Seventh Sojourn

"Seventh Sojourn" is the eighth album by the Moody Blues, released in October 1972. It reached No. 5 in the UK and became the band's first chart-topper in the US, spending five weeks at No. 1 at the end of 1972.

The album features a collection of songs without a unifying theme, continuing the style of its predecessors, A Question of Balance and Every Good Boy Deserves Favour. John Lodge described it as loosely inspired by Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, emphasizing storytelling through music.

Recording the album was a challenging period for the band, which wouldn't reunite for another album until 1978's Octave. Drummer Graeme Edge recalled it as his least favorite album at the time, although he later appreciated it more. Despite being the band's eighth album overall, it marked the seventh with the same lineup, differing significantly from their earlier work.

The writing process drew on personal experiences and social issues. Justin Hayward's "Lost in a Lost World" reflected the anxieties of young people during a turbulent time, while his "New Horizons" addressed personal loss. Ray Thomas's "For My Lady" emerged from his feelings following a divorce. Lodge's "Isn't Life Strange" came together quickly during a dinner with friends, while Mike Pinder's "When You're a Free Man" spoke to Timothy Leary during his imprisonment.

The recording sessions began at Pinder's home studio before moving to Decca's proper studios. The album showcased Pinder's use of the Chamberlin, a keyboard instrument that offered better sound quality than the Mellotron. The process was marred by tension and exhaustion among the band members, with Lodge noting the need for a break to reconnect with their lives outside of music.

The album cover featured artwork by Phil Travers, who described the tight timeline he had to create the illustrations based on discussions about the album's themes.

Seventh Sojourn was remastered in April 2007, with four additional tracks included, one of which, "Island," was an unfinished recording from 1973. A standard audio CD remaster followed in 2008, featuring the same bonus tracks.