Emotional Beatles fans broke down today when they heard Now And Then for the first time – the band’s new and final “masterpiece”, sung by John Lennon and debuting on the BBC and YouTube after 45 years of work.
Forty-three years after Lennon’s death – and more than two decades after George Harrison’s – the Beatles have come together with the help of AI and audio technology developed by Sir Peter Jackson, director of “Lord of the Rings” and “Get Back.” .
Sir Paul McCartney said recording ‘Now and Then’ felt like they were all together again, explaining today: ‘It’s probably the last Beatles song and we all played on it, so it’s a real one Beatles recording.” Every time I thought I would have had the opportunity to ask John, “Hey John, would you like us to finish your last song?” I’m telling you, I know the answer would be “yes” been.
Today at 2 p.m. the band’s “new” single “Now and Then” was released to the cheers and enthusiasm of tens of millions of excited fans. Listening parties were held all over the world, including in their hometown of Liverpool at the Cavern Club and at the Beatles Museum at Albert Dock.
Liam Gallagher tweeted: “Once in a while, absolutely incredible, biblical, heavenly, heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time, long live the Beatles LG x”
BBC Radio 2 listeners, who were the first to hear it in the UK, said they were in tears when they heard the Fab Four singing together again. One of them, Gemma from Nottingham, said: “Just wow.” I got goosebumps when I heard the one, two at the start of the track. That was excellent. I’m actually a bit emotional now.
Another said: “I have tears in my eyes listening to the new Beatles track.” Let’s hope we have the Fab Four at Christmas number one. A third fan said: “I’m only in my mid-30s but the Beatles were a huge part of my childhood, my parents listening to them and now this new song. “I have tears in my eyes, it sounds so haunting yet so beautiful .
LISTEN TO THE NEW BEATLES SONG BELOW
Tears from a Beatles fan in Liverpool this afternoon as she listens to the new and final Beatles song as played today
Emotional fans listen with tears in their eyes to a party at the Beatles Museum in Liverpool today
Liam Gallagher led the reviews and, like millions of others, loved it
Back in the studio! The Beatles have released a short film showing how they composed their last song together 43 years after John Lennon’s death. Sir Paul McCartney in the 1990s with George Harrison playing the guitar track before his death
Demo: The band releases the track “Now and Then”, which late singer John began recording in the late 1970s before being dug up by his wife in the ’90s (pictured)
Regarding the death of George Harrison, he said: “In 2001 we lost George, which took the wind out of our sails. It took us almost a quarter of a century to tackle this now and again.”
“Now And Then” is based on vocals recorded on a cassette by John Lennon before his death.
Sometime in 1977, he recorded the unfinished piece of music as a demo at his home in New York City. The tape was then given to the band by Yoko Ono in 1994.
George Harrison, who died in 2001, played guitar on the song during the 1995 and 1996 “Free as a Bird” sessions. In 2022 and 2023, Sir Paul McCartney played bass and Ringo played drums after director Peter Jackson used audio restoration technology that allowed Lennon’s vocals to be used without distortion.
A string arrangement was written with the help of Giles Martin, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin.
The students were allowed to hear the first play in class today. At Lourdes Secondary School in Glasgow, they stopped what they were doing, listened and clapped at the end.
Many shed tears over the song.
Broadcaster Lauren Laverne said: “I cried like a baby.” And I never cry. It’s a global treasure, isn’t it? I couldn’t get over the resonance of the title: to have this final title that has come from the mists of time and takes us back to the beginning of this amazing story – this story that has become part of our national character.
“I think it’s the story of Britain in the 20th century.” Guys from an industrial city who represent so strongly what Britain has done as we move from this industrial country to a place where art and culture emerges. That’s what we’re all about now: this is a place where ideas are born. They represent this story about Britain, about who we all are. They represent us.
Last night, surviving Beatles Sir Paul McCartney, 81, and Sir Ringo Starr, 83, released a short film written by Lennon that further explains their origin story. John began recording the vocals in the late 1970s and 14 years after he was shot in 1980, his widow Yoko Ono gave the tapes to Paul.
The technical problems of converting the vocals into a complete track were considered insurmountable by George, who died in 2001. But the feat has now been achieved with the help of artificial intelligence technology, which was used to better isolate John’s voice.
Paul and Ringo then added new parts including drums, bass, backing vocals and a George-inspired slide guitar solo.
Speaking about the short film, which premiered on The One Show on Wednesday, Sir Paul said: “When we lost John we knew it was really over.”
