The legendary band, The Beatles, known for shaping the counterculture movement of popular music, announced on Thursday that they will release their final song, “Now and Then.” Decades after the song was originally recorded, this release carries great significance for fans worldwide. The iconic track is set to be available digitally and as a double A-side single on 7″ vinyl, 12″ vinyl, and cassette on November 2, 2023. The double A-side single will also include The Beatles’ debut single from 1962, “Love Me Do.”
“Now and Then” features the vocals of John Lennon, along with electric and acoustic guitar performances by George Harrison. Paul McCartney contributed bass, guitar, and piano parts, while Ringo Starr laid down new drum tracks for the song. McCartney even added a slide guitar solo inspired by Harrison.
The journey of “Now and Then” dates back to 1978 when John Lennon recorded a demo track with his vocals and piano at his New York residence, the Dakota Building. Tragically, two years later, Lennon was fatally shot outside his Upper West Side home in Manhattan. Almost 20 years after the initial recording, Yoko Ono Lennon provided the recordings to former bandmates George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr. At that time, the group faced technological limitations, making it impossible to separate Lennon’s vocals and piano for the final mix.
Fast forward to 2022, when new audio software developed for Peter Jackson’s documentary “The Beatles: Get Back” enabled the isolation of instruments and vocals. Peter Jackson and his sound team, led by Emile de la Rey, harnessed this technology to preserve the clarity and authenticity of John Lennon’s original home recording. The surviving members of The Beatles expressed their emotions and excitement at working on a genuine Beatles recording, with Paul McCartney clarifying that they cleaned up existing recordings.
With Paul McCartney, now 81, and Ringo Starr, 83, confirming that “Now and Then” marks their final record, this release signifies the end of an extraordinary era for rock and roll music enthusiasts. Following the song’s release, a music video for the title track is scheduled to premiere on November 3. Additionally, fans can look forward to expanded reissues of “1962-1966 (The Red Album)” and “1967-1970 (The Blue Album),” both featuring The Beatles’ final song. The impact of The Beatles on the music industry and culture as a whole continues to resonate, making “Now and Then” a highly anticipated and emotional milestone in their storied history.
NOW AND THEN. THE LAST BEATLES SONG. OUT 02.11.23.⁰
‘#NowAndThen‘ is the last @thebeatles song – written and sung by @johnlennon, developed and worked on by Paul, @GeorgeHarrison @ringostarrmusic, and now finally finished by Paul and Ringo over four decades later.Pre-order… pic.twitter.com/HVGyIPnlgd
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) October 26, 2023
