The Story in Your Eyes
Encyclopedia
"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 in Your Eyes" is the second track, and is preceded by the track "Procession". "Procession" was the first and only song that was written by all five members of the band. The song was intended to describe the history of music from the beginning of time, and the only three words in the whole piece are "desolation", "creation", and "communication".
"The Story in Your Eyes" features a repeated electric guitar riff, a propulsive yet elegant bass line, and Justin Hayward on lead vocals, while incremental use of a Mellotron
and a choral background generates an expansive, rhapsodic sound. "The Story in Your Eyes" was the Moody Blues' final single to feature only the Mellotron as it would be supplied by the chamberlin
, a similar instrument in time for their next album, Seventh Sojourn
. The SACD release of the album Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
contains a version of "The Story in Your Eyes" that has the Mellotron in dominant role.
The distinctive picture sleeve used for the French single release used a photograph of a close-up face with the Threshold
logo in place of the mouth.
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....
. Written by the band's guitarist Justin Hayward
Justin Hayward
Justin 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...
, 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
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (album)
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 on the Moody Blues' next studio album, 1972's Seventh Sojourn.This album featured the only track to be written...
shortly after.
On the album, "The Story in Your Eyes" is the second track, and is preceded by the track "Procession". "Procession" was the first and only song that was written by all five members of the band. The song was intended to describe the history of music from the beginning of time, and the only three words in the whole piece are "desolation", "creation", and "communication".
"The Story in Your Eyes" features a repeated electric guitar riff, a propulsive yet elegant bass line, and Justin Hayward on lead vocals, while incremental use of a Mellotron
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...
and a choral background generates an expansive, rhapsodic sound. "The Story in Your Eyes" was the Moody Blues' final single to feature only the Mellotron as it would be supplied 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...
, a similar instrument in time for their next album, 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...
. The SACD release of the album Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (album)
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 on the Moody Blues' next studio album, 1972's Seventh Sojourn.This album featured the only track to be written...
contains a version of "The Story in Your Eyes" that has the Mellotron in dominant role.
The distinctive picture sleeve used for the French single release used a photograph of a close-up face with the Threshold
Threshold Records
Threshold Records was a record label created by The Moody Blues, after their 1969 album On the Threshold of a Dream.It was a UK subsidiary of Decca Records and a U.S. subsidiary of London Records...
logo in place of the mouth.
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, acoustic and electric guitar - John Lodge – bass guitar
- 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...
– Mellotron, piano - 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:...
– tambourine - 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:...
– drums, percussion
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 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 |