 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(July 2010) |
| "Higher and Higher" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Moody Blues | |
| from the album To Our Children's Children's Children | |
| Released | 21 November 1969 |
| Recorded | May–September 1969 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:06 |
| Label | Threshold |
| Songwriter(s) | Graeme Edge |
| Producer(s) | Tony Clarke |
| Official audio | |
| "Higher and Higher" on YouTube | |
"Higher and Higher" is the opening track of the Moody Blues 1969 album To Our Children's Children's Children , a concept album about space travel.
The verses of the song are spoken by Mike Pinder, rather than sung. Sound effects of a rocket launching begin the song and last for the first minute.
"Higher and Higher" was also the Moody Blues' first full length song that was written by the band's drummer Graeme Edge. Edge was usually the writer of short spoken-word interludes that appeared at the beginning and end of previous albums. In the recordings, they were usually recited by Mike Pinder.
The album was one of those listened to, on cassette tape, by the crew of Apollo 15 in 1971. [1]
The Moody Blues were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 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".
On the Threshold of a Dream is the fourth album by the Moody Blues, released in April 1969 on the Deram label. The album reached the top of the album charts, the group's first No. 1 album in the UK. According to guitarist Justin Hayward, "I think Threshold is the defining album for the Moody Blues. And it's the one in the '60's that you would find in people's homes when you went, they would have that album."
To Our Children's Children's Children is the fifth album by the Moody Blues, released in November 1969.
The Magnificent Moodies is the 1965 debut album by British rock band the Moody Blues, released on Decca Records.
Raymond Thomas was an English musician, singer and songwriter. He was best known as a founding member of the English progressive rock band the Moody Blues. His flute solo on the band's 1967 hit single "Nights in White Satin" is regarded as one of progressive rock's defining moments. In 2018, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.
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.
"Ride My See-Saw" is a 1968 single by the English progressive rock band the Moody Blues. It was written by the band's bassist John Lodge, and was first released on the Moody Blues' 1968 album In Search of the Lost Chord. It was the second of two singles from that album, the other being "Voices in the Sky".
"Never Comes the Day" is a 1969 single by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues. It was written by band member Justin Hayward, and was the only single released from their 1969 album On the Threshold of a Dream.
"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.
"Floating" is a song by the Moody Blues from their November 1969 album To Our Children's Children's Children, a concept album about space travel, dedicated to NASA and the Apollo 11 astronauts.
Anthology is a compilation album by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues. It was released in the US on 20 October 1998. It was not released in the UK until 2001 under the title The Collection with different artwork but with the same tracks as the US release.
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues, released in 1989. The band recorded new versions of "Isn't Life Strange" and "Question" with orchestration by the London Symphony Orchestra. The arrangements were overseen by Anne Dudley, who also produced the recordings with Justin Hayward and John Lodge. In 1990, only a year after its original release, the album was re-released as Legend of a Band: The Story of the Moody Blues with different artwork to coincide with the release of the home video documentary of the same name.
"Om" is a song by the British progressive rock band the Moody Blues that was released in July 1968 as the final track of their album In Search of the Lost Chord. It was composed by the band's keyboardist, Mike Pinder. "Om" has a heavy Indian influence and sound to it. The word "Om", which is chanted repeatedly throughout the song, represents Aum, a sacred mantra in the Hindu, Jain, Sikh and Buddhist religions.
"The Best Way to Travel" is a 1968 song by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues. Written by keyboardist Mike Pinder, it was released on the album In Search of the Lost Chord. A wide stereo panning effect, made by the pan pots on the Decca Studios custom-built four-track recording console used during 1967–68, is noticeable on this track.
"Gypsy (Of a Strange and Distant Time)" is a 1969 song by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues, from their album To Our Children's Children's Children, a concept album about space travel. The song was written by band-member Justin Hayward.
"Out and In" is a 1969 song by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues, from their album To Our Children's Children's Children, a concept album about space travel. Prior to its release on To Our Children's Children's Children, "Out and In" was released on the B-side of the single "Watching and Waiting," the album's only single.
"Candle of Life" is a song by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues, from their album To Our Children's Children's Children, a concept album about space travel. "Candle of Life" was written by bassist John Lodge, and features both Lodge and Justin Hayward on vocals.
"Eternity Road" is a song by the band the Moody Blues, written by band member Ray Thomas, from their 1969 album To Our Children's Children's Children.
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.
