Emotional Beatles fans broke down today as they heard Now And Then for the first time - the band's 'masterpiece' new and final song sung by John Lennon and debuted on the BBC and YouTube after 45 years in the making.
43 years after Lennon's death – and more than two decades on from George Harrison's passing – The Beatles have come together with the help of AI and audio tech pioneered by Lord of the Rings and Get Back director Sir Peter Jackson.
Now And Then, written and sung by John in 1977, features acoustic and electric guitar played by George in 1995. Sir Paul McCartney completed the bass and Sir Ringo Starr recorded the drums in the last year.
Sir Paul said finishing his friend's lost love song felt like the Fab Four were all back together again, declaring today: 'To still be working on Beatles music in 2023. Wow. It's probably the last Beatles song, and we have all played on it so it is a genuine Beatles recording. Every time I thought, say I had a chance to ask John: "Hey John, would you like us to finish this last song of yours?" I'm telling you, I know the answer would have been: "Yeah".'
Today at 2pm, Now And Then was released to the exultation and excitement of tens of millions of fans. Listening parties have been held all over the world, including in their home city of Liverpool at The Cavern Club and the Liverpool Beatles Museum. Tears were shed as the song played. Liam Gallagher tweeted: 'Now n Then absolutely incredible biblical celestial heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time long live The Beatles LG x'.
LISTEN TO THE NEW BEATLES SONG BELOW
Sir Paul McCartney playing bass on the new and final song Now And Then released today. He said he knows John would have approved of it being completed. It features all four Beatles
Ringo Starr recording the drums for the final track (pictured) in the last 12 months. It also includes electric and acoustic guitar recorded in 1995 by George and John Lennon's original vocals from the late 1970s
Tears of a Beatles fan this afternoon as she listens the new, and final, Beatles song as it was played today at the Liverpool Beatles Museum in Mathew Street
Emotional fans listen with tears in their eyes at a party at the Liverpool Beatles Museum
Liam Gallagher led the reviews, and loved it as did millions of others
Back in the studio! The Beatles also released a short film revealing how they made their last song together 43 years after John Lennon 's death. Sir Paul McCartney pictured in the 1990s with George Harrison, who played the guitar track in 1995 before he died in 2001
Demo: The band are releasing the track, Now And Then, which late singer John began recording in the late 1970s before it was unearthed by his wife in the Nineties (pictured) and handed to Paul on a tape marked 'For Paul'
Referencing George Harrison 's death, Sir Paul said of the song: 'In 2001 we lost George, which took the wind out of our sails, it took almost a quarter of a century before we tackled Now And Then again'
BBC Radio 2 listeners, the first to hear it in the UK, said they were in tears as it played live. One, Gemma from Nottingham, said: 'Just wow. I got the shivers when I heard the one, two at the beginning of the track. That was amazing. I’m act...
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