Go Now (song) - Bessie Banks

Bessie Banks

The song was first recorded by Larry Banks' former wife, Bessie Banks. A 1962 demo recording by Bessie of the song was heard by songwriters and record producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who re-recorded it and first released it in early 1964 on their Tiger label, and later reissued it on the Blue Cat label, the R&B/soul imprint of Red Bird. Her version reached number forty on the Cashbox R&B singles chart.

Bessie Banks later commented:

"'I remember 1963 Kennedy was assassinated; it was announced over the radio. At the time, I was rehearsing in the office of Leiber and Stoller. We called it a day. Everyone was in tears. "Come back next week and we will be ready to record 'Go Now'"; and we did so. I was happy and excited that maybe this time I’ll make it. 'Go Now' was released and right away it was chosen Pick Hit of the Week on W.I.N.S. Radio. That means your record is played for seven days. Four days went by, I was so thrilled. On day five, when I heard the first line, I thought it was me, but all of a sudden, I realized it wasn’t. At the end of the song it was announced, "The Moody Blues singing 'Go Now'." I was too out-done. This was the time of the English Invasion and the end of Bessie Banks’ career, so I thought. America's DJs had stopped promoting American artists."

Banks's version of 'Go Now' was released in January 1964, while The Moody Blues's version of the song did not enter the American charts until a whole year later, in mid-February 1965.

The original Bessie Banks version of 'Go Now' was included on the soundtrack to the film Stonewall.