I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)

"I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" is a 1973 hit single by the English progressive rock band the Moody Blues, written by the band's bassist, John Lodge. It was first released in 1972 as the final track on the album Seventh Sojourn and was later released as a single in 1973, with "For My Lady" as its B-side. It was the second single released from Seventh Sojourn, with the first being "Isn't Life Strange", which was also written by Lodge.

"I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)"
Single by The Moody Blues
from the album Seventh Sojourn
B-side	"For My Lady"
Released	19 January 1973
Recorded	3 August 1972
Genre	Rock, progressive rock
Length	4:18
Label	Threshold
Songwriter(s)	John Lodge
Producer(s)	Tony Clarke
The Moody Blues singles chronology
"Isn't Life Strange" (1972) "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" (1973) "Steppin' in a Slide Zone" (1978)

The song reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., becoming one of their highest-charting hits in that country, but fared less well in their native UK, where it managed #36. It was also the final single released by the Moody Blues prior to their five-year hiatus, which was agreed upon so each of the band members could pursue their own solo careers. Their next single would not be until 1978, with "Steppin' in a Slide Zone."

Billboard regarded the song as a change of pace for the Moody Blues, stating that it had a more "upbeat rock sound" than their typical songs.[1]

The song was the last of the band's singles to feature the Chamberlin, which had recently replaced the Mellotron. The Chamberlin would later be replaced by a more modern keyboard synthesizer. A promotional music-video was filmed for "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)". This video showed the band's flautist Ray Thomas playing a baritone saxophone; however, according to keyboardist Mike Pinder, the saxophone was used just for effect in the video and the saxophone sound was produced by the Chamberlin.[2]

Personnel

• John Lodge – vocals, bass guitar
• Justin Hayward – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars
• Mike Pinder – vocals, Chamberlin, piano, tambourine
• Ray Thomas – vocals, saxophone
• Graeme Edge – drums, percussion

Chart history

Weekly charts Chart (1973) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report) 39 Canada RPM Top Singles[3] 16 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[4] 4 UK Singles Chart 36 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5] 12 U.S. Cash Box Top 100[6] 8

Year-end charts Chart (1973) Rank Canada [7] 172 Netherlands [8] 53 US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[9] 106

Derivative works

• "I'm Just a Singer in a Holiday Inn", a Bob Rivers parody of this tune, appears on his 1997 album "The Best of Twisted Tunes, Vol. 2".[10]

References

1. "Radio Action & Pick Singles" (PDF). Billboard. January 27, 1973. p. 125. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
2. Pinder, as stated on his website
3. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1973-03-24. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
4. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1973" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
5. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
6. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, March 17, 1973
7. Canada, Library and Archives (July 13, 2017). "Image : RPM Weekly".
8. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1973" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
9. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
10. "Bob Rivers — I'm Just a Singer in a Holiday Inn". Last.fm. Retrieved 2016-10-08.