Tuesday Afternoon

Last updated
"Tuesday Afternoon"
Tuesday Afternoon.jpg
Single by The Moody Blues
from the album Days of Future Passed
B-side "Another Morning"
ReleasedMay 1968 (US) [1]
Recorded22 October 1967
Genre
Length
  • 8:23 (Album version)
  • 2:16 (Single edit)
  • 4:08 (Compilation edit 1)
  • 4:52 (Compilation edit 2)
Label Deram
Songwriter(s) Justin Hayward
Producer(s) Tony Clarke
The Moody Blues singles chronology
"Nights in White Satin"
(1967)
"Tuesday Afternoon"
(1968)
"Voices in the Sky"
(1968)
Official Video"Tuesday Afternoon" on YouTube

"Tuesday Afternoon" (sometimes referred to as "Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?)", or simply "Forever Afternoon") is a 1968 song written by Justin Hayward that was first released by English rock band the Moody Blues on their 1967 album Days of Future Passed and later released as a single.

Contents

Background

The song was originally released on The Moody Blues' 1967 album Days of Future Passed , a concept album chronicling a typical day. On the album, it was part one of "The Afternoon" track titled "Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?)". Justin Hayward said that he wrote the song on a Tuesday afternoon in Lypiatt Park, in western England near Stroud. Hayward's mother had taken him and his brother to the park while they were growing up, and he revisited the park during the production of Days of Future Passed to write the song. [2] He said that he wrote the song "with guitar and joint in hand". [3]

When the concept of the album was determined, illustrating different times of day, [4] Hayward volunteered to take a song about the afternoon. He said of the song:

So once I got the afternoon, I went down to my parents’ house in Wiltshire, west England. I remember going into a field there with a guitar and writing ‘Tuesday.’ I was a bit hung up on tempo and changing keys, which "Tuesday" does. It was the simplest thing to record, just a pure, good vibe from the writing through to playing it to the other guys — no stress, good vibe, all having a good time, thank you. Just three of us did the backing track, and I played the piano as an overdub and Mike [Pinder] did the Mellotron part, with that funny little trumpet on it that’s just so evocative. [4]

Allmusic critic Richie Unterberger describes the lyrics as being "of a youthful contemplative sort coming to a philosophical realization that helps him get that much closer to the meaning of life." [5] According to Unterberger, the song has a "strong melody and a dignified presentation." [5] The instrumentation features a prominent Mellotron. [5]

Justin Hayward wrote the song originally intending to name it "Tuesday Afternoon". At the insistence of producer Tony Clarke, it was named "Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?)" for its release on Days of Future Passed. However, when it was released as a single a year later, its name was changed back to "Tuesday Afternoon". Some of the Moody Blues compilation and live albums list the song as "Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon)" to reflect both titles.

"Tuesday Afternoon" was released as a single in 1968 and was the second single from Days of Future Passed (the first being "Nights in White Satin"). It was backed with another Days track, "Another Morning".

On Days of Future Passed, the London Festival Orchestra performs the final orchestral rendition of the chorus. This orchestral link between parts one and two of the song was recorded separately from the Moodies' portions. The link was arranged by Peter Knight, who arranged orchestral sections for the entire album. However, for the single release and subsequent releases on compilation albums, this orchestral finale was not included and the song simply faded out during Ray Thomas's flute solo. [5] The Moody Blues 1994 compilation album, Time Traveller , marked the first time the orchestral link was included on a compilation. Its release on 1998's Anthology also included the first-portion orchestral finale.

Reception

Cash Box said that this "Stunning teen-aimed ballad picks up rhythmic punch in a development that winds up a throbbing with top forty appeal." [6]

Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian rated it as the Moody Blues' greatest song, saying that "Justin Hayward’s beautiful lyrics and melody combined with John Lodges’ guitar work and Mike Pinder’s Mellotron presented Moody Blues fans with the group’s grandest work and quite simply, the finest recording of the band’s long career." [7] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Nick DeRiso rated it as the Moody Blues' 4th greatest song. [3]

Use in advertising

Personnel

Chart history

Chart (1968)Peak
position
Canada (RPM) Top Singles [8] 12
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [9] 24

Cover versions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Moody Blues</span> English band

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".

<i>Days of Future Passed</i> 1967 studio album by The Moody Blues

Days of Future Passed is the second studio album by English progressive rock band the Moody Blues by Deram Records. It has been cited by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and others as one of the earliest albums of the progressive rock genre and one of rock music's first concept albums.

