Denny Laine (born Brian Frederick Arthur Hines in , Tyseley, Birmingham, on… Read Full Bio ↴Denny Laine (born Brian Frederick Arthur Hines in , Tyseley, Birmingham, on 29 October 1944; died 5 December 2023) was an English songwriter and multi-instrumentalist remembered for his roles as former guitarist and lead singer of The Moody Blues and, later, co-founder (along with Paul McCartney) of Wings.
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.
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.
The Note You Never Wrote
Denny Laine Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'The Note You Never Wrote' by these artists:
Wings Later on, the story goes, A bottle floated out to sea Afte…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Denny Laine:
Band on the Run Stuck inside these four walls, Sent inside forever, Never …
Blackbird Blackbird singing in the dead of night Take these broken win…
Children Children I know a tiny waterfall A magic little place Where we can…
Go Now We've already said "Goodbye" Since you gotta go, oh you'd be…
Heartbeat Heartbeat Why do you miss when my baby kisses me? Heartbea…
i Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all…
I'm Gonna Love You Too Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Ah ha…
Listen to What the Man Said Any time, any day You can hear the people say That love…
Listen to What the Man Says Any time, any day You can hear the people say That…
Look At Me Hey, hey, Look at me and tell me What's goona…
Moondreams Strange things take place in my moondreams as the lonely…
Mull of Kintyre Mull of Kintyre, oh mist rolling in from the sea…
Picasso The grand old painter died last night His paintings on…
Rave On Well, the little things you say and do Make me want…
Say You Don Though Some Things In Life Are Hard To Bear Don't Let…
Silly Love Songs You'd think that people would have had enough of silly…
Take Your Time Take Your Time, I can wait For all the love I…
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Judge Timbers
With only his voice and guitar, Denny soars on this truly amazing unplugged version. What a treasure he is.
Walter White
I Love this song. For years I thought it was Paul singing, I was corrected by my 13 year old daughter who loves Paul, she recognized that it wasn't him. This version it's easy to hear, but the one on Speed of Sound, not so much.
Phillipe Knopp Machado
@Walter White Happy to know there are teenagers today who enjoy Paul and no Justin Binbirs, there´s still hope in Earth .
The voice is really identical to Paul´s in ATSOS album.
His Overlord Upon High
I have always loved this song.
Steven Ludwig
My favorite song by Denny while he was in Wings~
Denny Laine 🎵
Oh! Thank you so much for being such an amazing fan of my music Steven🙏🤠. I hope you never stop being a fan and also stop listening to my songs🎶. Well could you kindly tell me how long you've been a fan my music???
MrJagxjsc12
this song is so much more than appears on the surface,....teach your children well,..they are everything!
Jim Hudson
I've known this song since I was a kid but have always struggled to understand the meaning. At the risk of sounding a bit simple, can somebody please explain?