A 19-Year-Old Wrote What Remains One of The Moody Blues’ Biggest Hits

In 1972, The Moody Blues had a big hit with “Nights In White Satin”. The song, written by band member Justin Hayward, was actually released first in 1967, as part of the band’s sophomore Days Of Future Passed record. The song failed to do well, at least in the United States, when it was first released. 

But five years later, in 1972, The Moody Blues released “Night In White Satin” again. This time, “Nights In White Satin” became a No. 1 hit for The Moody Blues.

“Nights In White Satin” says in part, “Nights in white satin, never reaching the end / Letters I’ve written, never meaning to send / Beauty I’d always missed with these eyes before / Just what the truth is, I can’t say anymore.”

The song’s lyrics are mature, and about an adult relationship. So it’s surprising that Hayward was just 19 years old when he wrote this song.

The Story Behind “Nights In White Satin” by The Moody Blues

When “Nights In White Satin” was released, Hayward was still relatively new to The Moody Blues, replacing Denny Laine. But the song was actually inspired by Hayward and his somewhat complicated love life.

“I wrote our most famous song, ‘Nights in White Satin’ when I was 19,” Hayward says. “It was a series of random thoughts and was quite autobiographical. It was a very emotional time as I was at the end of one big love affair and the start of another. A lot of that came out in the song.”

In a separate interview, Hayward recalls writing “Nights In White Satin”, although he admits he thought it was merely a “throwaway” song at the time.

“I was at the end of a big love affair and at the beginning of another,” he tells Forbes. “It was a series of random thoughts after a gig at three or four in the morning. I’ve written songs and thought, ‘This is the one,’ and my mother was the only one who bought it. I’m absolutely no judge of what’s it.”

Although The Moody Blues had other hits after “Nights In White Satin”, they never replicated the success of this song again. After “Nights In White Satin” was released, The Moody Blues kept it in their setlist for the rest of their career until they disbanded in 2018. They also played “Nights In White Satin” when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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