"Dawning Is the Day" | |
---|---|
Song by The Moody Blues | |
from the album A Question of Balance | |
Released | 1970 |
Recorded | 1 and 2 June 1970 |
Genre | Progressive Rock |
Length | 4:22 |
Label | Threshold |
Songwriter(s) | Justin Hayward |
Producer(s) | Tony Clarke |
"Dawning Is the Day" is a song written by Justin Hayward that was first released on the Moody Blues' 1970 album A Question of Balance .
"Dawning Is the Day" was one of the last songs recorded for A Question of Balance, on 1 and 2 June 1970. [1] The recording used some trickery to capture Hayward's high speed guitar strumming, playing the tape at half speed while recording the part. [1] The tape was played at 7+1⁄2 inches per second to record and then played back at 15 inches per second to speed it up, similar to the technique the Chipmunks use to get their high pitched sound. [1]
Music journalist Geoffrey Freakes described the lyrics as "a simple but joyous celebration of life; wake up, put your troubles behind and appreciate the world around you." [2] Lyrics such as "No one tells the wind which way to blow" exhort the listener to accept facts that are beyond their control. [3] Humanities professor Dirk Dunbar said that the song "[identifies] the human journey as leading toward a revelation and acceptance of nature's way." [4]
The song is a ballad based on Hayward's acoustic guitar. [2] Allmusic critic Lindsay Planer described it as an example of the band's "slightly folksier sound." [5] Moody Blues biographer Marc Cushman described the song as a "gentle and lovely song [that] is surprisingly punctuated by louder-than-expected drum rolls from Graeme Edge. [6] Musicologist Walter Everett believed that "Dawning Is the Day" was modeled on the Beatles' "Mother Nature's Son", particularly citing the "chromatic descent over the tonic at 'Miss Misty Meadow, you will find your way.'" [7]
Freakes praised Edge's drum pattern, which he compared to that of the Beatles' "A Day in the Life". [2] Edge said of his drumming:
What I enjoy about [Justin Hayward's] work is the depth of emotion, the soul, and the obvious effort that has been put into writing the song. With regard to the drums, his songs really don't want hitting-every-drum-in-sight Keith Moon fills. The word "delicate" comes to mind. There's great satisfaction in holding a simple beat right to the edge of monotony and then giving the song a release in the right place, kicking it on. [6]
Freakes also particularly praised the middle eight instrumentation of flute, Mellotron strings and piano chords. [2] He also found the ending of the song "particularly effective", with the line "Listen, we think we have found you" backed by a Mediterranean-sounding mandolin and acoustic guitar. [2]
Variety and Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times both considered "Dawning Is the Day" one of the best songs on A Question of Balance. [6] [8] Disc and Music Echo also praised the song, especially for Edge's drumming. [6] In his review of Paul McCartney's album Ram , Berwyn Life critic Steve Sparacio praised the "We believe that we can't be wrong" chorus on "Back Seat of My Car", saying that the only comparable chorus he has heard is the "We think we have found you" chorus on "Dawning Is the Day". [9]
Planer said that "Lyrically, the song’s organic nature is reflected in its easy flowing melody" and particularly praised Edge's drumming and Hayward's guitar playing. [5]
A few years after the song's release, it was used in a recruiting commercial for the U.S. Air Force. [1] The band had not given permission for its use and stopped it when they found out. [1] [10] According to keyboardist Mike Pinder in 1996:
They stole it. We didn't like that at all. I took it badly because, for me, the sentiment of the song is one of the best we ever did. From the lyrical content, there's so much heart and soul in there, and it was such a positive message for the time, and still is today, in my estimation. It is one of my all-time-favorite Hayward songs. In fact, I was singing over his shoulder in parts of that song. I was just standing right behind him singing over his shoulder as a warm backup kind of thing. [1]
"Dawning Is the Day" has appeared on several Moody Blues compilation albums, including Time Traveller in 1994. [5]
Hayward included "Dawning Is the Day" in some of his live solo concerts in the 21st century. [2]
The Moody Blues were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in May 1964. The band initially consisted of Graeme Edge (drums), Denny Laine (guitar/vocals), Mike Pinder (keyboards/vocals), Ray Thomas (multi-instrumentalist/vocals), and Clint Warwick (bass/vocals). Originally part of the British beat and R&B scene of the early–mid 1960s, the band came to prominence with the UK No. 1 and US Top 10 single "Go Now" in late 1964/early 1965. Laine and Warwick both left the band in 1966, with Edge, Pinder and Thomas recruiting new members Justin Hayward (guitar/vocals) and John Lodge (bass/vocals). They embraced the psychedelic rock movement of the late 1960s, with their second album, 1967's Days of Future Passed, being a fusion of rock with classical music that established the band as pioneers in the development of art rock and progressive rock. It has been described as a "landmark" and "one of the first successful concept albums".
