The Magnificent Moodies

The Moody Blues - "Go Now" (1965) - London Records

Hello Friends,

Picked up this early Moody Blues record at Record Store Day last weekend.

Sounds absolutely nothing like any Moody Blues' albums we've ever heard before.  Its R&B and Merseybeat tunes sung mostly by Denny Laine (who would later join up with the McCartneys to form Wings).  Not proggy in the least. No mellotron.  No psychedelic album artwork.  No spacey concept tying the album together.  Sounds more like a slightly above average British Invasion record that anything on the Moody's second album (which many people regard as their proper debut), Days of Future Passed.

In England, it was released in a slightly different incarnation as The Magnificent Moodies, while here in the U.S. they re-named it, Go Now - The Moody Blues # 1 to capitalize on the success of their Number One single, the cover of the R&B song, "Go Now."

There's also a James Brown cover, "I'll Go Crazy"; Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry's "I've Got A Dream"; the Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So"; Willie Dixon & Sonny Boy Williamson's "Bye Bye Bird"; et cetera.  Mister Sunshine Superman himself, Donovan, wrote the album's liner notes! 

The final track, written by Laine & organist Mike Pinder, is the British Invasion hit-that-never-was, "From The Bottom of My Heart".

Within the next two years, Laine and bassist Clint Warwick would be replaced by Justin Hayward & John Lodge, respectively, but we'll revisit the Moodys one night this Summer on a Prog-Rock Saturday.

Here's a live clip of Denny Laine performing "Go Now" as a member of Wings.

RATING: 4 Mitchells & Butlers Breweries out of 5