Is The Last Beatles Song John’s Love Letter To Paul?

On Saturday April 23rd, 1976, Paul McCartney visited John Lennon astatine nan Dakota successful New York City.

As Paul left, John patted him connected nan shoulder. “Think astir maine each now and then, aged friend,” he said. These would beryllium nan last words John said to Paul successful person.

That’s nan story, anyway, pieced together from disparate statements by John Lennon and, of each people, Carl Perkins, recalling a speech he’d had pinch Linda McCartney, during signaling sessions for Paul’s “Tug of War” album.

If nan communicative is to beryllium believed, there’s an other poignancy to nan Thursday 2 November merchandise of what’s being described arsenic “the past Beatles song.”

In an evident echo of John’s past words to Paul, nan opus is called “Now and Then.” With verses revolving astir A insignificant and E insignificant chords, it features a wistful, mournful lyric that sounds — pinch nary agelong of nan imagination — arsenic a connection from 1 aged friend to another:

“I cognize it's true

It's each because of you

And if I make it through

It's each because of you.”

John goes connected to sing:

“Now and then

I miss you.”

Is that John singing astir Paul?

That Paul thinks so, astatine least, mightiness explicate his determination to yet complete and merchandise nan track.

Giles Martin, who produced “Now and Then” pinch Paul, did not speak pinch him astir nan song’s imaginable individual significance. But he tends to work together pinch nan speculations of excited Beatlologists.

“I deliberation — for what it's worthy — I deliberation it sounds for illustration it's John penning to each of them,” he said successful a caller question and reply pinch Forbes. “That's what it sounds for illustration to me.”

He added, “It is simply a superb benignant of ending song. It does sound for illustration John's emotion letter, almost. It’s classical John. It's not like, I miss you. It's not like, Oh my God, I miss you. It's, Now and past I miss you. You cognize what I mean?”

John Lennon wrote and recorded a demo of “Now and Then” successful nan precocious ’70s — though reports that John wrote “For Paul” connected nan cassette are nan consequence of mediocre investigation and wishful thinking.

“Now and Then” was conscionable 1 of John’s demos that nan 3 surviving Beatles worked connected successful nan ’90s, on pinch “Free arsenic a Bird” and “Real Love.” While nan second 2 were completed and released arsenic portion of nan Beatles Anthology project, “Now and Then” was of poorer audio value and proved much difficult. It was shelved.

Last year, nan 2 surviving Beatles resumed activity connected nan track.

John’s sound was extracted from nan signaling pinch nan assistance of de-mixing exertion developed by Peter Jackson’s squad for nan “Get Back” documentary project.

“There it was: John’s voice, crystal clear,” Paul said successful a statement. “It’s rather emotional.”

Evidently, nan tv was connected successful nan inheritance erstwhile John recorded nan demo. What was connected television?

“That’s a bully question,” said Martin. “I deliberation we did person [an isolated way of it]. I should astir apt find out. Mind you we’d astir apt person to salary royalties.”

But also, what's nan grade of this technology’s capabilities? Could we likewise rejuvenate nan sounds of The Beatles connected shape successful Hamburg? Or The Quarrymen astatine Woolton Fete?

“I would ne'er opportunity never,” said Martin.

Ringo laid down drums; Paul laid down caller guitar, soft and bass tracks, and channeled George successful a caller descent guitar solo. George’s acoustic and electrical guitar from nan ’90s sessions were besides layered into nan mix.

Along pinch caller backing vocal tracks from Paul and Ringo, Martin — successful Cirque du Soleil mashup mode — incorporated John, Paul and George’s inheritance vocals from classical Beatles tracks. The oooohs from “Here, There And Everywhere” and nan ahhhhs and ohhhhs from “Eleanor Rigby” and “Because” imbue nan caller way pinch acquainted Beatlesque drama.

“I conscionable thought — possibly arrogantly — I conscionable thought they would astir apt singing oohs astatine immoderate shape connected this anyway. But ‘they’re’ not astir anymore. It’s each supposition: Maybe they'd person done thing for illustration that had they been successful nan room.

“The sound of The Beatles’ harmonies is nan 3 of them — Paul and George and John astir a microphone — and it was important that ‘Now and Then’ sounded for illustration a Beatles song. It was important that everything connected it was Beatles.” A lawsuit successful point: The ’90s type of “Now and Then,” pinch Jeff Lynne successful nan producer’s chair, had synths connected it. “It was like, The Beatles wouldn’t person utilized synths,” said Martin.

Instead, there’s a “chuggy” sting arrangement, written by Martin, Paul and Ben Foster. “An ‘Eleanor Rigby’ ripoff, if you like.”

For immoderate perspective: “Free arsenic a Bird” was released immoderate 24 years aft The Beatles’ breakup. “Now and Then” is to beryllium released 29 years since nan merchandise of “Free arsenic a Bird.”

What was it for illustration seeing Paul collaborate pinch his departed bandmates?

“It's beautiful astonishing actually,” said Martin. “I’d opportunity nan cardinal words are sensitivity and empathy, connected his part.” Martin cited nan attraction pinch which Paul saw that nan drawstring statement didn’t compete pinch George’s guitar.

“He was going, ‘We really request to make judge we're playing with George because this is what George has fixed to nan track. Let's make judge that we're not going against him.’ He’s ever reasoning astir what nan others are doing, and he does it pinch awesome empathy and awesome generosity arsenic well.”

For his part, Ringo fell into nan aged rhythms pinch nary fuss astatine all. “He said, ‘This is what I do. I perceive to nan opus doubly and I play it twice. I don't play pinch nan click track. I'll conscionable perceive to it and I'll play on pinch it. They're my mates and I'll play pinch them.’”

Martin added, “It's decidedly a band. And nan cardinal point is that each nan elements activity together.”

“[I[t’s a genuine Beatles recording,” said Paul. “In 2023 to still beryllium moving connected Beatles music, and astir to merchandise a caller opus nan nationalist haven’t heard, I deliberation it’s an breathtaking thing.”

As good arsenic “Now and Then,” this November will besides spot nan merchandise of caller and expanded editions of nan legendary Beatles compilation albums “1962-1966” (“The Red Album”) and “1967-1970” (“The Blue Album”).

The caller editions characteristic plentifulness of tracks recently mixed successful stereo and/or Dolby Atmos pinch nan thief of nan aforementioned de-mixing technology.

As pinch his caller Beatles remix projects, Martin brings clarity and visceral effect to nan aged tracks.

“Ringo benignant of says, ‘We were conscionable a bunch of punks successful nan studio.’ That was nan creator intent and they were constrained by nan exertion astatine nan time. If I tin merchandise them from that constraint, truthful they tin sound for illustration a bunch of punks, past we’re laughing.”