with pleasant enough harmonies. This gives a less serious, lighter counterweight to the surrounding songs.
4. Eyes Of A Child (Part 2) ***
The final verse of the song is a rocker (clearly distinct from track 2) with soaring voices in the harmonies.
5. I Never Thought I'd Live To Be A Hundred. ***
This is a short enigmatic song from Justin Hayward sung to a solo guitar accompaniment.
6. Beyond. ***
This is somewhat of a rarity - the Moody Blues instrumental track. Composed by Graeme Edge, it comes with short bursts of sound, synthesised noise and interludes driving rhythm. There is also good stereo engineering and channel separation on this track.
7. Out And In ****
Again there is the allusion to the passage of time and the journey through life theme here. This is a haunting, melodic sound backed with synthesisers and Mellotrons.
8. Gypsy. ****
Justin's mystical song has a driving beat with then backing of flutes and guitars.
9. Eternity Road ***
A gentle song with much more meaningful words from Ray Thomas has upbeat harmonies. It finishes with trills on the flute.
10. Candle Of Life. *****
If any, this is the seminal track of the album. It is one of John Lodge's most haunting song containing such sentiments as "We're only in the hands of time … burn slowly the candle of life".
11. Sun Is Still Shining ****
The track from Mike Pinder has an eastern sound and rhythm with sitar, percussion and synthesiser.
12. I Never Thought I'd Live To Be A Million. ***
A 32 second counterpart to track 5. Presumably the first song refers to man; the second to planet.
13. Watching and Waiting ****
This is a wistful and mystical song from Justin and Ray. The words suggest the lonely earth waiting for the eventual companionship of man. It has slow string sounds and a pulsing bass.
This is one of the defining discs of the first Moody's period. If you haven't listened to it for a long time (or never heard it before) give it a spin now.
TO OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN'S CHILDREN - The Moody Blues ( 1969) THRESHOLD CD820364-2 £ 7.99
[Chart information has been gleaned from "The Great Rock Discography" - Sixth Edition (2002) by M.C.Strong]
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It's "bursting forth" rather than "bursting force". I believe the million years is mankind as opposed to an individual man. For me the standout track is "Watching and Waiting"...it's interesting in the Justin and Ray co-operations how different they can be. My suspicion is that this is Ray lyrics combined with Justin music, probably the opposite of "Visions of Paradise" on Lost Chord.
man
jus and ray
Bigbaz 31.01.2003 22:53
A great album in my humble opinion. You never answered, how did you rate the Strawbs..Baz
christina44 31.01.2003 15:33
At last! An op that doesn't revolve around booze..lol..Good one!chrissie
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