A Question of Balance is the sixth album by the Moody Blues, released in 1970. The album reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom and No. 3 in the United States.
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour is the seventh album by The Moody Blues, released in 1971. The album reached No. 1 on the British album chart, in addition to a three-week stay at No. 2 in the United States, and produced one top-40 single, "The Story in Your Eyes".
Graeme Charles Edge was an English musician, songwriter and poet, best known as the co-founder and drummer of the English band the Moody Blues. In addition to his work with the Moody Blues, Edge worked as the bandleader of his own outfit, the Graeme Edge Band. He contributed his talents to a variety of other projects throughout his career. In 2018, Edge was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.
"Veteran Cosmic Rocker" is a 1981 song by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues. It was written by the band's flautist Ray Thomas. "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" first appeared as the final track of the Moody Blues' 1981 album Long Distance Voyager, and was later released in November 1981 on the B-Side of "Talking Out of Turn."
"The Voice" is a song written by Justin Hayward that was first released on the Moody Blues' 1981 album Long Distance Voyager and also as its second single. The song continued the success of previous single "Gemini Dream", becoming a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 15 in October 1981. The song had previously topped the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart for four weeks during June–July 1981. The song also reached No. 9 in Canada.
"For My Lady" is a song written by Ray Thomas that was released on the Moody Blues 1972 album Seventh Sojourn. It was also released as the B-side to the single "I'm Just a Singer ".
"Question" is a 1970 single by the English progressive rock band the Moody Blues. It was written by guitarist Justin Hayward, who provides lead vocals. "Question" was first released as a single in April 1970 and remains their second highest-charting song in the UK, reaching number two and staying on the chart for 12 weeks. The song reached number 21 on the Billboard Top 40 in the USA. It was later featured as the lead track on the 1970 album A Question of Balance. The single also features the song "Candle of Life" on its B-side, which was from the Moody Blues' previous album To Our Children's Children's Children.
"Gemini Dream" is a song written by Justin Hayward and John Lodge that was released by The Moody Blues on their 1981 album Long Distance Voyager and also as the lead single from the album. It reached number 12 on the US Hot 100, as well as number 1 on the Canada RPM Top 100 Singles chart. It ranked as the 28th biggest Canadian hit of 1981.
"Talking Out of Turn" is a 1981 single written by John Lodge and first released by the Moody Blues on their 1981 album Long Distance Voyager. It was also released as the third single from the album in November 1981 with "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" on the B-side.
"The Other Side of Life" is a 1986 single written by Justin Hayward and first released by The Moody Blues in May 1986 as the title track on the album The Other Side of Life. It was released as a single in August 1986, the second single released from the album, the first being "Your Wildest Dreams". After its release, it became a modest success in the United States, making #11 and #18 on the adult contemporary and mainstream rock charts respectively. It also reached #58 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
"Blue World" is a 1983 single by the Moody Blues written by Justin Hayward. It was first released in the UK as the lead single of the album The Present in August 1983. It was released as single in the US in the Fall of 1983. "Blue World" was one of three singles from The Present, with the others being "Sitting at the Wheel" and "Running Water." The single's cover is a pastiche of the painting Daybreak by Maxfield Parrish.
"Sitting at the Wheel" is a 1983 hit single by The Moody Blues, written by John Lodge. It was released in the US as the lead-off single from The Present in August 1983 and debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 3, 1983. In the UK, "Sitting at the Wheel" was released in November 1983 as the second single from The Present, following "Blue World".
Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 is a live album by the Moody Blues that consists of their live performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. The album was released in 2008.
Michael Thomas Pinder was an English rock musician. He was a founding member and the original keyboard player of the rock group the Moody Blues. He left the group following the recording of the band's ninth album Octave in 1978. Pinder was renowned for his technological contributions to rock music, most notably in the development and emergence of the Mellotron in 1960s rock music. In 2018, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues. He was the last surviving member of the group's original lineup.
Days of Future Passed Live is a live album by The Moody Blues that consists of their live performance at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto in 2017. The album was released on 23 March 2018.
"Meanwhile" is a song written by Justin Hayward that was released on the Moody Blues 1981 album Long Distance Voyager. Although never released as a single, it reached #11 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
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