"Go Now!" is a song from Spitting Image, used as the finale of Episode 1 of Series 8. Originally, Go Now was written in 1962 by Larry Banks and Milton Bennett, before first being performed by Bessie Banks in January 1964. The song was later recorded by The Moody Blues in November of the same year, who's recording of it is the best known. Several years later in 1990, Go Now was used in Spitting Image as a "tribute" to Margaret Thatcher's leaving and retiring from Parliament.
Spitting Image - Go Now (High Quality)
Spitting Image - Go Now (High Quality)
The song begins with Roy Hattersley, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, addressing the House of Commons and the Speaker, stating that Thatcher should "follow example of most of her able Cabinet Ministers" and resign from office, to which the Opposition is heavily in favour of. Thatcher then stands, and claims that she still has "the support of her Party." However, judging from the mumbled reactions of her underlings, this is obviously not the case. When Thatcher attempts to bully into submission as she had done before, Michael Heseltine stands in defiance, and leads the House in song, expressing their desires for Thatcher to "Go Now"...
Lyrics
(Roy Hattersley)
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker! I suggest that the Honourable Lady opposite follows the example of most of her able Cabinet Ministers, and resigns!
(Margaret Thatcher)
Mr. Speaker, I still have the support of my Party! (Uh…)
Haven’t I? (Um…) Haven’t I? (Uh, well…) Haven’t I?!? (Uh… Um…)
(Michael Heseltine)
Oh... We've already sai-d-d-d-d…
Good-b-y-e-e! (No… No…)
Since you've got to go, oh you’d better go now!
(David Waddington, John Major and Douglas Hurd)
Go now! Go now! Go now!
(Colin Moynihan)
Before you make me cry!
(Cecil Parkinson)
Mmm-mmm! I want you to tell me,
Tell me what just what you intend to do now! Ohhhh!
Ohhh, how many times do I have to tell you, darlin', darlin',
I’m still in love with you now? Who-o-o-a-a!
(Nigel Lawson)
We've already said…
(All)
So lo-o-o-o-ong!
(Cecil Parkinson)
I don’t wanna see you goooo…!
(Edward Heath)
But you’d better go now! (Ooooo!)
(Queen Elizabeth II)
Don’t you even try –
Telling me that you really want to see it end this way, now!
(Neil Kinnock)
Can’t you see, can’t you see I want you to stay?!?
(The Speaker)
We’d all like to say…
(All)
Good-b-y-e-e-e!
We all want to see you go –
So will you go now?
Go now! Go now!
Go now! We don’t want you to stay!
(Instrumental)
Ooooo-ooooo-ooooo-ooooo…
Since you’ve gotta go, you’d better go now…
(Instrumental)
Ooooo-ooooo-ooooo-ooooo…
Since you’ve gotta go, you’d better go now…
(Winston Churchill)
Hmmm… This… isn’t very topical…
Trivia
The band that "performs" the music of "Go Now!" is made up of various puppets from across the series. These include Queen Elizabeth II on lead guitar, Edward Heath on both piano and keyboard, Michael Heseltine on bass guitar, Nigel Lawson on bongos, David Owen and David Steel on triangle, and, most interestingly, Denis Thatcher on drums.
During the video, a silhouette of Margaret Thatcher is seen through the paper wall, where she is seemingly beheaded by a robed figure. This executioner, judging from their outfit of hooded robes, is seemingly Death himself, who's puppet was used frequently during Spitting Image's run, most notably in the songs Every Bomb You Make, Every Silver Lining Has A Cloud and You Need Arms.