“Now and Then” Is Bringing The Beatles Back Together Again

The Gist:

• "Now and Then" by The Beatles was released on November 2, 2023.
• The song is described as the last Beatles song.
• It was on a demo tape of John Lennon's that Yoko Ono gave to Paul McCartney in the '90s.

Advancements in technology are making a difference in every category imaginable, but our personal favorite is music. AI is not only able to create songs in the style of artists and make them even sound like them ("Heart On My Sleeve" by "Drake" anyone?), but it is also bringing some back from the dead.

Okokok, no AI is not literally bringing artists back from the dead, but rather the technology has advanced so much that old demos are able to be revitalized. This is why, after over 40 years since John Lennon's passing, we get a new Beatles song, "Now and Then."

What's it about? We have all the details below.

Leaving the listener enough room to wonder what happened in this relationship without filling in the blanks, "Now and Then," at its core, is a love song. Wistful in nature with a sense of yearning, the song ponders life, telling the listener that everything is because of them.

The lyrics go:

I know it’s true It’s all because of you And if I make it through It’s all because of you

And now and then If we must start again Well, we will know for sure That I love you

Now and then I miss you Oh, now and then I want you to be there for be Always to return to me‘ I know it’s true It’s all because of you And if you go away I know you could never stay

The end of the song repeats the chorus and the first verse.

Now we know what you are wondering: how was this song even made? That question is answered in a mini-documentary that was released on The Beatles YouTube page. In Now and Then — The Last Beatles Song, it was revealed that "Now and Then" was on the demo that Yoko Ono gave to Paul McCartney in the '90s. Two of those songs were released in 1995 and 1996: "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" respectively.

In the "Now and Then" demo, John's voice was "hidden" and the "piano was hard to hear" creating some problems for the band. Paul explains that, "In those days we didn't have the technology to do the separation."

In 2022 they revisited the track, this time with technology on their side being able to separate the instrument and the voice. This time, they were able to hear John's voice loud and clear. A bonus, since The Beatles had originally started working on this track when they worked on "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love," they still had George Harrison's guitar part, even though he too had passed.

Thank you AI, for bringing the band back together. And thank The Beatles, for, well, everything. After all, "It's all because of you"

You can listen to "Now and Then" on all streaming services now.