The Fab Four Together Again

November 2nd 2023, over 50 years after the break up of one of the biggest bands ever. The Beatles released a new song. With all four members taking up their respective roles for one last time. Lennon & McCartney with those harmonising vocals we love. Harrison with some of his unique and beautiful guitar lines, and Ringo picked up his drum sticks again.

‘Now & Then’ the new song has a complex story, from the very beginning. Written by Lennon in the Dakota building in the 1970’s after the break up of the band, a simple demo with a piano and him singing. It was then resurected in the 1990s where the three surviving Beatles, McCartney, Harrison and Starr attempted to record the track alongside two others ‘Free as a Bird’ and ‘Real Love’ which had been given to them by Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono.

1995 saw The Beatles release ‘Anthology’ and fans got to hear ‘Free as a Bird’ and ‘Real Love’ however ‘Now & Then’ was abandoned, they could not separate Lennon’s vocal from the piano, and therefore attempts to record the song were unsuccessful. It seemed to be that was that.

Harrison would pass away in 2001 and it seemed that we had heard everything we would ever hear from The Beatles.

Yet in 2021 The Beatles and Peter Jackson released ‘Get Back’ a series of archive footage, that was thought to be lost. Showcasing the band recording songs for what would become ‘Let It Be’ and preparing for a live show that ultimately never ended up materialising. Fans got to see John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in a way we had never seen them before. ‘Get Back’ also managed to dismiss many of the myths about the end of The Beatles. It’s a truly spectacular look into one of the most significant pieces of popular culture ever.

Peter Jackson wasn’t finished there though. After helping McCartney and Lennon duet at Glastonbury in 2022, on ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ using vocal separation technology. That allowed tracks to be separated into the key elements.

McCartney and Starr decided to go back and re visit ‘Now & Then’ and use this new technology, and well here we are.

They managed to get Lennon’s vocal line to really shine through. McCartney provides backing vocals and we get to hear that unique duo one more time. It’s one of the most distinct sounds in music, and yet getting to hear it in 2023 with a new song. Is still just as special.

Harrison does what he does best a beautiful guitar backing, on an acoustic guitar. McCartney honours his band mate by playing a slide solo on the song. Starr keeps the track moving with his drums, always setting the pace but not deferring from what the others do.

McCartney and Giles Martin, son of George Martin, take things from The Beatles past to add to the song. Backing vocals are taken from ‘Here, There and Everywhere, Because, and Eleanor Rigby’ the Beatles magic is littered throughout the song. Even the opening line, with McCartney counting us in, just as he did on ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ in 1963.

It’s a poignant end for the greatest band to ever do it. A final act that they’d all be proud of. One more song for Beatles fans young and old.

The greatest musical moment of the year.

Thank you for reading x