Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (album)
Encyclopedia
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour is the seventh album by the Moody Blues, released in 1971. The album was the last to feature only the Mellotron
, as it would be assisted by the Chamberlin
(another device that uses recorded tape to generate sound) on the Moody Blues' next studio album, 1972's Seventh Sojourn
.
This album featured the only track to be written by all five members of the band. The opening "Procession" was a piece that was intended to describe the history of music from the beginning of time up until the album's recording. The only three words heard in this track --"desolation," "creation," and "communication" -- were similarly used (along with many other "-ation" words) in "One More Time to Live."
The album reached #1 on the British album charts, in addition to a three week stay at #2 in the United States, and produced one top-40 single, "The Story in Your Eyes
." The track "Emily's Song
" was written by John Lodge for his newborn daughter.
The title is taken from the student mnemonic
for the lines of the treble clef
: E-G-B-D-F. These notes are heard played on piano during "Procession."
In April 2007 the album was remastered into SACD
format and repackaged with the two extra tracks.
In 2008 a remaster for standard audio CD was issued with the same bonus tracks.
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
, as it would be assisted by the Chamberlin
Chamberlin
The Chamberlin is an electro-mechanical keyboard instrument that was a precursor to the Mellotron. It was developed and patented by Iowa, Wisconsin inventor Harry Chamberlin from 1949 to 1956, when the first model was introduced. Various models and versions of these Chamberlin music instruments...
(another device that uses recorded tape to generate sound) on the Moody Blues' next studio album, 1972's Seventh Sojourn
Seventh Sojourn
Seventh Sojourn, released in 1972, is the eighth album by The Moody Blues.In Seventh Sojourn, The Moody Blues used, besides the Mellotron, a keyboard called the Chamberlin, a device similar to the Mellotron created by the original inventor of the device, Harry Chamberlin...
.
This album featured the only track to be written by all five members of the band. The opening "Procession" was a piece that was intended to describe the history of music from the beginning of time up until the album's recording. The only three words heard in this track --"desolation," "creation," and "communication" -- were similarly used (along with many other "-ation" words) in "One More Time to Live."
The album reached #1 on the British album charts, in addition to a three week stay at #2 in the United States, and produced one top-40 single, "The Story in Your Eyes
The Story in Your Eyes
"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.On the album, "The Story...
." The track "Emily's Song
Emily's Song
"Emily's Song" is a 1971 song by the progressive rock band The Moody Blues, and was included on their 1971 album Every Good Boy Deserves Favour."Emily's Song" was written by the band's bassist John Lodge for his newborn daughter Emily...
" was written by John Lodge for his newborn daughter.
The title is taken from the student mnemonic
Mnemonic
A mnemonic , or mnemonic device, is any learning technique that aids memory. To improve long term memory, mnemonic systems are used to make memorization easier. Commonly encountered mnemonics are often verbal, such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something,...
for the lines of the treble clef
Clef
A clef is a musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes. Placed on one of the lines at the beginning of the staff, it indicates the name and pitch of the notes on that line. This line serves as a reference point by which the names of the notes on any other line or space of the staff...
: E-G-B-D-F. These notes are heard played on piano during "Procession."
In April 2007 the album was remastered into SACD
Super Audio CD
Super Audio CD is a high-resolution, read-only optical disc for audio storage. Sony and Philips Electronics jointly developed the technology, and publicized it in 1999. It is designated as the Scarlet Book standard. Sony and Philips previously collaborated to define the Compact Disc standard...
format and repackaged with the two extra tracks.
In 2008 a remaster for standard audio CD was issued with the same bonus tracks.
Side One
- "ProcessionProcession (The Moody Blues song)"Procession" is a 1971 song by The Moody Blues, and it is the opening track on their album Every Good Boy Deserves Favour. It is their only song to have been co-written by all five members of the band....
" (Graeme EdgeGraeme EdgeGraeme Charles Edge is best known as the drummer and a songwriter for the Moody Blues, but has also led his own outfit, the Graeme Edge Band.-Biography:...
, Justin HaywardJustin HaywardJustin Hayward is an English musician, best known as singer, songwriter and guitarist in the rock band The Moody Blues.Hayward was born in Dean Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, England...
, John Lodge, Mike PinderMike PinderMichael Thomas "Mike" Pinder is an English rock musician, and is a founding member or the British rock group, the Moody Blues. He left the group following the recording of the band's album, Octave, in 1978...
, Ray ThomasRay ThomasRay Thomas is an English musician, best known as the flautist and as a singer and composer in the rock band, The Moody Blues.-Career:...
) – 4:40 - "The Story in Your EyesThe Story in Your Eyes"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.On the album, "The Story...
" (Hayward) – 2:57 - "Our Guessing Game" (Thomas) – 3:34
- "Emily's SongEmily's Song"Emily's Song" is a 1971 song by the progressive rock band The Moody Blues, and was included on their 1971 album Every Good Boy Deserves Favour."Emily's Song" was written by the band's bassist John Lodge for his newborn daughter Emily...
" (Lodge) – 3:41 - "After You Came" (Edge) – 4:37
Side Two
- "One More Time to Live" (Lodge) – 5:41
- "Nice to Be Here" (Thomas) – 4:24
- "You Can Never Go Home" (Hayward) – 4:14
- "My Song" (Pinder) – 6:20
2007 SACD Expanded Edition Tracks (also 2008 remaster)
Bonus tracks SACD version:- "The Story in Your Eyes" (Original Version) (Hayward) – 3:33
- "The Dreamer" (Hayward, Thomas) – 3:42
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
1 |
| 1971 | Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
2 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | "The Story in Your Eyes The Story in Your Eyes "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.On the album, "The Story... " |
Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
23 |
Personnel
- Justin HaywardJustin HaywardJustin Hayward is an English musician, best known as singer, songwriter and guitarist in the rock band The Moody Blues.Hayward was born in Dean Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, England...
– vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, sitarSitarThe 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages... - John Lodge – vocals, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Ray ThomasRay ThomasRay Thomas is an English musician, best known as the flautist and as a singer and composer in the rock band, The Moody Blues.-Career:...
– vocals, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all.... - Graeme EdgeGraeme EdgeGraeme Charles Edge is best known as the drummer and a songwriter for the Moody Blues, but has also led his own outfit, the Graeme Edge Band.-Biography:...
– electric and acoustic drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Mike PinderMike PinderMichael Thomas "Mike" Pinder is an English rock musician, and is a founding member or the British rock group, the Moody Blues. He left the group following the recording of the band's album, Octave, in 1978...
– vocals, mellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
, harpsichordHarpsichordA harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, Hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
Additional personnel
- Derek Varnals – recording engineer
- David Baker – assistant engineer
- Harry Fisher – cutting engineer
- Phil Travers – sleeve artist