The Moody Blues-Nights in White Satin (WATCH)

“I wrote our most famous song, ‘Nights in White Satin’ when I was 19. It was a series of random thoughts and was quite autobiographical. It was a very emotional time as I was at the end of one big love affair and the start of another. A lot of that came out in the song.”

Words from the lyricist himself, and what a moody one he was. Justin Hayward, who joined the band the previous year after Denny Laine left the band got the idea for the song after someone gave him a set of white satin sheets, go figure. Personally the mood of this song, the melody, and notes held by Hayward is magnetic and captivating.

“Nights in White Satin” originally released in 1967, hit the charts at number 19 in the UK, but topping out at a measly 103 in America. In a time where 6-minute songs were a tough sell In 1972 “Hey Jude” (The Beatles) and “Layla” (Clapton) were released and paved the way for long, dramatic tunes (and The Moody Blues became more popular), the song was re-released in the US and became a hit, going to number two.

The song became a classic and has been used in numerous movies such as Martin Scorses’s Casino,  Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

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