The Beatles’ latest song, “Now and Then,” was released after 54 years. The clarity of a John Lennon demo tape was restored with the aid of artificial intelligence, which was not possible thirty years ago when Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr collaborated to complete a few Lennon demos for a Beatles anthology.
The new song is popular, and Paul McCartney discussed how people reacted when they realized it was a Beatles song in an interview with The Times. The majority of those involved in the recording process were first informed that it was a Paul McCartney recording session since it was a covert endeavor.
Paul McCartney talks about people’s reaction to new Beatles song
He explained, “The sweet is ‘How lucky was I to have those men in my life’, But the fact that they’re not here is bitter. It’s strange when you think about it. There’s John, in his apartment, banging away at a piano doing a demo. And now we’ve restored it and it’s a crystal-clear, beautiful vocal. You still wonder, is it inferior, something we shouldn’t do?”
“But every time I thought that, I thought, Let’s say I had a chance to ask John. And John would have loved it. Of course, I’m never going to know, but I think mine’s the best guess we can have. And now it is a Beatles record. When we played it to people, some cried, some said, ‘Jesus Christ, it’s a Beatles record!’”
“A lot of people were touched by the Beatles – and that feeling still exists.”
McCartney added, “When I remember the Beatles, I remember joy, talent, humour and love. And if people remember us for those things I’d be very happy.”
The highly acclaimed director Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings), who was also behind the 2021 documentary “Get Back,” filmed the official music video for the song.