Of Romani descent, Laine and was educated at Yardley Grammar School in Birmingham. His first solo performance was at the age of twelve. Having taken up the guitar as a boy, under the influence of jazz legend Django Reinhardt, Laine began his career as a professional musician fronting Denny And The Diplomats, the members of which included future The Move and Electric Light Orchestra drummer Bev Bevan.
In 1964, Laine abandoned Denny And The Diplomats to join The Moody Blues, singing their first big hit, "Go Now. His tenure with the band was short-lived, however, and after a number of comparative failures, Laine quit the band in late 1966. (The last record issued by The Moody Blues that featured Laine was Life's Not Life / He Can Win in 1967).
After leaving The Moody Blues, he formed Denny Laine's Electric String Band, which featured Denny (guitar, vocals), Trevor Burton (guitar, another former member of The Move) and Viv Prince (drums), also featuring electrified strings in a format not dissimilar to what Electric Light Orchestra would later attempt. They made two singles, Say You Don't Mind / Ask The People (Apr 1967, Deram) and "Too Much In Love / Catherine's Wheel (Jan 1968, Deram); and, in June 1967, they shared a bill with The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Procol Harum at the Saville Theatre in London. However, national attention was not to be, and the pioneering Electric String Band broke up. Laine and Burton then went on to the band Balls from 1969 until the band's breakup in 1971, with both also taking time to play in Ginger Baker's Air Force in 1970.
With Wings, which Laine was a member of from its original inception in 1971, Laine enjoyed his greatest success (even beating The Moody Blues' release of "Go Now"), helping McCartney write such big hits as Mull of Kintyre. Along with Paul's late wife, Linda McCartney, Laine helped form the nucleus of the band, providing lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards, bass guitar, as well as backing vocals and sometimes lead vocals.
In 1972 Colin Blunstone of The Zombies did have some success as a solo artist with one of Danny's song Say You Don't Mind.
In January 1980, Wings planned a tour of Japan. However, upon arrival at the airport, McCartney was arrested for marijuana possession. The tour was cancelled, and Laine's relationship with McCartney has never recovered. In 1980, he released the song Japanese Tears, a visible attack on McCartney, much like John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep?" in 1971.
After leaving Wings, Laine signed with Scratch Records and released a new album, Anyone Can Fly in 1982. He also worked on McCartney's albums Tug of War and Pipes of Peace and he co-wrote one more song with McCartney, "Rainclouds" (issued as the B-side of the No. 1 single "Ebony and Ivory").
Laine continued to release solo albums through the 1980s, such as Hometown Girls, Wings on My Feet, Lonely Road and Master Suite. In 1996, he released two albums, Reborn; and an album of reworkings of Wings songs, entitled Wings at the Sound of Denny Laine.
From 1997 to 2002, he toured with the rock supergroup World Classic Rockers. He then toured with the Denny Laine Band, and teamed up with other bands on occasion.
Laine's final solo release was the 2008 album The Blue Musician. He also wrote a musical, Arctic Song.
In 2018 he performed with the 9-piece band Turkuaz doing the music of Wings.
Go Now
Denny Laine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Since you gotta go, oh you'd 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 darlin', darlin'
I'm still in love with you now
We've already said "So long"
I don't want to see you go, oh you'd better
Go now go now, go now (Go now)
Don't you even try?
Tellin' me that you really don't want it to end this way
'Cause darlin', darlin', can't you see I want you to stay.
Whoa oh oh oh
Since you gotta go, oh you'd 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 darlin', darlin'
I'm still in love still in love with you now
Whoa oh oh oh
I don't want to see you go but darlin', you better go now
Denny Laine's "Go Now" is a sorrowful plea from a man who's begging his lover to leave before he breaks down in tears. The song starts off with him acknowledging that they've already said goodbye, but now he has to ask her to leave before he becomes emotional. The desperation in his voice becomes more apparent as the chorus kicks in, with him repeating the phrase "Go now" multiple times to get his message across.
Throughout the song, the man tries to hide his true feelings and not let his lover know that he wants her to stay, but it's clear from his tone that he's still in love with her. He practically pleads with her to not tell him what she intends to do because he already knows he'll be heartbroken with any answer that includes her leaving.
In summary, "Go Now" is a poignant song about a man who's lost his lover, but still loves her deeply. He wants her to go, not because he doesn't care, but because he can't bear to see her go. The repetition of "Go now" in the chorus emphasizes his desperation and his inability to let his lover see him cry.
Line by Line Meaning
We've already said "Goodbye"
We have already ended our relationship.
Since you gotta go, oh you'd better
Go now go now, go now (Go now)
Before you see me cry?
Since you have to leave, it's best to do it now before I break down emotionally.
I don't want you to tell me just what you intend to do now
I don't want to hear about your future plans.
'Cause how many times do I have to tell you darlin', darlin'
I'm still in love with you now
Whoa oh oh oh
I have told you multiple times that I still love you.
We've already said "So long"
We have already parted ways.
I don't want to see you go, oh you'd better
Go now go now, go now (Go now)
I don't want you to leave, but if you must, it's best to do it quickly.
Don't you even try?
Tellin' me that you really don't want it to end this way
Please don't try to convince me to stay, or that you don't want our relationship to end.
'Cause darlin', darlin', can't you see I want you to stay.
Whoa oh oh oh
Even though I want you to stay, I know you have to leave.
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 darlin', darlin'
I'm still in love still in love with you now
Whoa oh oh oh
I don't want to hear about your plans because I have already expressed my love for you multiple times.
I don't want to see you go but darlin', you better go now
I don't want you to leave, but if you must, it's better to do it now.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Larry Banks, Milton Bennett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bruce Scott
Excellent!!
Jeff Allen
It didn’t matter if Denny did this with the Moodys, Wings, or by himself it was always top notch.
paul VON
or his first band the Diplomats (Birmingham)
Lee Tana
I can play this over and over and over, never get tired of it. Denny Laine makes the song, his singing is like no other. Truly amazing! 🖤💙
Loreene Telle
This is best versions
Sooz
It's like finding an old friend stumbling onto this jewel...
Bless you Denny...
Soundtrack of my youth 🎼🖤
RedIn Denver
Such a great song! So sad that it's been virtually forgotten -- only 57 likes!!! Just like knitting and crocheting -- lost arts that no one is even aware of anymore.😥
MAGNETO
Not forgotten by me in more than half a century!
Martha G
Not forgotten by me either. In fact it's on my play list. Love this song. Memories
David Thompson
296..and counting...