Now and Then (Beatles song)
"Now and Then" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by the Beatles | ||||
from the album 1967–1970 (2023 edition)[1] | ||||
A-side | "Love Me Do" (double A-side) | |||
Released | 2 November 2023 | |||
Recorded | ||||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 4:08[9] | |||
Label | Apple | |||
Songwriter(s) | Original composition by Lennon; the Beatles version by Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starkey | |||
Producer(s) |
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The Beatles singles chronology | ||||
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Music videos | ||||
"Now and Then" (Music Video) on YouTube | ||||
"Now and Then" (Audio) on YouTube |
"Now and Then" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released on 2 November 2023. Dubbed "the last Beatles song", it appeared on a double A-side single, paired with a new mix of the band's first single, "Love Me Do" (1962), with the two serving as "bookends" to the band's history.[11] Both songs are to be included on the expanded re-issues of the 1973 compilations 1962–1966 and 1967–1970, to be released on 10 November 2023.[12]
"Now and Then" is a psychedelic soft rock ballad that John Lennon wrote and recorded in 1977 as a (~5:00[13]) solo piano home demo, but left unfinished. After Lennon's death in 1980, the song was considered as the third Beatles reunion single for their 1995–1996 retrospective project The Beatles Anthology, following "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love", both based on Lennon's demos. Instead, it was shelved for nearly three decades, until it was completed by the surviving bandmates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, including overdubs and guitar tracks by George Harrison (who died in 2001) from the abandoned 1995 sessions.[14]
The final version features additional lyrics by McCartney,[6] and Lennon's voice extracted from the demo using the AI-backed audio restoration technology commissioned by Peter Jackson for his 2021 documentary The Beatles: Get Back.[15] Jackson also directed the music video for "Now and Then".[16] The song received acclaim from critics, who felt it was a worthy finale for the Beatles.
It reached the number one position in the most listened songs on Spotify in the UK and number 15 globally. It also reached number one on iTunes in the global top as well as in the United States and United Kingdom.
Composition
Lennon wrote "Now and Then" in the late 1970s, and recorded a demo in 1977 at his home at the Dakota in New York City. The lyrics are typical of the apologetic love songs that Lennon wrote in the latter half of his career. For the most part the verses are nearly complete, though there are still a few lines that Lennon did not flesh out on the demo tape performance.[17] Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Stephen Thomas Erlewine called Lennon's composition "a wispy, melancholy ballad",[6] while Billboard's Kyle Denis described the song as "a lovelorn guitar-centric rock ballad".[7]
Referring to the original demo, Craig Jenkins of Vulture said "'Now and Then' languished in an unfinished state, its vocal and piano melodies enshrouded in too dense a thicket of abrasively scratchy hiss to massage into the high-quality recordings the Beatles were known for".[18]
Beatles version
In January 1994, the year John Lennon was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,[19][5] his widow, Yoko Ono, gave Paul McCartney two cassette tapes she had previously mentioned to George Harrison. The tapes included home recordings of songs that Lennon had never completed or released commercially, two of them on one tape being the eventually completed and released "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love". The two other songs on the other tape were "Grow Old with Me" and "Now and Then". "Grow Old with Me" had already been released in 1984 on the posthumous album Milk and Honey, so the Beatles turned their attention to "Now and Then". In March 1995, the three surviving Beatles began to work on it by recording a rough backing track that was to be used as an overdub. However, after only two days of recording, all work on the song ceased and plans for a third reunion single were scrapped.[6]
Producer Jeff Lynne reported that sessions for "Now and Then" consisted only of "one day – one afternoon, really – messing with it. The song had a chorus but is almost totally lacking in verses. We did the backing track, a rough go that we really didn't finish".[20] An additional factor behind scrapping the song was a technical defect in the original recording. As with "Real Love", a 60-Hz mains hum can be heard throughout Lennon's demo recording. However, it was noticeably louder on "Now and Then", making it much harder to remove.[21][22]
The project was largely shelved because of Harrison's dislike of the song due to its low-quality recording. McCartney later stated that Harrison called Lennon's demo recording "fucking rubbish".[23] McCartney told Q magazine in 1997 that "George didn't like it. The Beatles being a democracy, we didn't do it".[24][25] Some such as Ben Lindbergh of The Ringer later speculated that given Harrison had said "Apart from the quality, which was worse than the other two ['Free As a Bird' and 'Real Love'], I didn’t think ['Now and Then'] was much of a song," he might have been critical of the song itself and not merely the recording quality. When The Beatles released their version of the song in 2023, Harrison's widow Olivia issued a press release stating: "George felt the technical issues with the demo were insurmountable and concluded that it was not possible to finish the track to a high enough standard. If he were here today, Dhani and I know he would have wholeheartedly joined Paul and Ringo in completing the recording of 'Now and Then.'"[26]
Throughout 2005 and 2006, press reports speculated that McCartney and Starr would release a complete version of the song in the future. Reports circulated in 2007[27] that McCartney was hoping to complete the song as a "Lennon–McCartney composition" by writing new verses, laying down a new drum track recorded by Ringo Starr,[28] and utilising archival recordings of guitar work from Harrison,[3] who had died in 2001.
