I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band) by The Moody Blues

Album: Seventh Sojourn (1972)

Charted: 36 12

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Moody Blues bass player John Lodge wrote this song. It deals with how, at the time, some people looked to rock stars for answers to the world's problems. His response is contained in this song: he had no answers.

John Lennon expressed similar sentiments when he was in The Beatles. "Glass Onion" is a good example.
Various events in society and politics informed the lyrics. The "riots by the people for the people" are about riots that were spreading around Europe, and the "person who is frightened by the people who are scorching this earth" is the terrified young girl in a famous photo running in the street after being burned by Napalm during the Vietnam War.
The Moody Blues formed in 1964 and landed a UK #1 hit with their debut single, "Go Now," that same year. By the time they went to work on their 1972 album Seventh Sojourn, they were really famous, and it got overwhelming.

"When we started there was just five of us and a roadie, and by the time Seventh Sojourn came around we had our own touring company, our own publishing company, a string of record shops, and we had lots of people working for us," John Lodge told Songwriting magazine.

After returning from a tour, Lodge came home to find a group of fans camped in his garden, awaiting him like he was some kind of guru. He had no interest in being a messiah, so he wrote this song to make his position clear.
This song has loads of energy, with four of the five band members singing all the way through (drummer Graeme Edge is the odd man out). By ganging up the vocals, producer Tony Clarke could mix the music loud and make it feel like the band was shouting to be heard.
The music for the song was written first, with Lodge instigating with a bass riff. Justin Hayward added guitar, and Mike Pinder played a Chamberlin, which is an organ-like electric keyboard. Lodge added the lyrics once the track was composed.
"I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)" was the follow-up single to the re-release of "Nights in White Satin," a song first issued in 1967 that found a wider audience in 1972. In America, "Satin" climbed all the way to #2, paving the way for "I'm Just A Singer."

Comments: 14

Susie Davidson from BostonThis song was John Lodge's reaction to anti-Vietnam War rioting and to the infamous photo of the girl running after being burned by napalm during the war.
Melsh from Chapel Hill, NcI guess this is my favorite Moody Blues song. There were just so many good ones. Except for the bridge, this is a 3-chord R&R song with a killer driving beat which for me, includes not only Edge and Lodge but also Ray Thomas' energetic turn on tambourine. My favourite album is Seventh Sojourn, anyway. I LOVE this song.
Jeffrey from ChicagoThe song was written after a Texas man who stood in front of the venue 56 days before they played there with a sign saying "56 days till the Moody Blues saves the world" He got media attention and stood out there every day updating his sign.. The band played their concert and the next day when leaving their hotel, the man was outside yelling "You're a bunch of fakes!! You didn't change anything" John Lodge said "Hey I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band" and wrote the song later on..
Jane from Sebastopol, CaI remember a little while back I was watching a video where Justin was being interviewed. He was talking about how this song came to be. With the Moody Blues already growing in popularity and fans flocking to see them and at times it would get a bit unruly with some individuals taking the meaning of their songs literally. If I remember correctly, they were touring the U.S. and during their time in Florida, a rather mixed up fanatic thought the band was sending out messages in their song lyrics and taking it way too literal and wanted answers. They could recognize this and didn't want what happened to the Beatles with "Beatlemania' to, in a sense, happen to them. They didn't want that crazy attention or people thinking they had an agenda behind their songs with hidden clues and such. It spooked them a bit seeing how some people were so intense and flipping out. They had no hidden agenda. They weren't involved in a covert mission of any sort. They didn't want a bunch of people "off their rocker" getting the wrong ideas. The song was written to convey to anyone that they were just ordinary, everyday people who just liked making music and share it like every other musician(s) i.e. they weren't something out of this world; only low key guys writing and performing songs who weren't wanting to be viewed as having all the answers about life and hoping people got that message and took them off their own pedestals they created. In other words they were saying we're nothing special...just singers and that's it period.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm {01-08-2018}...
Ray Thomas, original member, flautist and vocalist with the Moody Blues, died Thursday (January 4th, 2018) at the age of 76...
A cause of death was not given, but Ray had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014...
Ray was with the group from its inception until his retirement in 2002...
He was scheduled to be inducted with the group into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame later this year...
He wrote many of the group's tunes, including "For My Lady" (flip side of "I'm Just A Singer" in 1973).
May he R.I.P.
Eric from Columbus, OhioLove Da Moodies! Back in the mid 80s, I liked the MBs later stuff...Long Distance Voyager had come out when I was in HS, and I liked their sound. I knew some of their older stuff from radio play..Nights in White Satin, Tuesday Afternoon, etc...but not much else. I started dating a girl in the late 80s who also turned out to be a Moodies fan. I gave her a copy of Long Distance Voyager for Christmas...she very graciously thanked me, but told me she liked their older stuff better. The next year for my birthday, she gave me a copy of In Search of the Lost Chord, said it reminded her of me. This started my collection of old Moodies. Over time, my favorite album (by far) has become Seventh Sojourn. It contains some powerful social justice and activism that really gets me up and moving, along with a couple of really powerful love songs and odes to friendship. To this day, it surprises me that she didn't think of Seventh Sojourn, since I've always exhibited a strong sense of environmentalism, racial activism, and faithfulness to my friends. Listening to the Moodies sometimes still makes me think of you, Karen!
Seventhmist from 7th HeavenWhat this song conveys to me (in its final line) was that while he was "just a singer in a rock and roll band" and seemingly helpless to do anything about the world's problems, his "music is the traveler, crossing our world, meeting so many people, bridging the seas," which is his way of bringing people together. I like that.
Diverdriver from Petaluma, CaI grew up listening to the Moody Blues. My dad is a big fan. It brings back very fond memories listening to it now. But if my dad dies before me I'll never be able to listen to them again.
Camille from Toronto, OhA good song; not necessarily great.....I remember loving it when it was popular, it was exciting to hear it and the song and lyrics moved along so fast. Now I think it's just okay.
Jim from Hammond, InOzzy wrote a song about that subject.Idon't know
Lee from Huntsville, Albought this 45 in 72 when i was 13 from 58.
Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumNot a big hit like "Night in white satin" but a good song anyway. Too bad they don't play it more often on the radio.
Guy from Woodinville, WaBoy, John Lodge could write a driving Rock n Roll song! 40 years later, I still turn it up wjhen it comes on the radio.
George from Calumet City, IlTruly fantastic song from The Moody Blues!

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