Are You Ready For The Beatles’ Final Song? Lots of Tears Await!

“I believe in Yesterday”, and the Beatles want to relive it! The Beatles are preparing to release their ‘final’ song, “Now and Then,” with the assistance of AI technology, marking 50 years since the band’s breakup. This track, based on a 1970s demo, has been a project in the works for Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr over the past four decades. Thanks to AI, they successfully separated John Lennon’s vocals from an old demo to complete the song. Here’s how they managed to create The Beatles’ final song.

The Beatles’ Final Song Is Titled “Now and Then”

“Now and Then,” a highly anticipated “final” Beatles song, featuring all four members, is scheduled for release in the coming week, made possible through the application of AI technology. This technology, similar to what enhanced the audio in Peter Jackson’s documentary “Get Back,” has been instrumental in bringing the song to life.

In a statement, Paul McCartney expressed his emotional response to the song, especially John Lennon’s crystal-clear voice. He also emphasized that all four Beatles played on the track, making it a genuine Beatles recording. McCartney found it exciting that, in 2023, they are still working on Beatles music and preparing to release a song that the public hasn’t heard before.

The Story Behind “Now and Then”

The history of “Now and Then” dates back to the late 1970s when John Lennon wrote and sang it in his New York City home at the Dakota building. In 1994, Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, provided the demo to Paul McCartney on a cassette labeled “For Paul,” which also included Lennon’s demos for “Free As a Bird” and “Real Love.”

While McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison completed the latter songs and released them as singles for the Beatles Anthology project, technological limitations at the time prevented the separation of Lennon’s vocals and piano from the rest of the recording in “Now and Then.” As a result, the song remained shelved for years.

How AI Was Used to Create The Beatles’ Final Song

AI technology was utilized by Peter Jackson to extract and separate the original audio from the 1970 footage of the Beatles recording their final album, “Let It Be.” This technology isolated instruments, vocals, and conversations, allowing the creation of the “Get Back” documentary series.

The success of this technology led to a new mix of the album “Revolver” in 2022. It also inspired surviving Beatles members, such as Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, to revisit John Lennon’s “Now and Then” demo. Jackson and a sound team, led by Emile de la Rey, employed the same technique to isolate Lennon’s original vocal performance from his piano, creating an emotional experience for the band members.

Project Completion

To complete “Now and Then,” McCartney and Starr contributed new parts to the song. The track also features guitar parts recorded by George Harrison in 1995, a string arrangement by McCartney, Giles Martin, and Ben Foster, and backing vocals from original recordings of other Beatles songs. Jeff Lynne played a role in additional production.

Paul McCartney had previously mentioned the use of AI to “extricate” Lennon’s voice from a cassette recording, which allowed them to work with John’s voice and mix the record more effectively.

What about you, will you be tuning in to the Beatles’ last song?

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