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Although Deram executives were initially skeptical about the hybrid style of the resulting concept album.

Days of Future Passed ( released in November 1967 ) became one of the most successful pop / rock releases of the period, earning a gold record award and reaching No. 27 on the British album chart.

Five years later it was to reach No. 3 in the U. S ./ Billboard charts.

The album was a song cycle or concept album that takes place over the course of a single day.

In production and arrangement the album drew inspiration from the pioneering use of the classical instrumentation by The Beatles to whom Pinder had introduced the Mellotron that year.

It took the form to new heights using the London Festival Orchestra, a loose affiliation of Decca's classical musicians given a fictitious name adding the term " London " to sound impressive, to provide an orchestral linking framework to the Moodies already written and performed songs, plus overture & conclusion sections on the album including backing up Graeme Edge's opening & closing poems recited by Pinder.

Strings were added to the latter portion of the album version of Hayward's " Nights in White Satin " ( absent on the single hit version ) as was Pinder's " The Sun Set ".

The orchestra and group never actually perform together on the recording with the band's rock instrumentation centred on Pinder's Mellotron.

The album, despite being a lush concept album, was in fact cut in a very workmanlike manner, with the band recording a particular song, then the track being presented to Peter Knight who quickly composed a suitable " linking " orchestral portion which the Decca musicians (' London Festival Orchestral ') then recorded.

The album was as much an original work by Knight himself as the group.

The composing credits were listed on the sleeve as: " Redwave-Knight ", when in fact Hayward wrote " Nights ..." and " Tuesday Afternoon ", Thomas provided " Another Morning " and " Twilight Time ", Lodge penned " Peak Hour " and " Evening ( Time To Get Away )", and Edge contributed the opening and closing poems ( the first ' Morning Glory ' and the latter titled " Late Lament ") read by Mike Pinder who composed both " The Sun Set " and " Dawn is a Feeling " ( sung by Hayward, with Pinder himself singing the bridge section ).