The long-awaited new Beatles song, recorded by surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, has a new trailer and documentary about the project.
This week, the AI-assisted song was teased with images of a cassette tape across social media and projections of the Beatles across their native Liverpool.
Now, the band have shared details of ‘Now And Then’, and when fans can expect to hear it.
John Lennon first composed a demo of ‘Now And Then’ with only his piano and vocals in his New York Dakota building flat, back in the 70s.
Following his death in 1980, John’s wife Yoko Ono later handed the recording to Paul, George Harrison, and Ringo, in 1994, along with demos for ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love’ – both of which were completed and released as ‘new’ Beatles in the mid-90s as part of The Beatles ‘Anthology’ project.
READ MORE: Get Back proves Yoko Ono didn’t break up The Beatles
The surviving members recorded new parts and finished a rough mix for ‘Now And Then’ with the help of producer Jeff Lynne, but “technological limitations meant John’s vocals and piano couldn’t be separated for a clear enough mix.
Then, Peter Jackson released his critically acclaimed Get Back docuseries. He hired WingNut Films to apply their audio technology in de-mixing the film’s mono soundtrack, isolating instruments and vocals, to home in on individual voices and conversations.
The Beatles play on a London rooftop in The Beatles: Get Back
The band then used this technology for the 2022 remix of their groundbreaking album Revolver, before electing to do the same with John’s original home recording of ‘Now And Then’ – cleaning up his vocals and the piano.
“There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear,” said McCartney. “It’s quite emotional. And we all play on it, it’s a genuine Beatles recording. In 2023 to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven’t heard, I think it’s an exciting thing.”
Starr agreed: “It was the closest we’ll ever come to having him back in the room so it was very emotional for all of us. It was like John was there, you know. It’s far out.”
The song also features electric and acoustic guitar parts recorded by Harrison in 1995, along with a new drum recording and backing vocals from Starr and fresh bass guitar and backing vocals from McCartney. The song also includes a slide guitar part inspired by Harrison and a piano based on Lennon’s original composition.
Giles Martin, Paul and Ben Foster oversaw a string arrangement, with McCartney and Martin later adding backing vocals from the original recordings of ‘Here, There And Everywhere’, ‘Eleanor Rigby’ and ‘Because’, before being produced by McCartney and Martin with mixing by Spike Stent.
“Back in 1995, after several days in the studio working on the track, George felt the technical issues with the demo were insurmountable and concluded that it was not possible to finish the track to a high enough standard,” said Harrison’s widow, Olivia. “If he were here today, Dhani [Harrison, son] and I know he would have whole-heartedly joined Paul and Ringo in completing the recording of ‘Now And Then’.”
Sean Ono Lennon, son of John and fellow musician, added: “It was incredibly touching to hear them working together after all the years that Dad had been gone. It’s the last song my dad, Paul, George and Ringo got to make together. It’s like a time capsule and all feels very meant to be.”
‘Now And Then’ will be released worldwide at 2pm GMT / 10am EDT / 7am PDT on Thursday, 2nd November, as a double A-side with the band’s 1962 debut UK single, ‘Love Me Do’ – combining their first single with their last. Pre-order and save the song here.
A music video for ‘Now And Then’ will follow on Friday, 3rd November, and fans can also look forward to the Oliver Murray written and directed 12-minute documentary film ‘Now And Then’ – The Last Beatles Song. It will arrive on 1st November at 7:30pm GMT / 3:30pm EDT / 12:30pm PDT. Check out the trailer below.
The following week, The Beatles will release new expanded editions of 1962-1966 (The Red Album) and 1967-1970 (The Blue Album), mixed in stereo and Dolby, on 10th November.
The two releases will now span 75 songs from ‘Love Me Do’ to ‘Now And Then’ and feature 21 newly added tracks, with 12 on Red and nine on Blue. These come from recent years’ stereo and Dolby mixes of recently reissued albums, plus new mixes created by Giles Martin and Sam Okell at Abbey Road Studios with the assistance of the AI-provided WingNut Films’ audio de-mixing technology.
John Harris also lends essays for the releases. Check out the artwork and full tracklists for all formats below.