<i>On the Threshold of a Dream</i> 1969 studio album by the Moody Blues

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."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Hayward</span> British musician, lead singer and guitarist of the Moody Blues

David Justin Hayward is an English musician. He was the guitarist and frontman of the rock band the Moody Blues from 1966 until that group's dissolution in 2018. He became the group's principal vocalist and its most prolific songwriter over the 1967–1974 period, and composed several international hit singles for the band.

<i>In Search of the Lost Chord</i> 1968 studio album by The Moody Blues

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

<i>Seventh Sojourn</i> 1972 studio album by the Moody Blues

Seventh Sojourn is the eighth album by the Moody Blues, released in October 1972. The album reached No. 5 in the United Kingdom, and became the band's first American chart-topper, spending five weeks at No. 1 there to close out 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nights in White Satin</span> 1967 single by the Moody Blues

"Nights in White Satin" is a song by English rock band the Moody Blues, written by Justin Hayward. It was first featured as the segment "The Night" on the album Days of Future Passed. When first released as a single in 1967, it reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart and number 103 in the United States in 1968. It was the first significant chart entry by the band since "Go Now" and its recent lineup change, in which Denny Laine and Clint Warwick had resigned and both Hayward and John Lodge had joined.

<i>Caught Live + 5</i> 1977 live album by The Moody Blues

Caught Live + 5 is a live album by The Moody Blues, consisting of a 12 December 1969 live show at the Royal Albert Hall and five previously unreleased studio recordings from 1967 to 1968.

<i>This Is The Moody Blues</i> 1974 compilation album by the Moody Blues

This Is The Moody Blues is a two LP compilation album by the Moody Blues, released in late 1974 while the band was on a self-imposed sabbatical. Though all of the songs were previously released on albums, several of them are heard here in distinctly different mixes. Like the Moody Blues albums of the time – but unlike most compilation albums, including later Moody Blues compilations – the songs on this album segue seamlessly, without silence between tracks. On the original LP, this was true of the songs on each side; when the album was remastered for CD, each disc was also blended, so that "Legend of a Mind" segues into "In the Beginning", and "Watching and Waiting" segues into "I'm Just a Singer ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ride My See-Saw</span> 1968 single by 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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Know You're Out There Somewhere</span> 1988 single by The Moody Blues

"I Know You're Out There Somewhere" is a 1988 single by the English rock band the Moody Blues. It was written by guitarist Justin Hayward, and it is the sequel to the Moody Blues' 1986 single "Your Wildest Dreams", also written by Hayward. It is the band's final Top 40 single in the United States, peaking at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never Comes the Day</span> 1969 single by The Moody Blues

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Question (The Moody Blues song)</span> 1970 single by The Moody Blues

"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.

<i>Anthology</i> (The Moody Blues album) 1998 compilation album by The Moody Blues

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Story in Your Eyes</span> 1971 single by The Moody Blues

"The Story in Your Eyes" is a 1971 hit single by the English rock band the Moody Blues. Written by the band's guitarist Justin Hayward, it was first released as a single with "My Song" on the B-side, and then on the 1971 album Every Good Boy Deserves Favour shortly after.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (The Moody Blues album) 1989 compilation album by The Moody Blues

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.

"Visions of Paradise" is a 1968 song by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues. First released on their album In Search of the Lost Chord, it was written jointly by band members Justin Hayward and Ray Thomas, and was the first of many collaborations between them. The song is primarily led by Justin Hayward's voice and Ray Thomas's flute, with the lyrics describing the writer's perception of paradise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Pinder</span> British musician (1941–2024)

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.

"A Simple Game" is a 1968 song by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues. Written and sung by Mike Pinder, it was released as a non-album B-side to "Ride My See-Saw", a track from the album In Search of the Lost Chord. The song was produced by Tony Clarke and arranged by Arthur Greenslade. The track was included in the band's 1974 compilation, This Is The Moody Blues, remixed and with an earlier fade than on the single. It was also included, with its original mix and length, in the 1987 compilation Prelude.

<i>Days of Future Passed Live</i> 2018 live album by The Moody Blues

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.

References

  1. "Billboard". June 1, 1968.
  2. "2018 Justin Hayward Interview on The Ed Bernstein Show". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
  3. 1 2 DeRiso, Nick (August 31, 2013). "Top 10 Moody Blues songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  4. 1 2 Graff, Gary (24 November 2024). ""I sat on the side of the bed and just wrote the two verses. I was at the end of one big love affair and the beginning of another." Justin Hayward on the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin" and the 12-string he got from Lonnie Donegan". Guitar Player. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Unterberger, Richie. "Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon)". Allmusic. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  6. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 1, 1968. p. 16. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  7. Kachejian, Brian (June 2022). "Top 10 Moody Blues songs". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  8. "RPM Top 100 Singles - September 9, 1968" (PDF).
  9. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X