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A Question of Balance

A Question of Balance is a 1970 album by The Moody Blues. The album was an attempt by the group to strip down their well-known lush, psychedelic sound in order to be able to better perform the songs in concert. In order to be able to play as many new songs as possible from their new album live, the group decided (temporarily) to abandon their method of heavy overdubbing for A Question of Balance.

For the first time, The Moody Blues used political strife as a basis for songwriting with the UK number two hit in May 1970, "Question", which dealt with the controversy resulting from the ongoing Vietnam War.

Released in 1970, the album reached #1 in the UK and #3 in the U.S. However, the group would abandon the stripped-down sounds of A Question of Balance for the lusher sounds of their next two albums, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour and Seventh Sojourn.

In March 2006 the album was remastered into SACD format and repackaged with six extra tracks.

Track listing

Side one

1. "Question" (Justin Hayward) – 5:40
2. "How Is It (We Are Here)" (Mike Pinder) – 2:48
3. "And The Tide Rushes In" (Ray Thomas) – 2:57
4. "Don't You Feel Small" (Graeme Edge) – 2:40
5. "Tortoise And The Hare" (John Lodge) – 3:23

Side two

1. "It's Up To You" (Hayward) – 3:11
2. "Minstrel's Song" (Lodge) – 4:27
3. "Dawning Is The Day" (Hayward) – 4:22
4. "Melancholy Man" (Michaël Pinder) – 5:49
5. "The Balance" (Edge/Thomas) – 3:33

Bonus tracks

Bonus tracks on the SACD version:

1. Mike's Number One (Previously Unreleased)
2. Question (Alternate Version)
3. Minstrel's Song (Original Mix)
4. It's Up To You (Original Mix)
5. Don't You Feel Small (Original Mix)
6. Dawning Is The Day (Full Original Mix)

Personnel

• Justin Hayward - vocals, guitar, mandolin
• John Lodge - vocals, bass
• Ray Thomas - vocals, flute, tambourine
• Graeme Edge - drums, percussion, vocals
• Mike Pinder - vocals, mellotron