During a Lynne documentary shown on BBC Four in 2012, McCartney stated about the song: "And there was another one that we started working on, but George went off it ... that one's still lingering around, so I'm going to nick in with Jeff and do it. Finish it, one of these days."[29]
McCartney said in October 2021 that he still hoped to finish the track.[23] On 13 June 2023, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he had "just finished" work on extracting Lennon's voice from an old demo of the latter's in order to complete the song, using (in his words) artificial intelligence. Dubbing the project "the final Beatles record", he did not name the song; however, BBC News reported it was likely that the song is "Now and Then" and that it would be released later in 2023.[20] On the use of AI for sound source separation, McCartney clarified in June 2023 that "nothing has been artificially or synthetically created. It's all real and we all play on it. We cleaned up some existing recordings – a process which has gone on for years."[14]
Prior to the 2023 release, the only available recording of the song was from Lennon's original demo. In February 2009, the same version of Lennon's recording was released on a bootleg CD, taken from a different source, with none of the "buzz" which hampered the Beatles' recording of the song in 1995.[21]
Announcement
On 25 October 2023, an image of an orange-and-white cassette tape with the tape reel winding was published on the Beatles' official website and official social media accounts. The bottom left of the tape reads "Type I (Normal) Position", and the copyright section reads "Yoko Ono Lennon, MPL Communications Ltd, G.H. Estate Ltd, and Startling Music Ltd."[30] The following day, the song was officially announced as a double A-side single with a release date of 2 November 2023, backed with a new stereo remix[11] of "Love Me Do" – both of songs to be featured on the expanded re-issues of the 1973 compilations 1962–1966 and 1967–1970.[12] Paul McCartney and Giles Martin are credited as producers for the recording, while Jeff Lynne is credited for "additional production".[11][a]
Jackson's production company WingNut Films was confirmed to isolate instruments, vocals, and individual conversations utilising its audio restoration technology. The neural network, called MAL (machine-assisted learning) – named after the Beatles' road manager Mal Evans,[31] and as a pun to HAL 9000 of 2001: A Space Odyssey[15] – was first used for the 2021 documentary The Beatles: Get Back, and later for the 2022 mix of Revolver, based directly on four-track master tapes. WingNut applied the same technique to Lennon's home recording of "Now and Then", while preserving the clarity of his vocal performance separated from the piano.[11] The studio worked on a digital copy of the original tape provided by Sean Lennon, which was of much better quality than the third-generation copy that the three surviving Beatles had used in 1995.[21]
The restoration was followed by an addition of a string section written by Martin, McCartney and Ben Foster, recorded at Capitol Studios. Finally, McCartney and Martin added portions of original vocal recordings of "Here, There and Everywhere", "Eleanor Rigby" and "Because" into the new song, following the methods used for the 2006 remix album Love. The finished track was produced by McCartney and Martin, and mixed by Spike Stent.[11] Meanwhile, the stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes, alongside the vinyl mastering, were completed at Abbey Road Studios.[32]
Promotion
A 12-minute documentary film, Now and Then – The Last Beatles Song, written and directed by Oliver Murray, debuted on 1 November 2023 on the Beatles' YouTube channel[3] and on Disney+.[33] The short film tells the story behind the song, including commentary by McCartney, Starr, and Harrison, as well as Sean Lennon and Jackson. The film also played excerpts of John Lennon's separated vocal tracks, as well as excerpts of the final song.[11]
To celebrate the release of "Now and Then", animated projection mappings of the cassette tape from the Beatles' website have popped up at Beatles-related locations across Liverpool, including Strawberry Field, the road sign for Penny Lane, outside Lennon's childhood home, and The Cavern Club.[34]
The BBC prepared an extended edition of The One Show on BBC One, BBC Radio 2 podcast series Eras: The Beatles hosted by Martin Freeman, as well as other programming on BBC Two and the BBC iPlayer.[35]
On iHeartMedia, 740 of their radio stations simultaneously premiered "Now and Then", and it was aired hourly on their Classic Rock stations.[36]
Music video
The music video for "Now and Then" directed by Jackson was released on 3 November 2023. It features never-before-seen film of the Beatles, including footage provided by Pete Best, scenes filmed during the 1995 recording sessions for Anthology, as well as unseen home movie footage of Harrison, and new footage of McCartney and Starr performing. Additionally, visual effects were produced by Wētā FX.[16]
Reception
