Long Distance Voyager is the tenth album by the Moody Blues, first released in May 1981[1] on the group's Threshold record label. It was the group's first album featuring keyboardist Patrick Moraz (who previously had worked with bands such as Refugee and Yes) in place of co-founder Mike Pinder, who left after Octave in 1978.
Long Distance Voyager | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 15 May 1981 (1981-05-15)[1] | |||
Recorded | 19 February 1980 – 14 April 1981 at Threshold Studios and RAK Studios, London | |||
Genre | Progressive rock, synthpop, pop rock | |||
Length | 46:32 | |||
Label | Threshold | |||
Producer | Pip Williams | |||
The Moody Blues chronology | ||||
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Singles from Long Distance Voyager | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Upon release in 1981, Long Distance Voyager became the Moody Blues' second American number one album, and was also the source of the US Top 20 singles "Gemini Dream" (#12) and "The Voice" (#15). It also continued their winning streak in their native United Kingdom, reaching #7 there.
In November 2008, the album was remastered and released on CD with one extra track.
The songs on Long Distance Voyager were recorded at the band's own Threshold Studios. The songs were recorded and mixed by Greg Jackman, while Pip Williams was the album's producer. Supplementing the Moody Blues—Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Ray Thomas, Graeme Edge, and Patrick Moraz—was a string section performed by the New World Philharmonic, which Pip Williams arranged.[4]
Long Distance Voyager is only partially a concept album, as only half of the songs relate to the "voyager" referred to in the album's title. The final three tracks comprise a mini-suite that combines themes of carnival jesters and the chaos experienced backstage at a rock show.
The cover for the album was a painting entitled "Punch" (1840) by Thomas Webster from the Art Union of Glasgow,[5] while the sleeve was based on a concept by the Moody Blues which was designed by Cream, who were in charge of the album's cover artwork. NASA's Voyager spacecraft is at the top of the front side of the album cover. Both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2's flybys of Saturn were in the news in 1980–81.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
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1. | "The Voice" | Justin Hayward | Hayward | 5:21 |
2. | "Talking Out of Turn" | John Lodge | Lodge | 7:18 |
3. | "Gemini Dream" | Hayward, Lodge | Hayward, Lodge | 4:09 |
4. | "In My World" | Hayward | Hayward | 7:22 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
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1. | "Meanwhile" | Hayward | Hayward | 4:08 |
2. | "22,000 Days" | Edge | Thomas, Hayward, Lodge | 5:25 |
3. | "Nervous" | Lodge | Lodge | 5:45 |
4. | "Painted Smile" | Ray Thomas | Thomas | 3:18 |
5. | "Reflective Smile" | Thomas | Dave Symonds | 0:36 |
6. | "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" | Thomas | Thomas | 3:18 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
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11. | "The Voice (Single edit)" | Hayward | Hayward | 4:17 |
Chart (1981) | Peak position |
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Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[6] | 7 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7] | 1 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8] | 16 |
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[9] | 25 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[10] | 28 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[11] | 8 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[12] | 12 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[13] | 46 |
UK Albums (OCC)[14] | 7 |
US Billboard 200[15] | 1 |
Chart (1981) | Peak position |
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Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[16] | 92 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[17] | 34 |
US Billboard 200[18] | 27 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia | — | 40,000[19] |
Canada (Music Canada)[20] | 3× Platinum | 300,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[22] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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