The Beatles have just unveiled their latest single, “Now and Then,” a track decades in the making and deeply imbued with emotion. Penned initially by John Lennon as a home recording in the 1970s, this is more than just a posthumous release; it’s a genuine Beatles reunion, featuring contributions from Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. “Now and Then” is a unique chapter in music history, a testament to enduring friendship and musical camaraderie, where an unfinished Lennon demo evolves into a completed masterpiece by his bandmates. It’s a fitting final note for the Beatles, and a gift to their devoted global fanbase.
This release marks the culmination of Paul McCartney’s long-held dream. He championed Lennon’s raw demo, recognizing its potential even when its lo-fi quality obscured its brilliance to others. McCartney, in collaboration with Giles Martin, meticulously produced “Now and Then.” The track weaves together Lennon’s original 1977 piano and vocal tracks, Harrison’s guitar work from the 1995 Anthology sessions, and new drum and vocal contributions from Starr in 2022.
What emerges is far from a contrived or sentimental piece. “Now and Then” is a profoundly personal and mature reflection. It’s evident why McCartney remained attached to this song for so many years, recognizing its inherent Beatles DNA and tenaciously pursuing its completion. This is undeniably a Beatles song, a significant addition to their unparalleled musical legacy.
“Now and Then” officially premiered on Thursday at 2 p.m. GMT / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT. Physical copies are set to release on Friday, available on 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl in both black and limited colored editions, alongside a special cassette single. The release is structured as a double A-side with “Love Me Do,” their debut single from 1962, symbolically connecting the band’s beginning and end. Adding to the event, Peter Jackson directed a poignant music video that premiered on Friday. “Now and Then” will also feature on the expanded 2023 editions of the iconic Red and Blue compilation albums, scheduled for release on November 10.
The true power of “Now and Then” resides in its profound emotional resonance. For anyone touched by the Lennon-McCartney dynamic, hearing their voices blend in the chorus, “Now and then I miss you,” is deeply moving. Lennon’s lyrics are raw and vulnerable: “I know it’s true/It’s all because of you/And if I make it through/It’s all because of you.”
These lines, sung by Lennon, highlight the deep bond between him and McCartney. Giles Martin noted to Rolling Stone, “Obviously, it hasn’t been, but it sounds like John’s written it for Paul now, in a very emotional way.” He describes the song as “bittersweet,” echoing the emotional complexity of “In My Life,” blending happiness with a sense of regret.
The genesis of “Now and Then” dates back to the 1970s, during Lennon’s period as a househusband in New York’s Dakota building with Yoko Ono and their son, Sean. It was conceived as a home demo on cassette. Yoko later presented this tape to McCartney, Harrison, and Starr during their Anthology project reunion in 1995. From this tape, two tracks, “Free As a Bird” and “Real Love,” were successfully completed and released as singles, produced by Jeff Lynne, despite the challenging sound quality of Lennon’s vocals.
The Beatles, playfully dubbed “The Threatles” during this period, attempted to work on “Now and Then” during the Anthology sessions but shelved it. Except for McCartney, the song didn’t initially resonate strongly with the others. However, something about “Now and Then” profoundly impacted him. He always envisioned it as a Beatles song. Over the years, McCartney consistently mentioned it in interviews. In the 2012 documentary Mr. Blue Sky about Jeff Lynne, McCartney expressed his enduring interest in the track, hinting at future work on it with Lynne. “That one’s still lingering around,” Paul said. “So I’m going to nick in with Jeff and do it, finish it, one of these days.”
McCartney’s persistence in bringing “Now and Then” to fruition underscores his deep connection to the song. He recognized his own sentiments reflected in Lennon’s poignant melody, a message from one old friend to another, separated by distance and time. McCartney understood the underlying emotion. It’s remarkable to consider his decades-long commitment to this unfinished song, a testament to his dedication where others might have moved on. McCartney was determined to not just preserve Lennon’s work, but to make it a culmination of the Beatles’ shared journey. His unwavering focus made this reunion possible.
Paul collaborated with producer Giles Martin, son of the legendary George Martin, to complete “Now and Then.” Giles, who has been instrumental in revitalizing the Beatles’ catalog through Special Editions since 2017, was key to this project. Martin emphasizes, “This is Paul’s project, really, and he involved me in it.”
The realization of the song was made possible by audio technology developed by Peter Jackson and his team for the Get Back documentary in 2021. Similar to how dialogue was clarified in the film, this technology isolated Lennon’s vocals from the original tape’s noise and hiss. Martin clarifies, “There’s no AI re-creating the vocals. It’s the old-school approach for us. I think it’s about deliberately trying not to try — it’s much easier to just let people be themselves. That’s what gives the song its heart, in a way.”
Oliver Murray’s 12-minute documentary, Now and Then — The Last Beatles Song, captures the song’s story through insights from McCartney, Starr, Sean Ono Lennon, and Peter Jackson. McCartney recounts, “We listened to the track. There’s John in his apartment in New York City, banging away at his piano, doing a little demo. Is it something we shouldn’t do? Every time I thought like that, I thought, wait a minute. 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.”
The initial attempts to finalize “Now and Then” during the Anthology sessions were hampered by the poor sound quality of Lennon’s demo. Ringo Starr recalls in the documentary, “Very difficult. Because John was sort of hidden in a way.” McCartney adds, “I think we kind of ran out of steam a bit, and time. And it was like, ‘Well, I don’t know — maybe we’ll leave this one.’ ‘Now and Then’ just kind of languished in a cupboard.” But McCartney’s tenacity prevailed.
In “Now and Then,” all four Beatles are distinctly present, bridging decades to perform together with remarkable clarity. Unlike the Anthology tracks, the sound is vibrant and clear. Martin attributes this to technological advancements. “I think that’s just purely down to the luck we have with technology these days,” Martin explains. “The technology improved as we were making the track, which is interesting. It suddenly became, ‘Oh my God, OK, we can do this now.’ We could strip back the opening of the song and have John on his own, separated from the piano. And it’s unmistakably John Lennon.”
The emotional impact is significantly driven by Lennon’s voice. Giles Martin shared, “When I was making the Love show [in 2006], I was with Yoko and she was listening. Yoko principally looked at the ceiling and said, ‘John is just a voice now.’ I felt the same way, when we remixed Sgt. Pepper — the first voice I heard, the first day I went to work on it, was my dad’s. So I completely understand what she means. And with the technology and talent we have now, we can now have John. And it’s NOT ‘AI’ — it’s him being restored, if you like. It’s his voice in the room. And that’s the powerful thing about the song. That’s what I think resonates with people — that voice.”
The palpable commitment from the Beatles, especially McCartney’s dedication, solidifies “Now and Then” as an authentic Beatles collaboration. His unwavering belief in the song, even when others overlooked it, is now vindicated. The meticulous effort in bringing it to life is evident and appreciated. The notion of abandoning this project never crossed McCartney’s mind. Even if it took decades for technology to align with his vision, he was committed to seeing it through. It’s a tribute to his enduring loyalty to Lennon and the unique musical synergy of the Beatles.
“Now and Then” carries the weight of being the Beatles’ final song. As Sean Ono Lennon poignantly states, “It’s the last song that my dad and Paul and George and Ringo will get to make together.” Yet, fundamentally, the Beatles’ story, like their music, remains timeless. The impact of “Now and Then” reaffirms why the Beatles transcend time, their music resonating with a vibrant and undeniable vitality today.
