The Recently Released Beatles Song, “Now and Then”
Despite the excitement surrounding “Now and Then” being dubbed “The Last Beatles Song” and the band’s “first new song in 50 years,” it’s essential to clarify its nature. While it is indeed a “new” Beatles song featuring all four members, including the late John Lennon and George Harrison, it’s not a previously undiscovered “Abbey Road” outtake. In reality, even Lennon’s contribution was recorded and likely written years after the Beatles disbanded.
Similar to “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love,” the other “new” Beatles tracks released since 1970, “Now and Then” originated as raw Lennon home demos from the late 1970s. These demos were provided by Yoko Ono in 1994 for the surviving members to complete.
Unveiling New Songs and Fans’ Ongoing Desires
In 1995, the surviving members of the Beatles came together for their Anthology series of albums. As a part of this endeavor, the band unveiled two entirely new songs. However, fans have continually desired additional content.
With the collaboration of producer Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr of the Beatles utilized demo recordings featuring the late John Lennon’s vocals to craft two fresh tracks: ‘Free as a Bird’ and ‘Real Love’.
The journey of “Now and Then” to its realization spanned five decades and was the result of ongoing conversations and collaborations among the four Beatles, which continue to this day. The legendary John Lennon demo, which had long been the subject of myth, was initially tackled in February 1995 by Paul, George, and Ringo as part of The Beatles Anthology project. However, it remained unfinished, primarily due to the formidable technological challenges associated with working on John’s recorded vocals from the 1970s. For years, it seemed unlikely that the song would ever see completion.
Separating John’s Vocals and the Beatles’ Collaborative Rebirth”
A fortuitous turn of events occurred in 2022. A software system developed by Peter Jackson and his team, utilized during the production of the “Get Back” documentary series, finally made it possible to separate John’s vocals from his piano part. This breakthrough allowed the original recording to be resurrected and reworked with contributions from all four Beatles members.
This extraordinary tale of musical archaeology underscores The Beatles’ ceaseless creative curiosity and their shared fascination with technology. It serves as a tribute to the final recording that John, Paul, George, and Ringo would create together and celebrates the enduring legacy of the most preeminent and influential band in the history of popular music.
‘Now and Then’ on the Verge of Album Placement”
Nonetheless, there was an additional track, ‘Now and Then,’ that came very close to being part of the album.
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Finally, on October 26, 2023, it was officially announced that the song would be released.
On November 2, 2023, ‘Now and Then‘ was made available on streaming platforms, preceding its release on vinyl, cassette, and CD.
In the late 1970s, John Lennon composed ‘Now and Then,’ and he created a demo recording of the unfinished song at his residence in the Dakota Building, New York City, in 1979.
Unfinished Verses and a Collaborative Revival by Beatles
This track exemplifies the type of love songs that Lennon penned during the latter phase of his career, which often conveyed feelings of remorse and apology. While most of the verses were complete, there were still some lines missing in the demo tape performance. Interestingly, it was his former Beatles bandmates who eventually completed those missing parts during two distinct recording sessions that took place many years apart.
Additionally, there were the tracks ‘Grow Old with Me’ and ‘Now and Then’ in the mix. ‘Grow Old with Me’ had been previously released in 1984 on the posthumous album Milk and Honey, leaving the Beatles to concentrate their efforts on ‘Now and Then.’
In March 1995, the three surviving Beatles initiated their work on ‘Now and Then’ by crafting an initial backing track, which they intended to use for overdubbing. However, their efforts on the song were abruptly halted after just two days of recording, and they ultimately abandoned it.
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