Are the Moody Blues Christian?

[tuke]

I freed myself from the oppressive grip that psychedelic music had on me when I became born again 29 years ago, but I have been intreagued with the consistently wholesome message of the Moody Blues, lately.
Eventhough they are associated with the psychedelic genre, upon closer scrutiny I don't detect a promotion of drug use in their lyrics. Indeed, the song Legend of A Mind proclaimed Timothy Leary was dead years before he actually died and was released when Leary was at the height of his infuence among the baby boomers.
Their song Question says "I'm looking for someone to change my life. I'm looking for a miracle in my life. And if you could see what it's done to me, lose the life I knew and safely lead me thru."
Many of their songs have Christian allusions, but nothing overt except the recent Christmas album December (2003). Most of their songs could just as easily be attributed to eastern Buddhism or Hinduism.
Jesus said whoever is not against Me is for Me. I can find nothing anti-Christian in their lyrics.

What do you think? Anyone know if Justin Hayward, Graeme Edge, Ray Thomas, Mike Pinder, Patrick Moraz or John Lodge are Christians?

 

[Nienor]

I don't know...but I love the music

 

[SilverEagle]

They're OK; my Dad LOVES them though.

And the scripture isn't "whoever isn't against me is for me", it's "whoever is not for me, is against me". There's a BIG difference.

 

[tuke]

They're OK; my Dad LOVES them though.

And the scripture isn't "whoever isn't against me is for me", it's "whoever is not for me, is against me". There's a BIG difference.

Unequivocally, I believe Jesus said it both ways. Check out Mark IX.40

 

[SilverEagle]

Unequivocally, I believe Jesus said it both ways. Check out Mark IX.40

Thank yas for setting me straight sir. I checked it out, and even the KJV agreed with you. That's one thing about these forums; they can set you straight.

 

[JustOneWay]

I freed myself from the oppressive grip that psychedelic music had on me when I became born again 29 years ago, but I have been intreagued with the consistently wholesome message of the Moody Blues, lately.
Eventhough they are associated with the psychedelic genre, upon closer scrutiny I don't detect a promotion of drug use in their lyrics. Indeed, the song Legend of A Mind proclaimed Timothy Leary was dead years before he actually died and was released when Leary was at the height of his infuence among the baby boomers.
Their song Question says "I'm looking for someone to change my life. I'm looking for a miracle in my life. And if you could see what it's done to me, lose the life I knew and safely lead me thru."
Many of their songs have Christian allusions, but nothing overt except the recent Christmas album December (2003). Most of their songs could just as easily be attributed to eastern Buddhism or Hinduism.
Jesus said whoever is not against Me is for Me. I can find nothing anti-Christian in their lyrics.

What do you think? Anyone know if Justin Hayward or John Lodge are Christians?

The Moody Blues have been one of my favorite bands and I have been turning their records (now cd's) for 30 years now.

Many of their songs have Christian undertones, but I cant recall any that refer to Jesus specifically.

The only thing you might want to look into is The Moody Blues were heavy into Transcendental Meditation (TM). You will find hints to this on their "In search of the lost chord" (edited in....ant To Our Children's Children's Children) album and others, although I cant recall any at the moment.

My favorite all time Moody Blues song - You can never go home.

 

[RThibeault]

I don't see a problem with their music. I enjoy it and I prefer not to look to far into it.

 

[twosteppin]

I always enjoy listening to "Tuesday Afternoon."

 

[Oblivious]

I love the Moody Blues. I saw them about 5 years ago in concert.

 

[Lycana]

I've seen them 3 or 4 times in my life and I really enjoyed them a lot!

 

[HawaiianTropicalDude]

Love them. I love I'm Just a Singer in a Rock and Roll Band. I hope they come my way to Miami.

 

[tuke]

I sent an e-mail to the only address I have for the Moodys. I suggested they do a gospel album as an answer to their philosophical quest.
I believe they could surpass Bob Dylan's outstanding gospel albums.

