To Our Children's Children's Children

To Our Children's Children's Children is the fifth album by The Moody Blues, released in November 1969.

To Our Children's Children's Children
Studio album by The Moody Blues
Released	21 November 1969
Recorded	May–September 1969 at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London, England
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	40:15
Label	Threshold
Producer	Tony Clarke
The Moody Blues chronology
On the Threshold of a Dream (1969) To Our Children's Children's Children (1969) A Question of Balance (1970)
Singles from To Our Children's Children's Children
"Watching and Waiting" Released: 31 October 1969

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

"Watching and Waiting" was released as a single to promote the album, but sold poorly. On the other hand, "Gypsy (Of a Strange and Distant Time)" became a fan and album oriented rock radio favorite, despite never being released as a single, and remained in the band's concert setlist through the 1970s.

Background

The album was the first released on the group's newly formed Threshold record label, which was named after the band's previous album from the same year, On the Threshold of a Dream. It was inspired by the 1969 moon landing.[2] In the opening track, "Higher and Higher", sound effects of a rocket launching begin the song and last for the first minute.

Release

While the extracted single, "Watching and Waiting," did not do well in that market, To Our Children's Children's Children was critically well-received and sold well, reaching number 2 in the UK albums chart[3] and number 14 in the US.[4] The album was mixed and released in both stereo and quadraphonic.

The album was one of those listened to, on cassette tape, by the crew of Apollo 15 in 1971.[5]

Track listing

Side A

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Higher and Higher"	Graeme Edge	Pinder (narration)	4:07
2.	"Eyes of a Child I"	John Lodge	Lodge	3:24
3.	"Floating"	Ray Thomas	Thomas	3:02
4.	"Eyes of a Child II"	Lodge	Lodge	1:20
5.	"I Never Thought I'd Live to Be a Hundred"	Justin Hayward	Hayward	1:05
6.	"Beyond"	Edge	instrumental	2:59
7.	"Out and In"	Mike Pinder, Lodge	Pinder	3:50

Side B

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Gypsy (Of a Strange and Distant Time)"	Hayward	Hayward	3:33
2.	"Eternity Road"	Thomas	Thomas	4:19
3.	"Candle of Life"	Lodge	Lodge, Hayward	4:15
4.	"Sun Is Still Shining"	Pinder	Pinder	3:40
5.	"I Never Thought I'd Live to Be a Million"	Hayward	Hayward	0:34
6.	"Watching and Waiting"	Hayward, Thomas	Hayward	4:16

In March 2006, the album was remastered into SACD and repackaged into a 2CD Deluxe Edition.

2006 SACD Deluxe Edition bonus disc

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Gypsy" (Alternate version)	Hayward	4:17
2.	"Candle of Life" (Alternate version)	Lodge	4:59
3.	"Sun Is Still Shining" (Extended version)	Pinder	4:07
4.	"Gypsy" (BBC radio concert 17 December 1969)	Hayward	3:21
5.	"Sunset" (BBC radio concert 17 December 1969)	Pinder	3:54
6.	"Never Comes the Day" (BBC radio concert 17 December 1969)	Hayward	4:42
7.	"Are You Sitting Comfortably" (BBC radio concert 17 December 1969)	Hayward, Thomas	2:54
8.	"The Dream" (BBC radio concert 17 December 1969)	Edge	0:58
9.	"Have You Heard Pt. 1/The Voyage/Have You Heard Pt. 2" (BBC radio concert 17 December 1969)	Pinder	5:42
10.	"Nights in White Satin" (BBC radio concert 17 December 1969)	Hayward	3:12
11.	"Legend of a Mind" (BBC radio concert 17 December 1969)	Thomas	4:37

In 2008, a remaster for single standard audio CD was issued with the five bonus tracks.

2008 Single Standard CD Remaster tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
14.	"Gypsy" (Alternate version)	Hayward	4:16
15.	"Candle of Life" (Alternate version)	Lodge	4:55
16.	"Sun Is Still Shining" (Extended version)	Pinder	4:03
17.	"Have You Heard Pt. 1/The Voyage/Have You Heard Pt. 2" (BBC radio concert 17 December 1969)	Pinder	5:36
18.	"Legend of a Mind" (BBC radio concert 17 December 1969)	Thomas	4:33

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
1969	UK Albums Chart	2
1970	Billboard 200	14

Personnel

• Justin Hayward – vocals, guitars, sitar
• John Lodge – vocals, bass guitar, harp, acoustic guitar
• Ray Thomas – vocals, flute, tambourine, bass flute, oboe
• Graeme Edge – drums, percussion
• Mike Pinder – vocals, Mellotron, piano, EMS VCS 3, Hammond organ, acoustic guitar, celesta, double bass

References

1. To Our Children's Children's Children at AllMusic
2. "Watch To Our Children's Children's Children - BFI Player". BFI Player. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
3. "Moody Blues | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
4. "The Moody Blues – Chart History | Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
5. HSA Space Exploration and Aviation Auction Catalog #6000. Heritage Capital Corporation. 1 February 2008. ISBN 9781599672274.

External links

• To Our Children's Children's Children at Discogs (list of releases)