Meaning of Go Now! by The Moody Blues
This song was written by the late Larry Banks (1931-1992) alongside one Milton Bennett and was originally released through singer Bessie Banks, who for a time was the wife of Larry, early in 1964. Later that same year, on November 13th, The Moody Blues’ version came out. And although a couple of other artists have also covered the song since then, theirs has withstood the test of time as being the most-popular version of Go Now! to this day. For instance, their rendition topped the UK Singles Chart, peaked at number 6 on the Cashbox Top 100 and number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is also considered to be The Moody Blues’, a band that managed to stay together for half a century, signature song.
This is the second single in the band’s discography and as such is featured on their debut album, The Magnificent Moodies (1965), which was put out through Decca Records. Circa the mid-1960s The Moody Blues, who were from Birmingham, started running with The Beatles, who hailed from nearby Liverpool. As such, Paul McCartney and George Harrison (1943-2001) attended the launch party for The Magnificent Moodies.
In 1976, Paul and his wife Linda (1941-1998) performed Go Now alongside Denny Laine (1944-2023), the original lead singer of The Moody Blues (who had since become a member of Macca’s band, Wings). And that rendition can be found on Wings’ album which came out later in 1976, Wings over America. In fact, after the departure of Laine, The Moody Blues worked this song out of their rotation pretty promptly. (He was the one who encouraged them to record it to begin with). But Denny did continue to perform it as a part of Wings.
Facts about the Song
The Moody Blues’ version of Go Now was produced by British musician Denny Cordell (1943-1995) and one Alex Murray.
After the release of Go Now, The Moody Blues failed to drop any more hits during the 1960s. The closest they came was with 1967’s Nights in White Satin, which peaked at number 19 on the Hot 100. In fact the situation got so disheartening so quickly that Denny Laine bounced in late 1966. But that said, the early 1970s proved kinder to the band in terms of chart success.
Reportedly, this song was recorded in a home studio using makeshift equipment.
Interpretation of the Lyrics to Go Now!
These lyrics are both simple and complex at the same time. That is to say that verbally, they’re very easy to understand but concurrently represent conflicting emotions.
Yes, the vocalist is instructing the addressee, his romantic interest, to “go now”, but he also admits that he ‘doesn’t want to see’ this person leave. So what can be gleaned from these lyrics, which are also quite terse, is Denny having come to the agonizing conclusion – for whatever unspecified reason – that this is a romance which must end, here and now.
But that said, he does specify that the reason his “darling” should leave immediately is because he doesn’t want her to see him cry. So there’s a bit of machismo mixed up in here as well, if you will. But the bottom line, i.e. what can easily be gleaned from the lyrics, is that the parties involved may be breaking up alright, but it is a painful parting.
