Now and Then: A Poignant Farewell from the Fab Four
Who would have thought that in 2023, I would be writing that The Beatles are back with a new song titled Now and Then? Thanks to cutting-edge technology, the deceased members of the group, John and George, have been brought back to life on this record. Combined with recent contributions from Ringo and Paul, we have a bittersweet song that encapsulates the feelings of nostalgia and longing for the band as it once stood.
It is no secret that The Beatles are still a global phenomenon in 2023, despite getting their start in the sixties. They have sold billions of records across the world and have had 20 songs reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. To share some personal history, I grew up listening to The Beatles because my dad is a huge fan. It was not until 2020 that I listened to their albums from top to bottom. Previously, I knew many of the songs individually, but not in a cohesive body of work. Abbey Road naturally became one of my favorite albums due to The Beatles’ musical genius.
The story of their new song, Now and Then, dates back five decades ago. John Lennon recorded three song demos on cassette tapes in the seventies: Free as a Bird, Real Love, and Now and Then. Unfortunately, he was murdered in 1980. In the mid-90s, Paul, Ringo, and George reunited. Yoko Ono, John’s widow, gave George the cassette tapes. The trio released Free as a Bird and Real Love as part of an anthology series in 1995 and 1996. Despite their efforts on Now and Then, technical roadblocks hindered the clarity of John’s vocals, with a buzzing noise impairing the track. It was noted that George was dissatisfied with what they had. Thus, they opted against releasing the song. George ended up passing away in 2001.
Fast forward to 2021, with direction from Peter Jackson, the Get Back documentary was released, which showed behind the scenes of the making of the album Let It Be. The technology utilized in this documentary became the foundation for extracting John’s vocals on Now and Then. In 2022, they were able to separate any track into different components and finally got John’s voice alone.
Now and Then was released on November 2nd, 2023. Upon my first listen, I immediately felt nostalgic when the song started with a count-in of “1, 2…” Later, I realized that the trail off could symbolize the only two living members left. Other people also speculated that this was a nod to their first album’s track 1, I Saw Her Standing There. The instrumental starts with acoustic guitar and soft piano chords, as young John’s voice filters in smoothly. It was shocking to hear how crisp the quality was, given the history of the demo. The haunting aspect of the minor key mirrors the surrealness of this entire project. Despite some dark undertones, the song remains meaningful and amplifies the sense of longing for someone.
Right before the chorus, current Paul’s voice is almost barely audible in the lower harmony, but it is noticeable if you pay attention. It continues in the chorus, with beautiful, simple lyrics that delineate what every Beatles fan feels like: “Now and then / I miss you.” As the song builds, it explodes into strings, heavier drums, and stronger guitar and piano. We cannot forget the layered harmonies in the background, a quintessential Beatles trademark. The instrumental bridge-like interlude features a slide guitar solo done by Paul to give a nod to George’s style. And if you have a decent ear like me, you will notice those harmonies from Because on Abbey Road before the last chorus of the song. It has also been reported that they used the “ooooos” from Here, There, and Everywhere that are in the background. The instrumental outro with staccato strings blending into the slide guitar leaves a wonderful finale.
On their YouTube channel, there is a 12-minute mini documentary about the making of this song and has actual footage of the fab four back in the day. Additionally, there are clips of current Paul and Ringo adding to the song last year. I would have watched anything they put out, but it was neat to see how this song developed throughout the years. The real tear-jerker is the music video.
The music video, also directed by Peter Jackson, starts with a cassette being put into a tape player. In comes footage from the 90s of George, Paul, and Ringo, which then descends into old shot of all of them as John watches in the distance. The first chorus starts with current Ringo and Paul side-by-side recording, then morphs into an old clip of George and John on the “I miss you” lyric. WOW. Just when you think it could not get any more emotional, on the lyric “Always to return to me,” the screen shows all four of the members: Ringo and Paul now from the original clip, along with young George and John. The realism of this image is so striking that I got choked up during each watch. Another touching part is when the orchestra is practicing and has young John goofing off on the podium. Towards the end, there is a huge montage of old clips of the fab four performing together, recording, and having fun. It even shows baby pictures of each member. The conclusion cuts deep, showcasing their signature 4-piece bow.
Everything in this video perfectly meshes with the lyrics of the song. Now and Then, showing footage of the last two now, and clips of all four of them then. It felt like a story, showing pieces from the more recent years now, and weaving it into past times then. I felt chills throughout. What a way to commemorate decades of success.
Now and Then may not be up there with ultimate Beatles masterpieces; however, this song offers us, the fans, a chance to celebrate—even for those like me who missed their prime. Now, I can proudly say that I lived during a Beatles song release. It is a testament to their timeless charm that touches the hearts of the masses, proving that their legacy will be carried through generations to come.
