Surviving Moody Blues musician Justin Hayward has shared a surprise brand-new single, a cover of Hello, Young Lovers from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King And I.
“I have loved the songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein II since I was a boy,” Hayward enthuses. “My mother, who was a fair pianist, bought the songbook of The King And I after she had been to see the movie, and this song always seemed to express something so kind that an older person might say – now, I am that person and can say it from the heart”.
“I started recording the song just for my own personal pleasure, but after a couple of hours I realised it could actually be a record and I got serious. The orchestral arrangements of Alfred Newman and Ken Darby are magical, and that evening myself and my recording partner Alberto Parodi experimented with surrounding my track (of guitars, bass, keyboards and vocal) with their orchestrations and the effect was beautiful. Alberto’s friend Roberto, who plays old-fashioned accordion, came round, and in one take it was perfect.”
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The single is backed with a live version of The Moody Blues’ own Haunted, which Hayward penned for the band’s 1999 album Strange Times. The new version was recorded at The New York Society Ethical Culture and features longstanding tour musicians Julie Ragins, Karmen Gould and Mike Dawes. You can hear both new tracks below.
Hayward is currently on his The Story In Your Eyes UK tour, which is tonight at the Torquay Princess Theatre. You can see the full list of dates below.
Justin Hayward The Story In Your Eyes UK tour dates
Oct 7: Torquay Princess Theatre
Oct 8: Truro Hall For Cornwall
Oct 10: Salisbury City Hall
Oct 11: London Cadogan Hall
Oct 12: London Cadogan Hall
Oct 14: Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
Oct 17: Dunfermline Alhamera Theatre
Oct 18: Newcastle Tyne Theatre And Opera House
Oct 20: Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion
Oct 21: Southend Cliffs Pavilion