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.
Picasso
Denny Laine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His paintings on the wall
Before he went he bade us well
And said goodnight to us all.
Drink to me, drink to my health
You know I can't drink any more
Drink to me, drink to my health
Three o'clock in the morning
I'm getting ready for bed
It came without a warning
But I'll be waiting for you baby
I'll be waiting for you there
So drink to me drink to my health
You know I can't drink any more
Drink to me drink to my health
You know I can't drink any more
French interlude
Temp change
Jet...drink to me
Drunken chorus
French (tempo)
Drink to me...ho hey ho
Picasso's Last Words is a tribute to Pablo Picasso, one of the most significant artists of the 20th century. The song starts with announcing the death of the Spanish painter, who is regarded as one of the pioneers of Cubism. The opening line, "The grand old painter died last night," is a reference to the moment when Picasso passed away in 1973. The verse also highlights the fact that Picasso's legacy lives on through his artworks, which are displayed on the wall as a reminder of his great contributions to the art world. The second line, "His paintings on the wall," is a poignant reference to the lasting impact that Picasso created through his iconic works of art.
The song then shifts to a drinking song where the chorus begs the listener to drink to the singer's health. This is a reference to the life of Picasso, who was known to be a heavy drinker. The line, "Drink to me, drink to my health. You know I can't drink anymore," is meant to echo Picasso's declining health in his final years, which was a result of his excessive drinking. The lyrics ask the listener to raise a glass to the artist's memory, even though he is no longer able to partake in the revelry himself.
The final part of the song takes a turn towards romanticism. The third verse alludes to the idea of longing for someone, perhaps Picasso's own unrequited love affair. The words, "But I'll be waiting for you baby," is a nod to Picasso's passionate nature towards his lovers while at the same time indicating that his spirit will live on. The French interlude and tempo change towards the end of the song is a tribute to Picasso's French heritage and his life spent mainly in France.
Line by Line Meaning
The grand old painter died last night
The renowned painter who was advanced in years passed away yesterday
His paintings on the wall
His masterpieces are still visible on display on the wall
Before he went he bade us well
Before leaving this earth, the painter wished us goodbye
And said goodnight to us all.
He greeted everyone farewell and said goodnight in his final moments
Drink to me, drink to my health
Make a toast in honor of me and wish me good health
You know I can't drink any more
I cannot indulge in the act of drinking anymore due to reasons unknown
Three o'clock in the morning
It's 3 in the morning and I am preparing for bed
I'm getting ready for bed
I am in the process of winding down to sleep
It came without a warning
An abrupt and unforeseen event has occurred
But I'll be waiting for you baby
However, I will still be eagerly waiting for you, my dear
I'll be waiting for you there
I will be where I said I would be waiting for you impatiently
So drink to me, drink to my health
It reiterates the earlier statement - make a toast for me and wish me sound health
French interlude
A brief instrumental piece in a French style
Temp change
A change in the tempo of the music
Jet...drink to me
The song quoters the word 'Jet' before repeating its chorus line
Drunken chorus
An uncontrolled and boisterous element added to the choral
French (tempo)
A pace and rhythm that is musical like French songs
Drink to me...ho hey ho
Repetitive chorus that beg for cheers
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: LINDA MCCARTNEY, PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DatGanjaSmuggla
Birthing life with his acoustic guitar