A 12 minute The Beatles ‘Now and Then’ has been officially released by The Beatles’ Apple Records.
In the doco, Paul McCartney says about new Beatles music, “When we lost John we knew that it was really over. But in 1994, amazingly, an interesting opportunity arose. We could make more music together”.
That “more music” were the two tracks ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love’ from the Anthology series.
Back in 1994 when Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison got back together for the Anthology series, George said “I was talking to Yoko and she said I think I’ve got a tape of John. I’m sure he would have enjoyed the opportunity to be with us again”.
The new ‘Now and Then’ recording came about using the audio technology developed by Peter Jackson’s company to put together The Beatles ‘Get Back’ documentary. The three remaining Beatles used three of John’s demos for ‘Anthology’. ‘Free As A Bird’ was included on ‘Anthology 1’, released in 1994 and ‘Real Love’ was used on ‘Anthology 2’ in 1995. ‘Now and Then’ was intended for ‘Anthology 3’ later in 1995 but was aborted… until now.
According to Apple notes, “For years it looked like the song could never be completed. But in 2022 there was a stroke of serendipity. A software system developed by Peter Jackson and his team, used throughout the production of the documentary series Get Back, finally opened the way for the uncoupling of John’s vocal from his piano part. As a result, the original recording could be brought to life and worked on anew with contributions from all four Beatles”.
Ringo said, “When we started ‘Now and Then’ it was very difficult because John was hidden in a way”.
Paul added, “On John’s demo the piano was a little hard to hear and in those days we didn’t have the technology to do the separation. ‘Now and Then’ just languished in the cupboard. It took almost a quarter of a century for the right moment to tackle ‘Now and Then’ again”.
‘Now and Then’ will be included on the upcoming ‘The Beatles: 1967-1970’ expanded edition. For some strange reason The Beatles did not use this opportunity to remix ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love’ to bring the three post-Beatles songs up to date with 21st century technology. Those two songs are not even included on the ‘Blue’ album reissue.
The new editions of the Red and Blue albums ‘1962-1966’ and ‘1967-1970’ will be released on 10 November 2023.
THE BEATLES’ 1962-1966 (‘THE RED ALBUM’) AND 1967-1970 (‘THE BLUE ALBUM’) TRACKLISTING
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 *
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