Keys of the Kingdom is the fifteenth album released by the rock band The Moody Blues in 1991. Although some of the tracks recall the songwriting on Sur La Mer, the failure of Keys of the Kingdom to produce any major hit singles would mark the beginning of the Moodies' decline in popularity with mainstream audiences after their success in the MTV video generation. The album saw the band beginning to return to a more airy rock oriented sound (similar to The Present), rather than the previous two albums' forays into synthesiser pop. Flautist Ray Thomas plays more of a substantial role on this record, with his first ambient flute piece in eight years. Drum machines are still used heavily; Graeme Edge only performs on three songs, with session drummer Andy Duncan providing live drums on two more, and the rest being programmed. Keyboardist Patrick Moraz left the band after completing only a few tracks for this album, and he is listed as an 'additional' keyboard player. As this was the second time the band and their keyboardist would part ways, their future album and re-release booklets would distance themselves from Moraz and any future keyboardists they hired from being members of the band.
This was the last Moody Blues album before their extravagant concert at Red Rocks and a series of symphonic tours with orchestras.
Read more about Keys Of The Kingdom: Original Track Listing, Personnel
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“Thou hast the keys of Paradise, O just, subtle, and mighty opium!”
—Thomas De Quincey (1785–1859)
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Fletcher Christian: Take the deck, McCoy. I’ll get the keys to the arms chest.
McCoy: Get two muskets, sir. I’d like to shoot that shark on board.”
—Talbot Jennings (1896–1985)
“...I do deeply deplore, of the sake of the cause, the prevalent notion, that the clergy must be had, either by persuasion or by bribery. They will not need persuasion or bribery, if their hearts are with us; if they are not, we are better without them. It is idle to suppose that the kingdom of heaven cannot come on earth, without their cooperation.”
—Sarah M. Grimke (1792–1873)