Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
LAST UPDATE | 2 Nov 2023
A NEW BEATLES song, produced with a little help from artificial intelligence and including the vocals of John Lennon, has been released today more than four decades after it was originally recorded as a demo.
“Now And Then”, first written and sung by Lennon in 1978, was finished by his fellow band members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr – and AI.
The track was unveiled at 2pm today by Apple Corps, Capitol and Universal Music Enterprises, with a music video still to come tomorrow.
McCartney, 81, had announced the song’s release in June, in what was dubbed “the last Beatles song” in a promotional trailer.
“It’s quite emotional and we all play on it, it’s a genuine Beatles recording,” he said in a video on YouTube ahead of the release.
If you don’t have Spotify, an audio version of the new track is now up on the band’s YouTube channel, too.
“Now And Then” was one of several tracks on a cassette that Lennon had recorded for McCartney at his home in New York’s Dakota Building in 1979 – a year before his death.
It was given to him by Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono in 1994.
Two other songs, “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love”, were cleaned up by the producer Jeff Lynne, and released in 1995 and 1996.
An attempt was made to do the same with “Now And Then” but the project was abandoned due to background noise on the demo.
AI has now made that possible, although the use of the technology in music is the subject of industry-wide debate, with some denouncing copyright abuses and others praising its prowess.
After the recording was processed using the new technology, “there it was, John’s voice, crystal clear”, McCartney said.
The two surviving Beatles finished “Now And Then” last year, including George Harrison’s electric and acoustic guitar recorded in 1995.
Recording at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, they also added Starr’s drum part alongside bass, piano, a slide guitar solo by McCartney – inspired by Harrison – and more backing vocals.
Starr, 83, added the process “was the closest we’ll ever come to having him (Lennon) 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.”
Sean Ono Lennon, the son of Lennon and Ono, said it was “incredibly touching” to hear the former Beatles working together again “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,” he added.
The Beatles – Lennon, McCartney, Starr and Harrison – split in 1970, with each going on to have solo careers, but they never reunited.
McCartney said he agonised initially about whether they should complete the song or leave it unfinished.
“Every time I thought like that I thought ‘Wait a minute, let’s say I had a chance to ask John’ … I’m telling you. I know the answer would have been ‘Yeah’.”
Lennon was shot dead in New York in 1980 aged 40, while Harrison died of lung cancer in 2001, aged 58.
“Now And Then” has been released as a double A-side, with the band’s 1962 debut single “Love Me Do”, and cover art by US artist Ed Ruscha.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Good start, now have the religious orders pay compensation.
@FiannaFáilness FineGaelness: by liquidating all their assets. All of them!
If the Pope is genuinely sorry he would order dioceses across the world to stop dragging their feet and stonewalling and fighting compensation cases. Very little has changed in the Catholic hierarchy in the last few decades except that they’ve gotten better at P. R.
@Gerry McCaughey: 100% if they cared so much the vaults of gold would be emptied in restitution. Words have no meaning. Action is needed.
@Gerry McCaughey: he isn’t genuinely sorry
@Gerry McCaughey: I could be wrong but I think he has asked for that but is getting stop at ever turn,same here in Ireland with bishop Martin, could be wrong but think they genuinely want change.
Unbelievably corrupt organisation.
Where was the Canadian Government? It abandoned the indigenous people and their rights as a colonial power. The State has much to apologise for as well.
@feargal de cantuin: this article is about the catholic church’s role. The state have apologized and have started reparations. Will possibly never be enough but the Pope had to make an apology on behalf on the festering moral cesspit that was his church in the 20th century and before.
Unreal what happened to the indigenous people. Very like tuam.
What a terrible read. Centuries of abuse the article says and they still want to accept the popes self-invitation to visit and repeat his hollow apologies. They should should be refusing to host him, demanding more financial compensation and questioning in what other territories is the Catholic Church committing similar crimes today?
“I ask for God’s forgiveness for the deplorable conduct of these members of the Catholic Church,” – Gods representative on earth asking God for forgiveness for the actions of hundreds of Gods followers!, ya couldn’t make it up.
No apologies are enough anymore. I know religion is a comfort to many people. The Catholic church is no longer part of that. They are inexcusable.
@Daftbit Jelly: If you go back to the first organised societies, especially to Sumeria 5000 years ago, it’s easy to see how what we think of as religion came about. It wasn’t until about 1700 years ago that the Romans weaponised mono-theism. Religion may be a comfort, the same way that a fix of heroin is to an addict, but look at the destruction both bring with them.
I’m indigenous Canadian, an adoptee from the era of the Sixties Scoop, another method of taking chuldren from their families and stripping them of their language, culture and heritage. Also supported by this church. I also have family members directly impacted by the abuse that went on in the schools. I’m not sure what to make of this apology. It doesn’t give back the silenced languages. It doesn’t revive dead customs and traditions. It doesn’t restore the lost history and knowledge. The apology doesn’t heal the trauma and pain of surviving this abuse. Or the grief for those who didn’t. It does nothing to staunch the epidemic of suicide amongst indigenous youth. For an apology to be sincere, it must involve action. Otherwise its just words. Meaningless words at that.
An apology,makes everything all better
@David Nolan: Nobody said that but even in our country you see people want apology,let’s take responsibility first and then we can take punishment.
@David Nolan: what should he do?
He apologised to people in Ireland as well but the church here still refuses to pay the agreed monies to the state for the redress paid out so apologies like that are meaningless.
have your say