Blackmore's Night – To The Moon And Back: 20 Years And Beyond (2017)
A 20-Year Celebration of Renaissance Folk Rock Magic
Released on August 11, 2017, To The Moon And Back: 20 Years And Beyond is a compilation album celebrating two decades of Blackmore’s Night. The collection highlights the band’s most beloved songs, rare tracks, re-recordings, and new material — offering both longtime fans and newcomers a sweeping overview of their medieval-inspired musical journey.
Fronted by legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Candice Night, the album reflects on 20 years of blending Renaissance melodies with folk and classic rock influences.
🌙 Album Overview
To The Moon And Back serves as a career-spanning retrospective featuring:
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Newly recorded versions of classic songs
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Fan favorites
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Rare live tracks
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Two brand-new recordings (at the time of release)
The album was released in multiple formats, including a 2-CD edition and limited collector’s packages.
📀 Tracklist (2-CD Edition)
💿 Disc One
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Shadow of the Moon (2017 version)
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Spirit of the Sea
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Renaissance Faire
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Play Minstrel Play
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Under a Violet Moon
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Spanish Nights (I Remember It Well)
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Fires at Midnight
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Ghost of a Rose
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Cartouche
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Village Dance
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The Clock Ticks On
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Renaissance Faire (Live)
💿 Disc Two
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Darkness
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Locked Within the Crystal Ball
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Diamonds and Rust (2017 version)
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Moonlight Shadow (2017 version)
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All Our Yesterdays
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Dancer and the Moon
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I Got You Babe (2017 version)
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Wish You Were Here (2017 version)
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Coming Home
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Writing on the Wall
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Carry On… Jon
(Track selection may vary by edition.)
🎤 Album Credits
🎶 Core Members
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Ritchie Blackmore – acoustic & electric guitars, mandola, hurdy-gurdy, percussion
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Candice Night – lead vocals, backing vocals, pennywhistle, recorder, shawm
🎻 Additional Musicians
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Bard David of Larchmont (David Baranowski) – keyboards
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Harmony vocalists: Lady Madeline & Lady Nancy
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Various live/session contributors
🎛️ Production
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Produced by: Pat Regan
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Label: Frontiers Records
📈 Chart Performance
The compilation performed strongly in Europe:
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🇩🇪 Top 20 on the German Albums Chart
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Charted in Switzerland and Austria
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Continued the band’s consistent presence in the German market
Germany remained one of Blackmore’s Night’s strongest fan bases throughout their career.
🎵 Notable Highlights
🌑 “Shadow of the Moon” (2017 Version)
A refreshed recording of the band’s breakthrough 1997 single, originally from Shadow of the Moon, showing how Candice Night’s voice and the band’s production style evolved over two decades.
🎸 “Diamonds and Rust”
Originally written and recorded by Joan Baez, Blackmore’s Night revisited their Renaissance-style interpretation for this anniversary edition.
🌊 “Wish You Were Here”
A medieval-inspired reimagining of the classic by Pink Floyd, blending folk instrumentation with progressive rock heritage.
🧠 Did You Know?
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The album title reflects the band’s long-running lyrical fascination with moon imagery.
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Several tracks were newly recorded rather than simply remastered.
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“Carry On… Jon” remains a heartfelt tribute to Jon Lord, Blackmore’s former bandmate in Deep Purple.
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The compilation bridges Blackmore’s Night’s medieval aesthetic with subtle nods to Ritchie Blackmore’s rock legacy.
🎉 Fun Facts & Trivia
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The 2017 re-recordings feature a warmer, more modern production style compared to the late-1990s originals.
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The collection was released during a period when Ritchie Blackmore was occasionally performing classic rock shows again.
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“Writing on the Wall” stands out as one of the darker, more dramatic tracks in the compilation.
🏆 Awards & Recognition
While To The Moon And Back did not receive major international music awards, it:
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Reinforced the band’s strong European chart performance
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Celebrated 20 years of consistent commercial success
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Highlighted Blackmore’s Night’s unique position in the Renaissance folk-rock niche.
Blackmore's Night Full Discography
Download Blackmore's Night Albums from Amazon Music
More Albums:
Blackmore's Night - Shadow of the Moon (1997)
Blackmore's Night - Under a Violet Moon (1999)
Blackmore's Night - Fires at Midnight (2001)
Blackmore's Night - Ghost of a Rose (2003)
Blackmore's Knight - The Village Lanterne (2006)
Blackmore's Night - Winter Carols (2006)
Blackmore's Night - All Our Yesterdays (2015)
Blackmore's Night Full Discography: Complete Guide to Albums & Covers Collection (1997--2023)
