“Now and Then,” the last Beatles song ever released, came out on Nov. 3, 2023, 63 years after the band’s formation in 1960. The song is a well-done tribute to the Beatles’ relationships with one another, career as a band, and effect on popular music.
The song came two days after a short film titled “Now and Then – The Last Beatles Song,” an introduction to “Now and Then,” which chronicled the process of its creation.
According to the short film, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr held a recording session in 1995 to record other parts for three songs that Yoko Ono, John Lennon’s widow, gave the surviving Beatles after Lennon’s murder in 1980. The trio were able to record “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love” from Lennon’s demos. The piano on Lennon’s demo of “Now and Then” made it difficult to hear his voice, however, and at the time, the technology necessary to digitally separate Lennon’s voice from the piano did not exist. The Beatles reluctantly decided to shelve “Now and Then” due to the technological constraints.
“It really brought to the fore, to the three of us, that John’s gone,” Starr said in the short film.
After Harrison died in 2001, “Now and Then” remained an unfinished project for 21 years until Peter Jackson, who also directed the Lord of the Rings films, began producing the 2021 documentary entitled “The Beatles: Get Back.”
During the course of developing “Get Back,” Jackson’s team developed a software which used machine learning to digitally separate different components of soundtracks. No part of “Now and Then” was generated by AI, but the Beatles did use this software to isolate Lennon’s voice from the original demo, which was combined with Harrison’s guitar tracks from the 1995 recording sessions and finished with the addition of McCartney and Starr’s parts.
“Now and Then” is a fitting final release. The tempo is steady but not overly slow, which keeps the lyrics moving forward. The most memorable aspect of the song is the rough sonority of Lennon’s voice carrying the melody poignantly throughout; though over 40 years have passed since Lennon’s death, the opening lines sound as fresh as “Yesterday.” The tune is supported by background strings and a buoyant bass guitar. As a soft, psychedelic-rock piece, “Now and Then” carries a distinctly Beatles-esque air with it, a longing twang which never feels quite fully resolved, even at the end of the piece.
Its lyrics are simple and somewhat repetitive, but reflective and moving nonetheless. Though it expresses sorrow and nostalgia, the song never quite slips into melancholy.
“I know it’s true,” Lennon sings. “If I make it through, it’s all because of you.”
The lyrics reflect the dependence and trust required to make music in company with others; it is tempting to hear “Now and Then” as a commentary on its own creation as well as on the Beatles’ career as a whole.
Near the end of the track, Starr says “Good one.” His words are a tribute to his band and its last release, bringing the era of the Beatles to a close.