“New” Song: The Beatles Release Their Last Song, “Now And Then” – Our Thoughts…

Well, I guess I am capable of being surprised.

It’s been over 50 years since the Beatles broke up. It’s been over 60 since they formed as a band. Sadly, it’s been over 40 years since John Lennon was senselessly killed by insane gun violence. It’s been over 20 years since George Harrison succumbed to cancer. It’s 2023 and yet, the Beatles just released a new song, “Now And Then.” And quite frankly, I think this is a stunningly good song. Only the Beatles could have such an impact half a century after breaking up. In 50 years will they unearth a new Taylor Swift or Beyonce song that will captivate fans as much as this Beatles song? I don’t know but those two are the only ones close to being as big right now as the Beatles were… then. If I had to chance a guess, I’d bet that in 50 years time if they find one more Beatles song, it’ll be as big as this. The music is timeless.

“Now And Then” began as a demo with John Lennon sitting a piano with a simple tape recorder. In the mid-90s when the Beatles produced their Anthology Series, it was decided, despite Lennon having been gone for 15 years (at the time) to attempt some new recordings. Yoko Ono furnished three Lennon demos and Paul, George and Ringo began working with producer Jeff Lynne on finishing the songs. I remember reading a quote from Paul or Ringo saying, “We just pretended John had stepped out of the room to put a kettle on and we were left to finish up the song…” Or something to that effect. The Beatles finished two of the demos Yoko had provided, both “Free As A Bird,” and “Real Love.” I have to admit I only vaguely remembered “Real Love” and had to go back and listen to it. But, “Free As A Bird” was actually a hit song. I really liked it but the recording of Lennon’s voice was really only demo quality. Although it gave it a real spectral quality. I really liked “Free As A Bird.”

However, that third track, “Now And Then,” was never finished. The Beatles started to work on it, Harrison laid down some rhythm acoustic/electric guitar but the Beatles abandoned the effort. It was impossible to separate the piano from Lennon’s voice on the tape and so, they couldn’t really use the recording. Flash forward to a few years ago and the Beatles hired director Peter Jackson to go in and re-look at the footage they shot around the recording of Let It Be. During the process of re assembling that footage for The Beatles: Get Back, Jackson found it necessary to come up with the technology that could separate each distinct instrument/voice so he could clean up the sound. He did the same for the footage of the rooftop concert, The Beatles: Get Back, The Rooftop Concert. The sound was astounding. I’m surprised Jackson hasn’t come out and declared he’s now the “fifth Beatle.” The fact that they went from a cassette recording to a full blown track is nothing short of alchemy.

Paul and Ringo decided to go in and finish “Now And Then” so it could be included in the impending re-release of The Beatles 1962-1966 (aka The Red Album) and The Beatles 1967-1970 (aka The Blue Album). My parents owned The Blue Album on vinyl with the Apple label… my dad gave it away with the rest of his albums… if only he’d had a son with a blog, obsessed with music that he could have given them to? Bygones… Once Peter Jackson’s whiz-bang technology separated John’s voice Paul laid down a bass track and sent that to Ringo to add drums. They put Harrison’s rhythm guitar parts back on the song. And then, like a utility infielder in baseball, McCartney went in and recorded all the rest of the parts: guitar, piano, harpsichord, and most importantly to me, vocals. I can’t imagine how emotional that had to have been for Paul to once again be singing alongside his old mate. A 40 year old Lennon singing with an 80 year old McCartney is just a mind blowing idea.

It’s astounding to me that after all these years McCartney (and Starr) could channel their old band mates as well as this. McCartney captures the mood of Lennon’s demo. He also played a new guitar solo in the style of George Harrison’s slide guitar and he nails it. If I didn’t know better I’d have thought it was George. The restoration of Lennon’s voice is simply haunting. It all came together under the production of Giles Martin, George Martin‘s son. He also arranged the strings on the song.

The track is a beautiful ballad. There’s a mournfulness to the song that just hits me in the solar plexus. Lennon takes the main vocal with Paul chiming in. It’s great to hear those two voices back together. It’s the aforementioned George Harrison-esque slide guitar solo however, played by McCartney, that makes the track for me. It’s cutting in just the right way. The song has a fabulous melody, which you’d expect from Lennon and McCartney. I’ve heard people complain that the track doesn’t have Ringo’s signature tom-toms but Ringo’s a pro. His drumming always served the song. I said to the Rock Chick, “You never going find a lost “Hey Jude” in the wood pile, but this is as close as you could come.” Here’s the fabulous track:

They’re calling this, “The Last Beatles Song,” and if that’s true it really is somewhat of a sad thing. I don’t know what music will be like in 50 years… maybe we’ll get lucky and our kid’s kids in a major act of rebellion will start buying and playing guitars again. Keith Richards will likely still be around to comment on whatever is happening in 2073. But one thing is for sure, the Beatles will likely still be a relevant force in the universe and that… is a good thing.

Turn this one up loud… and dream of things that might have been. Cheers!