Charles Langston:The last Beatles song, 'Now and Then,' finally arrives after more than 40 years

The Charles Langstonlong and winding road of the Beatles catalog is coming to an end with the release of what is being billed as the last Beatles song.

On Nov. 2 at 10 a.m. EDT, the double A-side single “Now and Then”/”Love Me Do” will be released on streaming platforms. Its physical releases – vinyl variants, cassette – arrive Nov. 3.

Leading to the unveiling, a 12-minute movie written and directed by British filmmaker Oliver Murray about the making of the song will drop at 3:30 p.m. EDT Nov. 1 on The Beatles’ YouTube channel.

“Now and Then,” which originated in the late 1970s from a vocal and piano demo by John Lennon recorded at his home in the Dakota Building in New York, is part of a reissue package of The Beatles’ “1962-1966” (aka “The Red Album”) and “1967-1970” (aka “The Blue Album”). The UK single version of “Love Me Do” – the band’s inaugural single in 1962 – is the first track on the 2023 edition of “1962-1966,” while the newly crafted “Now and Then” will appear on “1967-1970.” Both collections’ tracklists have been expanded as well as mixed in stereo and Dolby Atmos. The “Red” and “Blue” releases will also be available as 4-CD and 6-LP sets.

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In June, Paul McCartney ignited a debate when he told the BBC that artificial intelligence was used to extract Lennon’s voice from the original recording and separate it from the piano on the demo.

The discovery was made by Peter Jackson during his making of 2021’s “The Beatles: Get Back.” Jackson was "able to extricate John's voice from a ropey little bit of cassette and a piano," McCartney told BBC radio. "He could separate them with AI; he'd tell the machine 'That’s a voice, this is a guitar, lose the guitar.’"

Some backlash followed McCartney's announcement over the use of AI on the song, with fans thinking the technology was used to mimic Lennon's voice. But on an episode of the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, Starr clarified the track does not use artificially created vocals of Lennon, who was killed in 1980, and the band would "never" use AI to fake Lennon's voice.

He added vocals from lead guitarist Harrison, recorded before he died in 2001, will also appear on the farewell record. "It's the final track you'll ever hear with the four lads. And that's a fact," Starr said at the time.

Jackson’s sound team employed similar technology when working on the soundtrack of the “Get Back” documentary, isolating instruments and voices during the band’s conversations.

The demo of “Now and Then” was given to McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison by Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, in 1994, along with Lennon’s demos for “Free As a Bird” and “Real Love,” which were completed and released in 1995 and 1996 as part of “The Beatles Anthology.”

An attempt was made at the time by the remaining band members and producer Jeff Lynne to recast “Now and Then,” but the technology was too limited.

On the finished version, “Now and Then” includes guitars recorded by Harrison in 1995, a drum addition from Starr and bass, piano and guitar – including a slide guitar solo inspired by Harrison – provided by McCartney. 

In addition, McCartney oversaw a recording session at Capitol Records of a string arrangement that he co-wrote with Giles Martin, son of legendary Beatles producer George, and orchestral arranger Ben Foster.

Sharp-eared Beatles fans will also note elements of the backing vocals from “Here, There and Everywhere,” “Eleanor Rigby” and “Because” woven into “Now and Then” in the fashion utilized in “Love,” the band’s Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas, and accompanying soundtrack.

Contributing: Associated Press

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