The Beatles, the legendary British rock band, have released their final song ‘Now and Then’ on Thursday, November 2, 2023. The song features the voice of the late John Lennon, who wrote and recorded the demo at his home in New York City in the late 1970s. The song also includes the contributions of the other three Beatles members: Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
A long-awaited reunion
The Beatles fans have been eagerly waiting for the release of ‘Now and Then’, which has been described as the band’s final song. The song was first announced by McCartney in October 2023, when he revealed that he and Starr had finished working on the song with the help of producer Giles Martin and artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The AI was used to isolate Lennon’s voice from the piano sound in the demo, which was given to the remaining Beatles by Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono in 1994.
The song was originally intended to be part of the band’s Anthology project in the mid-1990s, along with two other songs based on Lennon’s demos: ‘Free as a Bird’ and ‘Real Love’. However, the band abandoned ‘Now and Then’ after struggling with the sound quality and the mood of the song. Harrison, who died in 2001, said in a short film on the making of the song that “to hear John’s voice, that’s a thing that we should cherish, and I’m sure he would’ve really enjoyed that opportunity to be with us again.”
A poignant love song
‘Now and Then’ is a ballad that expresses Lennon’s feelings of nostalgia and regret for his relationship with Ono. The lyrics include lines such as “Now and then I miss you / Though it’s been so long / Now and then I’m sorry / That I ever did you wrong”. The song also reflects Lennon’s isolation and loneliness in his later years, as he sings “I don’t have much to say / But I’ll say it anyway / Now and then I think of you / And hope you’re doing fine”.
The song features McCartney on bass, Starr on drums, Harrison on rhythm guitar and a slide guitar solo in his style as a tribute. Martin also added a string arrangement to enhance the emotion of the song. McCartney said in the film that “all of those memories come flooding back. How lucky was I to have those men in my life and to work with those men so intimately and to come up with such a body of music.”
A historic moment
The release of ‘Now and Then’ marks a historic moment for The Beatles and their fans, as it is the last song credited to Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr. The song is being issued as a double A-side single with their 1962 debut ‘Love Me Do’, creating a full-circle moment for the band. The song is also included on the newly remastered and expanded versions of The Beatles’ Red and Blue greatest hits albums.
The song has received rave reviews from critics and listeners, who praised its authenticity and emotional impact. Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone magazine said that “hearing John and Paul sing the first chorus together, as they lock into the line ‘Now and then I miss you’ – it’s intensely powerful, to say the least.” BBC 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne said that “I cried like a baby when I heard it. Just gorgeous.”
The Beatles have once again proved their enduring legacy and influence on music history with their final song ‘Now and Then’, which is a testament to their friendship and creativity.
