Beatles Now and Then mini-documentary unveils the tale behind their long-awaited final track
The mini-documentary "Now and Then" by The Beatles delves into the story behind their long-anticipated final track.
The Beatles (Source: Wikipedia)
Ahead of the Thursday release of the freshly finished track "Now and Then," hailed as the last Beatles' creation ever to bear their name, fans are getting a sneak peek at the song along with its captivating backstory. This comes in the form of a 12-minute mini-documentary titled "Now And Then - The Last Beatles Song," which made its debut on YouTube.
1995 Recording Session: A Brief Attempt
The documentary features footage from a recording session in 1995 where Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison initially attempted to add their touches to a John Lennon demo, provided by Yoko Ono, although this attempt was quickly abandoned.
Additionally, it includes clips of McCartney and Starr recording fresh bass and drum components for the song in the past year, following McCartney's change of heart that it could indeed be completed. The documentary also provides a glimpse of an orchestral session at Capitol Studios, under the guidance of McCartney and co-producer Giles Martin.
Revisiting Lennon's Original Vocal
Most notably, it features intriguing snippets of John Lennon's original lead vocal, which was initially recorded on a muddy cassette at his home in the late 1970s. Thanks to Peter Jackson's advanced audio separation technology, this vintage recording has been meticulously cleaned up, resulting in a sound that resembles Lennon's presence in a state-of-the-art modern recording studio, right by the microphone.
Listening to John Lennon's solo voice, fans are likely to concur with McCartney's sentiments when he describes the outcome of the MAL software's efforts to extract his late partner's voice: "They said, this is the sound of John's voice. A few seconds later... there it was. John's voice, impeccably clear... Peter isolated John's vocals and dedicated a separate track to him. It's as if John is right there with us, you know — it's truly remarkable."
The unveiling of "Now and Then" and the accompanying mini-documentary provide Beatles fans with a remarkable journey into the past and present of this legendary band. From John Lennon's vintage vocals brought back to life with cutting-edge technology to the collaborative effort of McCartney, Starr, and Harrison, this project represents a treasure trove of musical history.