Beatles make history one last time as ‘Now and Then’ provides musical coda

After 12 legendary albums, 22 hit singles, and lasting fame, the ever impactful Beatles have “Come Together” one last time. While the Beatles have been off the music scene for roughly 45 years, their classic hits pulse through radios and are on countless playlists to this day. New generations still feel tied to the Fab Four despite not living through their golden days. Most everyone can recall at least one of the band’s songs, as they are constantly featured in movies. However, fans never would have expected new releases after losing band members John Lennon and George Harrison.

Generally, when half a band’s members are dead, it’s safe to assume they’re done making music. Given that fact, news of the newly released “Now and Then” spread rapidly and received significant social media attention. Young generations, born long after The Beatles’ split, are touched to be living through the release of a new Beatles song, something they never expected to experience. The song quickly became a TikTok sensation, as the emotional tune unifies fans and provides an opportunity to reflect on their career. This has resulted in young TikTok users discovering the lads from Liverpool, some even joining the fanbase. Clearly the love for The Beatles will never die.

“Now and Then,” recorded from a simple cassette tape demo created by Lennon in the 1970s, takes listeners back to the beginnings of The Beatles’ career. It all started in 1957 with Lennon and Paul McCartney, and in the early 1960s the band skyrocketed to fame. However, it took a long process of trial and error for Lennon and McCartney to be content and musically inspired. They had to test waters with other members, and settle on a catchy name, which took many years. Harrison joined the duo in 1958, and Ringo Starr joined the scene in 1962. Once assembled, the young Beatles started writing, and released their first hit single “Love Me Do” in ‘62. The song took to the charts, and since then, their popularity only continued to boom as the world grew fond of the Liverpool band. Today, their classic tunes “Here Comes the Sun,” “Blackbird,” and “Yesterday” can be recognized by most and are extremely well loved. 

Today, The Beatles are considered one of the most influential bands in music history as they pushed musical boundaries in many ways including their album art, song production, and tours. 

“Now and Then” originated as a demo created by Lennon in ‘78. After Lennon’s death, his wife (Yoko Ono) gave the other band members cassette tapes containing his demo reels. The Beatles originally started working on “Now and Then” in 1994; however, it was never finished due to the lack of music technology. 

Given the vast improvements in technology, specifically the techniques employed by Peter Jackson on the documentary Get Back,  the song was picked up again in 2022 using the help of AI. The process seemed to be uncomplicated as they would simply have to extract Lennon’s vocals from the background piano in the demo. However, the technology took 30 years from the discovery of the tape to the actual mixing of the final album - a mix that blended Lennon’s piano and vocal, guitar parts by Harrison from 1994, and bass and drums from McCartney and Starr in 2022. 

Now and Then - The Last Beatles Song is now streaming on Disney+. This short documentary tells the story of the recording process. Band members McCartney and Starr explain their creative process on respecting Lennon’s initial demo while transforming it into a true Beatles song. They also take time to reflect and reminisce about their time together with the band and take time to appreciate each other and all of the music they created together. 

In addition to the film, “Now and Then” has an official music video available on Disney+ and Max. The music video itself is nostalgic and heart wrenching, as it features old videos of the Beatles in their prime. Parts of the montage show the current members, McCartney and Starr, recording the song alongside younger versions of their late band members Lennon and Harrison.

The lyrics of the song hold great meaning with various possible interpretations. Since Lennon wrote the song, some theorize it was meant to be a letter from Lennon to McCartney after the Beatles split, which would explain McCartney’s dedication to bringing the song to life years later. The song brings forth deep nostalgia and admiration towards the past. Yet there are also noteworthy undertones of longing for a return, while accepting life as it is. Now, as the two remaining Beatles perform the song, it commemorates their late band members and provides a  symbol of all the four accomplished as a family. 

 “Now and Then” has been bittersweet for Beatles fans. Prior to the song’s release, most had already accepted that the Beatles musical catalog had come to an end upon Lennon’s death. Granted, much of the mourning occurred when the separation was announced in 1974. Now, in 2023, this shocking release creates an emotional whirlwind for fans. Many celebrate “Now and Then” with teary eyes as it provides a certain closure they hadn’t previously acknowledged. However, the beautiful thing about music is that it lives on forever. While the Beatles permanently call it quits, their music will continue to touch souls and captivate audiences.

by Genna Blustin

Published November 27 2023

Oshkosh West Index Volume 120 Issue II