You’ve probably heard the piano intro. That haunting, slightly clunky, and utterly iconic triplet rhythm that kicks off one of the greatest heartbreak songs of the 1960s. Most people—if they know the track at all—instantly think of the British Invasion. They think of The Moody Blues and Denny Laine’s soulful, desperate vocal. But there is a much darker, more bittersweet story behind the original version. Honestly, the Bessie Banks Go Now recording isn't just a "demo" or a footnote; it’s a masterclass in soul that was effectively buried by the very history it helped create.
Music history is full of these "almost" moments. Bessie Banks was a powerhouse. Born Bessie White in North Carolina and raised in the heart of Brooklyn, she had the kind of voice that could stop a room cold. By the time 1963 rolled around, her husband (and sometimes musical partner) Larry Banks wrote a song specifically to make her a star. That song was "Go Now." It wasn't just a business move; it was personal.
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The Day the Music Stopped (Literally)
Timing is everything in the record business. For Bessie, the timing was tragic. She was actually in the studio rehearsing "Go Now" with legendary producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller—the guys behind hits for Elvis and The Coasters—on November 22, 1963.
The session was interrupted.
Word came over the radio that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated in Dallas. The studio went cold. Bessie later recalled everyone being in tears. They called it a day. They couldn't sing about heartbreak when the whole country was literally breaking. They came back a week later to finish the track, but that heavy, somber energy seemed to stick to the tape.
When you listen to the Bessie Banks Go Now original, you can hear that weight. It’s a gospel-soaked plea. It’s not just a pop song; it’s an exorcism. The backing vocals featured a young Cissy Houston (Whitney’s mom) and Dee Dee Warwick. Imagine that lineup. It was supposed to be the "Pick Hit of the Week" on W.I.N.S. Radio in New York. Bessie was finally going to make it.
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The British Invasion Theft (Sorta)
Here is where it gets messy. Bessie was sitting at home, listening to the radio, waiting for her song to play. She heard the first few bars and thought, "That's me!" Then the vocals kicked in.
It wasn't her.
It was five guys from Birmingham, England. The Moody Blues had heard her version, loved it, and basically did a note-for-note cover. Because of the "British Invasion" craze, American DJs dropped Bessie's record like a hot coal to play the imports. The Moody Blues version went to number one in the UK and top ten in the US. Bessie’s version? It stalled. It peaked at #40 on the Cashbox R&B charts and then vanished from the mainstream airwaves.
Bessie later said she was "stunned and deflated." You can't really blame her. Imagine working your whole life for a moment, having the greatest producers in the world behind you, and then watching a group from across the ocean take your "breakout" hit and ride it to superstardom while you're still sitting in Brooklyn.
Why the Bessie Banks Version Still Hits Harder
There are a few technical and emotional reasons why the original stands up, even if it didn't get the royalties it deserved.
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- The Restraint: Where Denny Laine (The Moody Blues) is a bit more "shouty" and dramatic, Bessie is controlled. She sounds like she’s trying to keep herself from falling apart.
- The Arrangement: Gary Sherman’s arrangement on the original is slightly more "church." It feels more grounded in the R&B tradition of the early 60s.
- The Soul: There’s a specific "cry" in Bessie’s voice on the line "I’m still in love with you now" that no rock band could ever replicate.
What Happened to Bessie?
She didn't stop, but she never got that big crossover hit. She moved around labels—Verve, Volt, even Stax. If you’re a Northern Soul fan, you probably know her 1976 track "The Best Is Yet to Come." It’s a dancefloor staple in the UK. Kinda ironic, right? The country that "stole" her biggest hit ended up being the place that kept her career alive through the underground soul scene.
Larry Banks, the man who wrote the song, eventually passed away in 1992. Bessie reportedly moved into gospel music later in life, finding peace away from the cutthroat pop charts.
How to Experience Go Now Today
If you want to actually "get" this song, you have to do more than just stream the most popular version. You need to compare them.
- Listen to the Bessie Banks original first. Pay attention to the background vocals by Cissy Houston. It’s a lush, professional production that sounds like a million bucks.
- Watch the 1964 Moody Blues promotional film. It’s one of the first "music videos" ever made. You’ll see how they marketed the "look" of the song, which Bessie never got the chance to do.
- Check out the "One Hand Clapping" version. Paul McCartney (with Denny Laine in Wings) performed this song for years. It shows the staying power of the melody Larry Banks wrote for his wife.
The real takeaway here is that "Go Now" isn't just a classic rock song. It’s an R&B masterpiece that got caught in the crossfire of a cultural revolution. Bessie Banks might not have the trophy on her shelf, but she’s the one who gave the song its heart. Next time you hear it, remember the woman who was rehearsing it while the world changed in 1963.
Actionable Insight: If you're a vinyl collector, hunt down the original Tiger or Blue Cat 45s of the Bessie Banks Go Now release. They are becoming increasingly rare and represent a pivotal moment where American Soul met the British Invasion head-on.