Yesterday, November 2, 2023, the course of musical history was changed. It was this day that The Beatles released what had been labeled as their “last” song, entitled “Now and Then.” It was their rise in the early 1960s that energized the youth scene. However, today’s industry is highly different from that of the twentieth century.
In this article, I would like to celebrate The Beatles’ contribution by explaining how they continue to empower others, my thoughts about their new release, and the impact that it can have.
A Brief History
“Now and Then,” which is the B side of a new stereo remix of “Love Me Do,” had actually came from a demo tape recorded by John Lennon in his New York-based Dakota apartment sometime between 1976 and 1980 (Johnson). It would be outside of here that Lennon would be assassinated on December 8, 1980 (Brook). The tape was actually released in 1996 as a CD, and there are recordings of Lennon’s recordings available on YouTube.
During the Anthology sessions in 1995, the late George Harrison, who was the Beatles’ lead guitarist, recorded tracks to accompany the Dakota Demos on rhythm guitar (Beaumont-Thomas). One of the songs that have been recorded to complement this was indeed “Now and Then.” Surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr recorded vocal and instrumental parts in 2022.
Artificial Intelligence
How exactly were Lennon’s vocals via his cassette tape demo able to be successfully translated into The Beatles’ final single? This was done through AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology. When it was first announced that the project would involve the usage of AI, fans questioned its authenticity. Artificial Intelligence technologies enable one to sample Lennon’s vocals to craft a transparent vocal track that can be easily mistaken as legitimate.
However, contrary to popular belief, producer Peter Jackson was able to split the voice of John Lennon from his piano playing to allow the track to be more presentable (Cooper). This technology was very beneficial as the original cassette demos were recorded in mono, meaning that manual separation of the tracks would be highly difficult. (The Beatles Anthology 00:03:10 – 00:03:32).
My Thoughts
I listened to the song the moment it premiered on BBC Radio 2, and all I can say is… WOW! I was expecting Lennon’s up-scaled vocals to be more vibrant, as if it was recorded at Abbey Road Studios rather than a New York apartment complex, and must admit that I was not disappointed. It does not sound like a unofficial hodgepodge of the demo tape, but indeed an official Beatles recording from the 1960s.
McCartney’s slide guitar playing is also excellent– he had the objective of paying homage to Harrison, and had definitely succeeded in doing so. It sounded like his “All Things Must Pass” album for a brief moment.
In fact, as I write this, there were many different elements of the song that stood out to certain degrees. I was compelled to repeat it numerous times as I took note of the many excellent details! “Now and Then” seems to be an amalgamation of many different Beatles works– the string arrangements are reminiscent of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” and even some songs that were in “Revolver.” There are also some hints of their self-titled “white album” to be found.
From the way that I look at this, Beatlemania has the potential to rise again. Surely it may not be as striking as it was in February of 1963; the euphoric screams of youth fans have long decayed in the air. But as more people come to notice this sublime song, I proudly claim that I see The Beatles again rising to the mainstream!
Works Cited
Beaumont-Thomas, Ben. “Now and Then: Listen to the ‘final’ Beatles Song.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 2 Nov. 2023, www.theguardian.com/music/2023/nov/02/now-and-then-listen-to-the-final-beatles-song-john-lennon-paul-mccartney-ringo-george-harrison#:~:text=Now%2C%20enabled%20by%20AI%20technology,from%20that%20shelved%201995%20session. Accessed 02 Nov. 2023.
Brook, Tom. “John Lennon: I Was There the Day He Died.” BBC News, BBC, 8 Dec. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55214007. Accessed 02 Nov. 2023.
Cooper, Gael Fashingbauer. “The Beatles’ ‘Now and Then’ Song: What It Means That AI Helped Out.” CNET, 2 Nov. 2023, www.cnet.com/tech/the-beatles-now-and-then-song-what-it-means-that-ai-helped-out/. Accessed 02 Nov. 2023.
Johnson, Chris. “Free as a Bird.” Free As A Bird – The Dakota Beatle Demos, www.beatleg.info/music/docs/beatles/boots/cd/pb1001.htm. Accessed 02 Nov. 2023.
The Beatles Anthology. McCartney, Paul. Apple Corps, Capitol Records, Granada Television. 2003.