On Metacritic, the single has a 87 out of 100, indicating "universal acclaim".[37] In the first review published for its completed incarnation, Erlewine wrote in the Los Angeles Times that the track was "elegant [and] softly psychedelic" with "a wistful undercurrent", calling it "a fitting conclusion to the Beatles' recorded career – not so much a summation [but rather] a coda that conveys a sense of what the band both achieved and lost."[6] In The Guardian, Alexis Petridis gave the song four stars out of five, calling it "a poignant act of closure".[38] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone called it "the final masterpiece that the Beatles—and their fans—deserve".[39] Ed Power of The Irish Times praised Lennon's vocals on the track, deeming it "a 2023 pop odyssey sure to warm the cockles of Beatles fans young, old and in-between".[40]
Vulture's Craig Jenkins said the tune had lyrics and orchestral flourishes similar to "The Long and Winding Road", writing "If this is the end of the Beatles, they have left us with a snapshot of their strengths."[18] The Arizona Republic's Ed Masley praised the song for making him cry repeatedly, saying he could not ask for more from a Beatles song.[41] In Clash, Robin Murray said the "beautiful" single felt like McCartney's "super-human attempt to re-frame the group's ending. Instead of rancour, unity. Instead of solo competition, studio unity. Instead of losing his friends, finding their voices once more."[42] Mark Beaumont of The Independent gave the tune a perfect five-star rating, writing "Sorry Swifties, hard luck Elton, in your face Sphere – this is the musical event of the year and one of the greatest tear-jerkers in history."[43]
Other critics felt "Now and Then" did not live up to some of the band's previous songs. Geoff Edgers of The Washington Post wrote that the song was "kind of mundane"; of its inclusion on the 1967–1970 reissue, he concluded, "A passable song is simply not good enough when you're sharing vinyl with 'Strawberry Fields Forever', 'A Day in the Life' or 'Let It Be.'"[44] For The New York Times, Jon Pareles concluded, "Its existence matters more than its quality... The song can't compare to the music the four Beatles made together in the 1960s. All it can do is remind listeners of a synergy, musical and personal, that's now lost forever."[45] Comparing the song to the other posthumous Beatles releases "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love", Mark Richardson wrote for Pitchfork: "To my ear, 'Now and Then' is the weakest of the posthumous singles... 'Now and Then' is pretty much impossible to imagine as an actual Beatles song, and it seems especially far from what might have been Lennon's original intention. And yet, it's enjoyable just the same."[46] Russell Root wrote for Salon that the song was "not a Beatles song, but rather a Beatles tribute song," noting that "the studio versions of ['Free As a Bird' and 'Real Love'] stay truer to both the original demos and the Beatles' own sound."[47] Jem Aswad of Variety said, "So in the end, 'Now and Then' is not a lost Beatles classic. But to paraphrase McCartney's famous quote regarding criticism of The White Album, 'It's a bloody new Beatles song, shut up!'"[48]
Chart performance
"Now and Then" debuted on the UK Singles Chart on 3 November 2023 at number 42, based on ten hours of sales.[49][50] In the United States, "Now and Then" debuted at number one on the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart for the week ending 11 November 2023. The song sold 16,000 downloads, all on 2 November, the final day of the chart's tracking week. That same week, "Now and Then" also debuted at number 5 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[51]
Personnel
The Beatles
- John Lennon – lead and backing vocals
- Paul McCartney – lead and backing vocals, bass, lap steel guitar,[21] piano, electric harpsichord, shaker
- George Harrison – backing vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- Ringo Starr – backing vocals, drums, tambourine, shaker
Additional musicians[10][failed verification]
- Neel Hammond, Adrianne Pope, Charlie Bisharat, Andrew Bulbrook, Songa Lee, Serena McKinney – violin
- Ayvren Harrison, Caroline Buckman, Drew Forde, Linnea Powell – viola
- Mia Barcia-Colombo, Giovanna Clayton, Hillary Smith – cello
- Mike Valerio – double bass
- Jerome Leroy – conductor[52]
Production
- Paul McCartney, Giles Martin, Ben Foster – string arrangement
- Produced by Paul McCartney and Giles Martin, with additional production by Jeff Lynne
- Mark "Spike" Stent – stereo mix
- Giles Martin, Sam Okell – Atmos mixes[32]
- Miles Showell – vinyl mastering[32]
- Oli Morgan – Atmos mastering[32]
- Bruce Sugar, Steve Genewick, Greg McAllister, Geoff Emerick, Keith Smith, Mark "Spike" Stent, Steve Orchard, Jon Jacobs – engineering[10]
Charts
Chart (2023) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[53] | 79 |
Global 200 (Billboard)[54] | 152 |
Netherlands (Tipparade)[55] | 27 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[56] | 85 |
UK Singles (OCC)[57] | 42 |