Beatles Now And Then on vinyl (Credit: Press)
The full tracklists for the expanded and reissued ‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ albums are:
1962-1966 (2023 Edition)
(2CD: stereo / Digital + Streaming: stereo & Dolby Atmos)
* = newly added track
CD1
1: ‘Love Me Do’ (2023 Mix)
2: ‘Please Please Me’ (2023 Mix)
3: ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ (2023 Mix) *
4: ‘Twist And Shout’ (2023 Mix) *
5: ‘From Me To You’ (2023 Mix)
6: ‘She Loves You’ (2023 Mix)
7: ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ (2023 Mix)
8: ‘This Boy’ (2023 Mix) *
9: ‘All My Loving’ (2023 Mix)
10: ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ (2023 Mix) *
11: ‘You Really Got A Hold On Me’ (2023 Mix) *
12: ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ (2023 Mix)
13: ‘You Can’t Do That’ (2023 Mix) *
14: ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ (2023 Mix)
15: ‘And I Love Her’ (2023 Mix)
16: ‘Eight Days A Week’ (2023 Mix)
17: ‘I Feel Fine’ (2023 Mix)
18: ‘Ticket To Ride’ (2023 Mix)
19: ‘Yesterday’ (2023 Mix)
CD2
1: ‘Help!’ (2023 Mix)
2: ‘You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away’ (2023 Mix)
3: ‘We Can Work It Out’ (2023 Mix)
4: ‘Day Tripper’ (2023 Mix)
5: ‘Drive My Car’ (2023 Mix)
6 ‘Norwegian Wood’ (This Bird Has Flown) (2023 Mix)
7: ‘Nowhere Man’ (2023 Mix)
8: ‘Michelle’ (2023 Mix)
9: ‘In My Life’ (2023 Mix)
10: ‘If I Needed Someone’ (2023 Mix) *
11: ‘Girl’ (2023 Mix)
12: ‘Paperback Writer’ (2022 Mix)
13: ‘Eleanor Rigby’ (2022 Mix)
14: ‘Yellow Submarine’ (2022 Mix)
15: ‘Taxman’ (2022 Mix) *
16: ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’ (2022 Mix) *
17: ‘I’m Only Sleeping’ (2022 Mix) *
18: ‘Here, There And Everywhere’ (2022 Mix) *
19: ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ (2022 Mix) *
1967-1970 (2023 Edition)
(2CD: stereo / Digital + Streaming: stereo & Dolby Atmos)
* = newly added track
CD1
1: ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
2: ‘Penny Lane’ (2017 Mix)
3: ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ (2017 Mix)
4: ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ (2017 Mix)
5: ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ (2017 Mix)
6: ‘Within You Without You’ (2017 Mix) *
7: ‘A Day In The Life’ (2017 Mix)
8: ‘All You Need Is Love’ (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
9: ‘I Am The Walrus’ (2023 Mix)
10: ‘Hello, Goodbye’ (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
11: ‘The Fool On The Hill’ (2023 Mix)
12: ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ (2023 Mix)
13: ‘Lady Madonna’ (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
14: ‘Hey Jude’ (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
15: ‘Revolution’ (2023 Mix)
CD2
1: ‘Back In The U.S.S.R.’ (2018 Mix)
2: ‘Dear Prudence’ (2018 Mix) *
3: ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ (2018 Mix)
4: ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’ (2018 Mix)
5: ‘Glass Onion’ (2018 Mix) *
6: ‘Blackbird’ (2018 Mix) *
7: ‘Hey Bulldog’ (2023 Mix) *
8: ‘Get Back’ (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
9: ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ (2021 Mix)
10: ‘The Ballad Of John And Yoko’ (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
11: ‘Old Brown Shoe’ (2023 Mix)
12: ‘Here Comes The Sun’ (2019 Mix)
13: ‘Come Together’ (2019 Mix)
14: ‘Something’ (2019 Mix)
15: ‘Octopus’s Garden’ (2019 Mix)
16: ‘Oh! Darling’ (2019 Mix) *
17: ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ (2019 Mix) *
18: ‘Let It Be’ (2021 Mix)
19: ‘Across The Universe’ (2021 Mix)