 

[Lubiana]

I don't think they are Christians but I think they are seekers of truth. I hope they one day discover the ultimate truth that is Jesus.

 

[tuke]

I don't think they are Christians but I think they are seekers of truth. I hope they one day discover the ultimate truth that is Jesus.

You're probably right; I've found only limited references to The Word in their music: allusions to the Genesis story of Babel in Nothing Changes on the Strange Times album, "the son of peace" and 1 Corinthians XIII.13 on their Keys of the Kingdom album, Bach #147 (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) and other messianic messages on December, their Christmas album (2003).
Question on A Question of Balance is intriguing: "I'm looking for someone to change my life. I'm looking for a miracle in my life. And if you could see what it's done to me; lose the life I knew and safely lead me through."
Though psychedelia had some kind of early influence, I find their lyrics are atypically moral and Jesus said "he who is not against Me is for Me."

 

[JustOneWay]

Remember that the Moody Blues had five different people writing the songs, so their music radically changed from song to song on an album, except of course Days of Future Past which represented one complete day (still my favorite BTW). After a while I could tell who wrote a song mainly by it's content.
If I recall corectly, Graham Edge, the drummer, wrote about the TM and meditation whereas Justin Hayward wrote songs that were always "wondering aloud" and he included many references about the sea.

This song was one I listened to quite closely. I felt that this song came as close to any "religious song" as they had.

Lost In A Lost World

I woke up today, I was crying,
Lost in a lost world,
'Cos so many people are dying,
Lost in a lost world. Some of them are living an illusion
Bounded by the darkness of their minds,
In their eyes it's nation against nation,
With racial pride, sad hearts they hide,
Thinking only of themselves,
They shun the light,
They think they're right
Living in the empty shells.
Oh, can you see their world is crashing?
Crashing down around their feet
And angry people in the street
Are telling them they've had their fill
Of politics that wound and kill.
Grow, the seeds of evolution.
Revolution never won,
It's just another form of gun
To do again what they have done
With all our brothers' youngest sons.
Everywhere you go you'll feel them searching,
Everywhere you turn you'll feel the pain,
Everyone is looking for the answer,
We'll look again, come on my friend,
Love will find them in the end.
Come on, my friend, we've got to bend
On our knees and say a prayer.


Oh, can you feel the world is pining?
Pining for someone who really cares
Enough to share his love
With all of us, so we can be
An ever-loving family.
Have you forgotten we're all children?
Children from a family tree
That's longer than a centipede
And started long ago
When you and I were only love.
I woke up today, I was crying,
Lost in a lost world,
'Cos so many people are dying,
Lost in a lost world.

 

[tuke]

Outstanding! I knew the music, but hadn't read the lyrics.
I don't know anyone who can "share his love with all of us" other than Jesus.

 

[tuke]

*

 

[tuke]

How do ya delete repeats?

 

[JustOneWay]

How do ya delete repeats?

You cant. Most just delete all the writing and put a * there, or just put "duplicate

Here is another song off of the Seventh Sojourn album

You And Me

There's a leafless tree in Asia,
Under the sun there's a homeless man,
There's a forest fire in the valley
Where the story all began. What will be our last thought,
Do you think it's coming soon,
Will it be of comfort
Or the pain of a burning wound?
All we are trying to say
Is we are all we've got.
You and me just cannot fail
If we never, never stop.
Ah! Never stop.
You're an ocean full of faces
And you know that we believe
We're just a wave that drifts around you
Singing all our hopes and dreams.
We look around in wonder
At the work that has been done
By the vision of our Father
Touched by his loving Son.
All we are trying to say
Is we are all we've got.
You and me just cannot fail
If we never, never stop.

 

[tuke]

Quote

You And Me
...
We look around in wonder
At the work that has been done
By the vision of our Father
Touched by his loving Son.
...

Another old familiar which I had never read!
Again, I believe the Moodies could give Dylan a run for his gospel.
I bought Justin Hayward's solo album thinking he might be a Christian, but the inspiration seems to be synergistic with the group (Hayward, Edge & Lodge are all that remain of the early members).