He added: “In 2001 we lost George, which took the wind out of our sails. It took us almost a quarter of a century to tackle this now and again.”
A fan listens emotionally as he hears John Lennon’s haunting vocals
Many fans liked the new song Now and Then
Others weren’t entirely convinced
Using new technology used in the production of the documentary series “Get Back,” the band were able to separate voices and instruments, giving them hope to work on the track again.
Speaking about hearing John’s voice again for the first time, Ringo said: “It was the closest I’ve ever been to having him back in the room, so it was very emotional for all of us.” It was as if John was there been, you know. It’s far out.’
A video of John recording the demo at his home in New York’s Dakota Building was shared with the rest of the band in 1994.
It contained demos for “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love”, both of which were completed as new Beatles songs and released as singles in 1995 and 1996 respectively as part of The Beatles Anthology project.
At the same time, Paul, George and Ringo also recorded new parts and completed a rough mix for Now and Then with producer Jeff Lynne.
At this point, technical limitations prevented John’s vocals and piano from being separated to achieve the clear, unclouded mix needed to complete the song.
“Now and Then” was shelved in the hopes that it would be revisited one day.
In 2021, the documentary The Beatles: Get Back, directed by Peter Jackson, was released and viewers were amazed by the award-winning film and audio restoration.
Finally done! “Now And Then” was shelved in the hopes that it would be revisited one day
Heartfelt: During the short film, Paul explained that within minutes, John’s voice echoed crystal clear through the room, as if he were there in person
It’s not over yet! Paul McCartney said of the short film, which premiered on The One Show on Wednesday: “When we lost John we knew it was really over.”
Band: However, John’s wife gave Yoko Uno a set of demos that John had been working on before his death, and they released some of them at the time
Back to Work: However, John’s wife gave Yoko Uno a set of demos that John had been working on before his death, and they released some of them at the time
Questions: This success paved the way for Revolver’s new 2022 mix, taken directly from the four-track master tapes. This led to the question: what could be done with the Now and Then demo? (John pictured with Yoko)
Using WingNut Films’ MAL audio technology, Mr. Jackson’s team had unmixed the film’s mono soundtrack and managed to isolate instruments and vocals, as well as all of the individual voices in the Beatles’ conversations.
This success paved the way for the new 2022 Revolver mix, taken directly from the four-track master tapes. This led to the question: what could be done with the Now and Then demo?
Jackson and his sound team, led by Emile de la Rey, applied the same technique to John’s original home recording, preserving the clarity and integrity of his original vocal performance by separating it from the piano.
During the short film, Paul explained that within minutes, John’s voice echoed crystal clear through the room, as if he were there in person.
In 2022, Paul and Ringo set about completing it. In addition to John’s vocals, “Now and Then” features electric and acoustic guitar recorded by George in 1995, Ringo’s new drum part, and bass, guitar and piano by Paul, matching John’s original playing. Paul added a George-inspired slide guitar solo and he and Ringo also contributed backing vocals to the chorus.
In Los Angeles, Paul led a recording session at Capitol Studios for the song’s wistful, typically Beatles-style string arrangement, written by Giles Martin, Sir Paul and Ben Foster.
Sir Paul and Giles added a final, wonderfully subtle touch: backing vocals from the original recordings of “Here, There And Everywhere”, “Eleanor Rigby” and “Because”.
They were incorporated into the new song using techniques perfected during the making of the LOVE show and album. The finished track was produced by Paul and Giles and mixed by Spike Stent.
Sir Paul said: “There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear.” It’s quite emotional. And we all play on it, it’s a real Beatles recording.
“To still be working on The Beatles’ music in 2023 and to be about to release a new song that the public hasn’t heard yet, I think is an exciting thing.”
“Now and Then” will also be available on a remastered version of the band’s “Red And Blue” album, due out November 10th.
Release: News of the final song was announced earlier this summer, but it has been confirmed that it will be released on November 2nd and will premiere on Scott Mills’ radio show on BBC R2
The Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show in New York on February 9, 1964
Later this month, expanded versions of The Beatles’ 1962-1966 and 1967-1970 compilations will be released.
Although “Now and Then” was published much later than 1970, it is included in the latter collection.
The surviving Beatles have released new projects, such as remixes of their old albums that include studio outtakes as well as Jackson’s Get Back film, to appeal to nostalgic fans around the holiday season.
But this will be the last time.
“This is the last track ever to feature the four Beatles on the track. ‘John, Paul, George and Ringo,'” Ringo said in a recent interview with the Associated Press.