Against all odds,the world-renowned band The Beatles, who broke up in 1974 and has since had two of its members pass away, returned and released a new song on Nov. 2.
“Now and Then,” written and recorded by John Lennon in the 1970s, showcased a return of all four members of The Beatles, including the vocals of now deceased Lennon and guitarist George Harrison.
The 1977 version of “Now and Then” was originally supposed to be released with two other songs by John Lennon, “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love.”
However, Paul McCartney explained to the Guardian that, “On John’s demo tape, the piano was a little hard to hear. And in those days, of course, we didn’t have the technology to do the separation…we kind of ran out of steam a bit, and time. ‘Now and Then’ just languished in a cupboard.”
Efforts were made to mix in Harrison, Ring Starr and McCartney, but the technology at the time simply wasn’t developed enough. In “Now And Then – The Last Beatles Song,” McCartney explained that “every time we wanted a little bit more of John’s voice, this piano came through and clouded the picture.”
Modern technology and instruments were used to centralize John Lennon’s vocals in the reproduction of the song. In 2021, Peter Jackson, a New Zealand producer and director, created the documentary “The Beatles: Get Back,” which isolated sounds, instruments and vocals in the band’s hit songs and singles.
McCartney expressed his excitement in the documentary that accompanied the song, stating, “In 2023, to still be working on Beatles music and about to release a new song the public haven’t heard, I think it’s an exciting thing.” McCartney was sure Lennon would have wanted his song completed and refurbished.
“Let’s say I had a chance to ask John, ‘Hey John, would you like us to finish this last song of yours?’ I’m telling you — I know the answer would have been, ‘Yeah!’ He would have loved that,” McCartney said.
With the help of AI and the documentary, McCartney and Starr were able to remaster Harrison’s electric guitar and Lennon’s iconic voice. “It was the closest we’ll ever come to having him back in the room…It was like John was there, you know. It’s far out,” Starr said in an interview with The New York Times.
“There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear, it’s quite emotional,” McCartney added.
While “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love” express the need for strong connections, “Now and Then” embraces separation and how connections change across time. The song was given to McCartney with a note from Lennon that read, “For Paul.”
McCartney re-recorded most of Lennon’s piano and Harrison’s guitar accompaniments featured in the 2023 version of “Now and Then.” He also sings over many of the leads, openings and endings along with Lennon. By doing so, McCartney embodied the nostalgia listeners hoped to hear in the band’s last song.
Pre-release, many listeners were concerned that the song would not live up to the band’s legendary songs and top-hits. Regardless, “Now and Then” was not intended to be a chart-topper or the band’s greatest song.
Instead, the song inspires emotion and nostalgia into the hearts of listeners and the remaining band members in an attempt to maintain the band’s connection almost 50 years after their separation. Over 40 years after Lennon’s death, the song resonates with listeners worldwide as The Beatles converge one last time.
