Initially recorded by Bessie Banks, wife of New York based soul singer Larry Banks, who wrote the song in 1962, “Go Now” hit Number 40 on the Cashbox R&B Singles Chart when record producers Leiber and Stoller released it in 1964.  Then an English beat group recorded it and the song hit Number One on the UK charts the following year and, with the British Invasion in full swing, Number Ten in the States.

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Formed in Birmingham, the group had patterned its name after a potential sponsor, the M & B Brewery, first going with the M B’s then the M B Five. When the sponsorship fell-through, and inspired by Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo,” they opted for a name that has stuck with them now for nearly half a century…the Moody Blues.

With more changes in personnel early-on than they had in band names, the Moody Blues had little success with later singles after “Go Now”, which was subsequently included on the group’s debut album, “The Magnificent Moodies”…until… they began to write their own material and released their next LP two years later, “Days of Future Passed” (the first concept album to be released by a British rock band) that included their next two hits “Tuesday Afternoon” and a little-remembered number (unless you’ve ever been to a high school dance) called “Nights in White Satin”. 

In the years that followed the still-active group would sell in excess of 70 million albums, but back in 1965 they needed all the help they could get to get themselves launched, including this short film clip that was used to promote what would be their one and only Number One single, its interesting visual style pre-dating a similar promotional video by Queen (for its “Bohemian Rhapsody” release) by a full decade.

Go Now

 We’ve already said ‘Goodbye’

Since you’ve got to go

Oh you had better go now

Go now, Go now, Go now

Before you see me cry

I don’t want you to tell me

Just what you intend to do now

‘Cause how many times do I have to tell you

Darling, darling,

I’m still in love

With you now?

 We’ve already said ‘So long’

I don’t want to see you go

Oh you had better go now

Go now, Go now, Go now

Don’t you even try telling me

That you really don’t want me to end this way

‘Cause, darling, darling,

Can’t you see I want you to stay?

 We’ve already said ‘Goodbye’

Since you’ve got to go

Oh you had better go now

Go now, Go now, Go now

Before you see me cry

I don’t want you to tell me

Just what you intend to do now

‘Cause how many times do I have to tell you

Darling, darling,

I’m still in love,

Still in love,

With you now?

I don’t want to see you go

But, darling,

You’d better go now