4 Amazing Moody Blues Songs Written and Sung by the Late John Lodge

The Moody Blues are an integral part of rock and roll history, and John Lodge was an integral part of The Moody Blues. Lodge passed away on October 10 at the age of 82, leaving behind an impressive musical legacy amassed over six decades. Lodge, the group’s bassist, also wrote and sang several incredible songs during his time with the band. Here are four of them that are welcome on any playlist.

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“Isn’t Life Strange” (1972)

The Moody Blues transformed into an almost completely different entity when Lodge and Justin Hayward joined the band in 1966. Gone were the band’s R&B covers in favor of probing original music that joined orchestral flourishes to rock structures. Every member of the band wrote, which kept their albums sounding fresh from song to song. On “Isn’t Life Strange”, Lodge delivered a ballad with a stunningly pretty melody and piercing lyrics about the unpredictability of it all. It’s a song that displays how the Moodies could conjure vast soundscapes without needing to ask for outside help. In this case, Mike Pinder’s keyboards and Ray Thomas’ flute give Lodge’s composition the pomp it deserves.

“I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)” (1973)

On the album Seventh Sojourn, released in 1973, The Moody Blues tried to add a bit more rock heft to the formula that had been evident in previous releases. Lodge clearly received the memo on the furiously fast-paced “I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)”. At times, you worry if he’s going to lose his breath in the effort to deliver all those lyrics in time. That effect only adds to the urgency of the message. The lyrics make note of some of the ills bedeviling the world. But Lodge has the modesty to understand that he can’t possibly comprehend the scope of it all and deliver easy solutions, regardless of his status as a famous performer. Fantastic bass line from Lodge as well.

“Gemini Dream” (1981)

The late 70s represented a fallow period for The Moody Blues, as they largely sat out the disco years. When they came back to the fold with Long Distance Voyager in 1981, they managed to update their sound for the arena rock era without losing the sense of ambition and wonder of their early days. “Gemini Dream” is a bit unusual in that Lodge and Justin Hayward wrote the song as a tandem. In most cases, the individual Moodies tended to write alone. Lodge was musing on the odd life of a rock star, how one leads a normal existence at home and an outsized one on the road. The track is a ripper from start to finish and helped reestablish these guys as a force.

“Talking Out Of Turn” (1981)

The other big change on the Long Distance Voyager album was Patrick Moraz taking over as keyboardist from Mike Pinder, whose mellotron had long defined the band’s sound. Moraz does an effective job on “Talking Out Of Turn”, adding some nifty synth squiggles to go along with the orchestral sweep. Again, Lodge flashes off his effortless melodic skills here. More than anything, however, this track shows off the sensitivity that was inherent in so much of his work. The narrator realizes, too late, that shooting off one’s mouth usually leads to bad ends. But the depth of his remorse is so touching that we can’t help but believe there was a reconciliation down the road.

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