Seventh Sojourn

Music and lyrics

The opening track, Mike Pinder's "Lost in a Lost World" laments the brutality of revolution and references racial tension. Several songs contain overt political references. "You and Me," like "Question" from two years earlier, alludes to ongoing wars and conflicts, including Vietnam. However, although the album showcases political concerns, in the 1990 documentary The Moody Blues: Legend of a Band, bassist John Lodge described "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" as a response to fans who mistakenly read guru-like wisdom into the Moodies' lyrics. Instrumentally, singer/keyboardist Mike Pinder, in addition to the Mellotron, used a similar keyboard device called the Chamberlin.

Reception

Seventh Sojourn reached #5 in the United Kingdom, and became the band's first American chart topper, spending five weeks at #1 to close out 1972.

Two hit singles came from this album: "Isn't Life Strange" (#13 UK, #29 US) and "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" (#36 UK, #12 US). However, both songs were overshadowed by the re-release of "Nights in White Satin," which had been first released in 1967. Whereas both singles from Seventh Sojourn made the top 40, "Nights In White Satin" bested both, hitting #9 in the UK and #2 in the United States and gaining the highest American chart position for a Moody Blues single.

Aftermath

As this album proved difficult to record, with a 1973 follow-up quickly shelved after inception, the group decided to go on hiatus after their tour of Asia in 1974 (Mike Pinder's last tour with the group), before reuniting in 1977 for Octave (1978) and its subsequent tour, albeit without Pinder.

In April 2007 the album was remastered into SACD format and repackaged with four extra tracks. "Island", the fourth bonus track, was recorded in 1973 and is an incomplete recording of one of the songs that were intended to be released on the aforementioned follow-up record.

In 2008 a remaster for standard audio CD was issued with the same bonus tracks.

Side One

1. "Lost in a Lost World" (Mike Pinder) – 4:42 (lead singer: Mike Pinder)
2. "New Horizons" (Justin Hayward) – 5:11 (lead singer: Justin Hayward)
3. "For My Lady" (Ray Thomas) – 3:58 (lead singer: Ray Thomas)
4. "Isn't Life Strange" (John Lodge) – 6:09 (lead singers: John Lodge, Justin Hayward)

Side Two

1. "You and Me" (Hayward, Graeme Edge) – 4:21 (lead singers: Justin Hayward, Ray Thomas, Mike Pinder)
2. "The Land of Make-Believe" (Hayward) – 4:52 (lead singer: Justin Hayward)
3. "When You're a Free Man" (Pinder) – 6:06 (lead singer: Mike Pinder)
4. "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" (Lodge) – 4:18 (lead singer: John Lodge)

2007 SACD Expanded Edition Tracks (also 2008 remaster)

Bonus tracks SACD version:

1. "Isn't Life Strange (Original version)" (Lodge) – 8:10
2. "You and Me (Beckthorns backing track)" (Hayward, Edge) – 6:33
3. "Lost in a Lost World (Instrumental demo)" (Pinder) – 4:41
4. "Island" (Previously unreleased) (Hayward) – 4:30

Personnel

Production