The Moody Blues – Candle Of Life

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  General Comment:I'm only 25, yet The Moody Blues' work is some of my favorite. Growing up, my dad gave my sibling and I a cassette tape with Days of Future Passed and Question of Balance on each side. As I've grown, I've had the chance to expand my tastes a bit. I love this song, I think its meaning is simple, straight forward, and powerfully delivered. Let that light burn, but not without hope, or honor, or noble deeds and the chance to live it.

  Flag Asuyukaon August 26, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I agree, this is the best secular song ever written.
  Most people don't understand that a couple of the band members are strong Christian believers. Christian themes abound in many songs (along with stories of LSD trips).
  
  The theme of the album is space travel. By the time we get to side B of the album, we are doing interstallar travel (Gypsy). Traveling at relativistic speeds, the candle of lfe does indeed burn slowly. At .99C, the interstellar traveler would only age at a small fraction of the rate as those on earth. If is very, very lonely in space. A tiny whisper or candle of life in a multi-generational star ship traveling to colonize or explore other star systems. That is why the traveler never thought he'd get to be a hundred, much less a milion.
  Fabulous, fabulous song and album written with great knowledge of relativity and what it would be like to cross the great gulfs of space.

  Flag dir57on January 19, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I know why you gave your age- the candle of life. I'm 57 years of age, and the song struck me as it did you years before you were born (1969 I think). I just got a slight case of vertigo when I said that. That tune still holds its... power(?). The Moody Blues do that to me a lot.

  Flag dhiles1on February 23, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:First off I am 28, not sure why I should mention that, however this song is so incredible and WAY ahead of its time even still. A girl I dated once both agreed that the feeling of the song, the tune and melody of the song makes this brilliant. We used to get goosebumps listining to this. The portion of the song where Hayward sings "in the hands of time" is so bold, so glourious, something about the way it's mixed is just astonishing. And slowly the Candle of Life, seize the moment I suppose, at least that's how I look at. Such a graceful song. Love it!

  Flag mad4it2011on January 12, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:siggmaestro this isn't the place for proseltyzing.
  
  Candle of Life is an amazing song, one of my favs from this album., which is my favorite of the Moodies. The production is jut remarkable. The whole album revolves around our connection to the universe, and this one. It's there for us to know, it's there for us to see... that is the core message of this one, to realize ourselves at the ultimate level. It talks to the sanctity of life, and the purpose for our existence.

  Flag Watcher2on May 23, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:The only group that ever could compare to these guys is the Beatles. and their really totally different anyway. Such beautiful music! To bad Justin and the others have the words a bit wrong. Yes, we're in the hands of time, and appointed to age and then die. But God has made a way for us. Through His Son Jesus Christ, you don't have to worry about the candle of life. And you can love everybody, with God's Agape love! Be really careful friends! Don't think that we can self spiritualize ourselves in a God! Remember, the words "It Is He that Hath Made Us, and NOT we ourselves" God loves you, and wants you to know the truth. not to be a lost person allways searching, searching for someone!

  Flag siggmaestroon July 04, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:Damn, these guys can harmonize.
  
  This is song about how overclocked life can become. I hear stories about the rat race and how gamers overclock their computers to play the newest of newfangled timewasters, and they are missing out. Life is meant to be experienced, not wasted like a precious natural resources because it is the only one you have.
  
  This song rules.

  Flag OpinionHeadon June 16, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:I agree with live2day's interpretation. The entire composition of this song is amazing. Definitely a great example of Moody Blues in their prime!

  Flag webmasterdeeon April 14, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:Nice interpretation. Loneliness and hope all rolled together in one song. Great, great song. Loneliness, time, love - these are the themes from To Our Childrens Childrens Childrens that this song comes from (great album, too). This song evokes so many emotions all at the same time (sadness, loneliness, hope for love, etc.)

  Flag Digi-Gon July 05, 2006   Link

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  General Comment:i agree! and there arent nearly enough comments for the moody blues an they are so kick ass, ugh i dk .....but for all of you ppl out there, COMMENT ALREADY! i mean this band is awesome!

  Flag blood_red_butterflyon December 13, 2005   Link

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