20: ‘I Me Mine’ (2021 Mix) *
21: ‘The Long And Winding Road’ (2021 Mix)
22: ‘Now And Then’ *
1962-1966 & 1967-1970 (2023 Editions) 4CD SLIPCASED SET
(‘Red’: CDs 1 & 2 / ‘Blue’: CDs 3 & 4)
(stereo / all 75 tracks as listed above)
1962-1966 + 1967-1970 (2023 EDITIONS) 6LP VINYL SLIPCASED SET
(1962-1966: LPs 1-3 / 1967-1970: LPs 4-6)
(stereo / 1962-1966 3LP Vinyl & 1967-1970 3LP Vinyl = same track sequencing for each as listed below)
LP1 (‘Red’)
Side A:
1: ‘Love Me Do’ (2023 Mix)
2: ‘Please Please Me’ (2023 Mix)
3: ‘From Me To You’ (2023 Mix)
4: ‘She Loves You’ (2023 Mix)
5: ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ (2023 Mix)
6: ‘All My Loving’ (2023 Mix)
7: ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ (2023 Mix)
Side B:
1: ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ (2023 Mix)
2: ‘And I Love Her’ (2023 Mix)
3: ‘Eight Days A Week’ (2023 Mix)
4: ‘I Feel Fine’ (2023 Mix)
5: ‘Ticket To Ride’ (2023 Mix)
6: ‘Yesterday’ (2023 Mix)
LP2 (‘Red’)
Side A:
1: ‘Help!’ (2023 Mix)
2: ‘You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away’ (2023 Mix)
3: ‘We Can Work It Out’ (2023 Mix)
4: ‘Day Tripper’ (2023 Mix)
5: ‘Drive My Car’ (2023 Mix)
6: ‘Norwegian Wood’ (This Bird Has Flown) (2023 Mix)
Side B:
1: ‘Nowhere Man’ (2023 Mix)
2: ‘Michelle’ (2023 Mix)
3: ‘In My Life’ (2023 Mix)
4: ‘Girl’ (2023 Mix)
5: ‘Paperback Writer’ (2022 Mix)
6: ‘Eleanor Rigby’ (2022 Mix)
7: ‘Yellow Submarine’ (2022 Mix)
LP3 (Bonus ‘Red’ LP)
Side A:
1: ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ (2023 Mix)
2: ‘Twist And Shout’ (2023 Mix)
3: ‘This Boy’ (2023 Mix)
4: ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ (2023 Mix)
5: ‘You Really Got A Hold On Me’ (2023 Mix)
6: ‘You Can’t Do That’ (2023 Mix)
Side B:
1: ‘If I Needed Someone’ (2023 Mix)
2: ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’ (2022 Mix)
3: ‘I’m Only Sleeping’ (2022 Mix)
4: ‘Taxman’ (2022 Mix)
5: ‘Here, There And Everywhere’ (2022 Mix)
6: ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ (2022 Mix)
LP4 (‘Blue’)
Side A:
1: ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ (2015 mix)
2: ‘Penny Lane’ (2017 mix)
3: ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ (2017 Mix)
4: ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ (2017 Mix)
5: ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ (2017 Mix)
6: ‘A Day In The Life’ (2017 Mix)
7: ‘All You Need Is Love’ (2015 Mix)
Side B:
1: ‘I Am The Walrus’ (2023 Mix)
2: ‘Hello, Goodbye’ (2015 Mix)
3: ‘The Fool On The Hill’ (2023 Mix)
4: ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ (2023 Mix)
5: ‘Lady Madonna’ (2015 Mix)
6: ‘Hey Jude’ (2015 Mix)
7: ‘Revolution’ (2023 Mix)
LP5 (‘Blue’)
Side A:
1: ‘Back In The U.S.S.R.’ (2018 Mix)
2: ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ (2018 Mix)
3: ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’ (2018 Mix)
4: ‘Get Back’ (2015 Mix)
5: ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ (2021 Mix)
6: ‘The Ballad Of John And Yoko’ (2015 Mix)
7: ‘Old Brown Shoe’ (2023 Mix)
Side B:
1: ‘Here Comes The Sun’ (2019 Mix)
2: ‘Come Together’ (2019 Mix)
3: ‘Something’ (2019 Mix)
4: ‘Octopus’s Garden’ (2019 Mix)
5: ‘Let It Be’ (2021 Mix)
6: ‘Across The Universe’ (2021 Mix)
7: ‘The Long And Winding Road’ (2021 Mix)
LP6 (Bonus ‘Blue’ LP)
Side A:
1: ‘Now And Then’
2: ‘Blackbird’ (2018 Mix)
3: ‘Dear Prudence’ (2018 Mix)
4: ‘Glass Onion’ (2018 Mix)
5: ‘Within You Without You’ (2017 Mix)
Side B:
1: ‘Hey Bulldog’ (2023 Mix)
2: ‘Oh! Darling’ (2019 Mix)
3: ‘I Me Mine’ (2021 Mix)
4: ‘I Want You’ (She’s So Heavy) (2019 Mix)
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