Keys of the Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Keys of the Kingdom is the fifteenth album released by the rock band The Moody Blues
in 1991. Although some of the tracks recall the songwriting on Sur La Mer
, the failure of Keys of the Kingdom to produce any major hit singles would mark the beginning of the Moodies' decline in popularity with mainstream audiences after their success in the MTV
video generation. The album saw the band beginning to return to a more airy rock oriented sound (similar to The Present), rather than the previous two albums' forays into synthesiser pop. Flautist
Ray Thomas
plays more of a substantial role on this record, with his first ambient flute piece in eight years. Drum machines are still used heavily; Graeme Edge
only performs on three songs, with session drummer Andy Duncan providing live drums on two more, and the rest being programmed. Keyboardist Patrick Moraz
left the band after completing only a few tracks for this album, and he is listed as an 'additional' keyboard player. As this was the second time the band and their keyboardist would part ways, their future album and re-release booklets would distance themselves from Moraz and any future keyboardists they hired from being members of the band.
This was the last Moody Blues album before their extravagant concert at Red Rocks and a series of symphonic tours with orchestras.
The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed....
in 1991. Although some of the tracks recall the songwriting on Sur La Mer
Sur La Mer
Sur La Mer is the fourteenth album released by The Moody Blues'. It features the hit single "I Know You're Out There Somewhere," a sequel to their 1986 hit "Your Wildest Dreams." Much of the music on this album would fit in the "synthpop" genre, though it does bear more rock and acoustic...
, the failure of Keys of the Kingdom to produce any major hit singles would mark the beginning of the Moodies' decline in popularity with mainstream audiences after their success in the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
video generation. The album saw the band beginning to return to a more airy rock oriented sound (similar to The Present), rather than the previous two albums' forays into synthesiser pop. Flautist
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
Ray Thomas
Ray Thomas
Ray Thomas is an English musician, best known as the flautist and as a singer and composer in the rock band, The Moody Blues.-Career:...
plays more of a substantial role on this record, with his first ambient flute piece in eight years. Drum machines are still used heavily; Graeme Edge
Graeme Edge
Graeme 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:...
only performs on three songs, with session drummer Andy Duncan providing live drums on two more, and the rest being programmed. Keyboardist Patrick Moraz
Patrick Moraz
Patrick Philippe Moraz is a progressive rock keyboard player. He is best known as the keyboardist for the progressive rock band Yes, from 1974 to 1976, and the Moody Blues from 1978 to 1991...
left the band after completing only a few tracks for this album, and he is listed as an 'additional' keyboard player. As this was the second time the band and their keyboardist would part ways, their future album and re-release booklets would distance themselves from Moraz and any future keyboardists they hired from being members of the band.
This was the last Moody Blues album before their extravagant concert at Red Rocks and a series of symphonic tours with orchestras.
Original Track Listing
- "Say It With LoveSay It With Love"Say It With Love" is the lead single from The Moody Blues 1991 album Keys of the Kingdom. Written by Justin Hayward, it was released as a single in June 1991, with "Lean on Me " on the B-side...
" (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...
) - 3:57 - "Bless the Wings (That Bring You Back)Bless the Wings (That Bring You Back)"Bless the Wings " is the second single from The Moody Blues 1991 album Keys of the Kingdom. Written by Justin Hayward, it was released as a single in June 1991, with "Once is Enough" on the B-side. While successful among Moody Blues fans, "Bless the Wings" did not chart at the time of its...
" (Hayward) - 5:10 - "Is This Heaven?" (Hayward, John Lodge) - 4:04
- "Say What You Mean (Part 1 & 2)" (Hayward) - 8:00
- "Lean on Me (Tonight)" (Lodge) - 4:58
- "Hope and Pray" (Hayward) - 5:03
- "Shadows on the Wall" (Lodge) - 5:07
- "Once Is Enough" (Hayward, Lodge) (not on vinyl LP (Europe only) or Cassette; included on CD format and 7 inch single - 4:03
- "Celtic Sonant" (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:...
) - 5:02 - "Magic" (Lodge) - 5:11
- "Never Blame the Rainbows for the Rain" (Hayward, Thomas) - 4:57
Personnel
- Justin Hayward - 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...
- John Lodge - vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Ray Thomas - vocals, fluteWestern concert fluteThe Western concert flute is a transverse woodwind instrument made of metal or wood. It is the most common variant of the flute. A musician who plays the flute is called a flautist, flutist, or flute player....
- Graeme Edge - 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 ....
- Patrick Moraz - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Bias Boshell - keyboards
- Paul Bliss - keyboards
- Nigel HitchcockNigel HitchcockNigel Hitchcock is an English jazz saxophonist.-Biography:Hichcock began to play alto sax at age 8. In 1982 he and his elder brother Clive joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. After one year Nigel took the lead alto chair for the next 5 years...
- alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions... - Jamie TalbotJamie TalbotJames Robert "Jamie" Talbot is an English jazz alto saxophonist.Talbot played with the London Schools Symphony Orchestra and then with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra while young.He attended the Royal College of Music in 1978-79, then recorded throughout the decades of the 1980s and 1990s with...
- tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - Pete Beachill - tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Guy BarkerGuy BarkerGuy Barker is an English jazz trumpeter and composer. Barker was born in Chiswick, London, the son of an actress and a stuntman. He started playing the trumpet at the age of twelve, and within a year had joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra...
- trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... - Andy Duncan - 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 ....
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 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... |
94 |
| 1991 | 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... |
54 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Say It With Love" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 22 |