Now And Then

Description

Together and separately, the Beatles have always had a talent for the unexpected. 2023 brings one of the most anticipated releases in their long history. "Now And Then" is the last song by the Beatles – written and sung by John Lennon, developed and worked on by Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, and finally completed by Paul and Ringo more than four decades later. The story of "Now And Then" begins in the late 1970s, when John recorded a demo with vocals and piano at home in the Dakota Building in New York. In 1994, his wife, Yoko Ono Lennon, offered the recording to Paul, George, and Ringo, along with John's demos for "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love," which were completed as new Beatles songs and released as singles in 1995 and 1996, respectively, as part of the 'The Beatles Anthology' project. Paul, George, and Ringo also recorded new parts and created a rough mix for "Now And Then" with producer Jeff Lynne. But at that time, technological limitations prevented John's voice and piano from being separated to achieve the clear mix needed to finish the song. "Now And Then" was therefore set aside, in the hope that one day it would be completed. In 2022, Paul and Ringo began reworking the song. In addition to John's vocals, "Now And Then" includes electric and acoustic guitar recorded in 1995 by George, a new drum part by Ringo, as well as bass, guitar, and piano parts played by Paul that match John's original playing. Paul added a slide guitar solo inspired by George, and he and Ringo also contributed to the backing vocals of the chorus. In Los Angeles, Paul oversaw a recording session at Capitol Studios for a melancholic string arrangement typical of the Beatles, written by Giles Martin, Paul, and Ben Foster. Paul and Giles also added a wonderfully subtle final touch: the backing vocals from the original recordings of "Here, There And Everywhere," "Eleanor Rigby," and "Because," inserted into the new song using the techniques employed during the making of the 'LOVE' show and album. The finished piece was produced by Paul and Giles and mixed by Spike Stent.