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[58] | 5 |
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[59] | 11 |
US Rock & Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[60] | 37 |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Italy | 2 November 2023 | Radio airplay | Universal | [61] |
Various | Apple | [10] | ||
United Kingdom | 3 November 2023 | [62] | ||
United States | 10 November 2023 | [63] |
Notes
References
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{{cite web}}
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- ^ Sparkes, Matthew (24 December 2021). "Beatles documentary Get Back used custom AI to strip unwanted sound". New Scientist. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d Abbey Road Studios [@abbeyroadstudios] (2 November 2023). "The last song by @TheBeatles is out now.'Now and Then' is the final track from the @JohnLennon demo tape which gave birth to 'Free as A Bird' and 'Real Love' in 1995, completed using @GeorgeHarrisonOfficial guitar parts and finishing touches by @PaulMcCartney and @RingoStarrMusic.The double A-side single pairs the last Beatles song with the first: the band's 1962 debut UK single, 'Love Me Do'.We're honoured to have been involved as @MashupMartin and @SamOkell completed the stereo and Atmos mixes here, Miles Showell mastered and cut the vinyl at half speed and @OiMoigan handled the Atmos masters.Pre-order physical formats now and stay tuned for the music video coming tomorrow! | link in bio📷 © Apple Corps#NowandThen #TheBeatles #MasteredatAbbeyRoad" – via Instagram.
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- ^ "The BBC celebrates The Beatles". BBC. Archived from the original on 28 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
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- ^ "NOW AND THEN [SINGLE]". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
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- ^ Sheffield, Rob (2 November 2023). "The Beatles Return for One More Masterpiece With New Song 'Now And Then'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ Power, Ed (2 November 2023). "The Beatles: Now and Then review - A near miraculous, sad, fab farewell". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ Masley, Ed (2 November 2023). "You'll weep: The Beatles last song, 'Now and Then,' is a haunting final statement". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
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- ^ Beaumont, Mark (2 November 2023). "Now and Then by The Beatles, review: John Lennon is in the room, bright, clear and miraculously alive". The Independent. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ Edgers, Geoff (1 November 2023). "The 'new' Beatles song is perfectly fine. Which is not good enough". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (2 November 2023). "The Beatles' 'Now and Then': A Glimpse of Past Greatness". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
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- ^ Root, Russell (6 November 2023). "Why "Now and Then" isn't a Beatles song". Salon. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
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- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 on 3/11/2023". Official Charts Company. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
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- ^ "Recording "Now and Then" at Capitol Studios". Retrieved 6 November 2023.
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- ^ "The Beatles Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ Rutherford, Kevin (3 November 2023). "The Beatles' 'Now and Then' Debuts on Rock & Alternative Airplay Chart After One Day". Billboard. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ Fusi, Eleonora (2 November 2023). "The Beatles – Now And Then (Radio Date: 02-11-2023)". EarOne. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- ^ Citations concerning "Now and Then" release formats in the United Kingdom:
- "Now & Then: Black Vinyl 7" Vinyl". The Beatles Official Store (UK). Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- "Now & Then: Black 12" Vinyl". The Beatles Official Store (UK). Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- "Now & Then: Exclusive Cassette". The Beatles Official Store (UK). Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- "Now & Then: CD Single". The Beatles Official Store (UK). Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- ^ Citations concerning "Now and Then" release formats in the United States:
- "Now and Then – 7" Black Vinyl". The Beatles Official Store (US). Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- "Now and Then – 12" Black Vinyl". The Beatles Official Store (US). Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- "Now and Then – Cassette". The Beatles Official Store (US). Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- "Now and Then CD". The Beatles Official Store (US). Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
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