I suppose if I have an argument, it would be that any "solo" song or perfomance in the 60s was when they were a complete unit. But you're right. Even with modern technology, Now and Then is a complete collaboration between the four of them!
It’s a grower and as you’ve observed with the video, it brings a whole different dimension to it. The arrangement is superb. We mustn’t compare it to a day in the life or strawberry fields. It’s 2023 and I’m glad we have it. It’s great for what it is and I find it touching and moving.
Obviously Paul left that out cause it probably refers to Yoko whereas John's last words to Paul were "Think of me , now and then , old friend" and marked on the cassette was ' for Paul ' ! 🤡
Oh Tudor, it’s a grower…..first listen I wasn’t sure…..but now I love it. Let’s face it, it’s a John Lennon track with the others playing on it….like other songs from the late 60s.
Tudor: Hi. Born on this day(December 9) in 1944 the late, great Neil Innes. Love The Rutles and "Death Cab For Cutie" from "Magical Mystery Tour". Cheers!🥨
To be honest, I think it's immaterial whether or not it's a good song. I was 7 when "Love Me Do" came out. I'm now 68 and witnessing possibly the last ever Beatles recording. What a privilege and what an event! How lucky that the technology to produce this exists while we still have Paul and Ringo.
Listened to this dozens of times on my hi res headphones and there's loads of little things you can hear that you don't seem to hear on normal speakers, the song is very quiet and under produced. The bit in the song that got me is around the 3 minute mark when the harmonies from Because kick in, it's beautiful. I'm sure there's a bit Eleanor Rigby in there also with the strings. I love the song and either way it's great to be talking about a 'new' Beatles song in 2023, who'd have thought it.
I have been living under a rock lately and my first notice of the existence of the new song was your thoughts video. I went to listen to the song and also a background video before coming back to you. Yeah... I found it 'beatlish' enough and very well produced... But safely on middle ground and sort of a bit mehh... But there are lots of other Beatles songs that I find a bit mehh too, so I can live with that. Thank you Peter Jackson for the beautiful resuscitation work. Technology at its best and finest. And thank you Beatles family for bringing this project to its conclusion with the blessings of all. And thank you, Tudor, for bringing it to my attention.
It must have been great fun for Paul to work on it, to make a fragment of a song into a real song. A bit like what he did back in 1967 with "A day in the life", which also was just a fragment of a song when John brought it to the studio. I too wasn't really that moved by the song, but I was really moved by the video that was released the next day.
Hi Tudor, welcome back.If everyones opinion was the same, it would be a boring world. I loved the track, i,ve listened to it many times. Along with the video. I,ve loved the beatles for many years, for me it was well worth the wait. Look forward to your new videos, all the best, Kev chatterley.
It was fantastic the way they were able to accomplish such a feat of getting that old demo to upgrade into something like this. I know a top complaint is that it sounds too Paul like but let's be real here it had his name on the demo cassette "For Paul" so by that idea it should be fine lol
Yeah, maybe John had a plan. He would create, as he had done in the past, an idea. And then give it to Paul for him to add his own elements to the song. Think "A Day In The Life". Two distinct tunes that work so well together as one song. So was the PostIt reference of "For Paul" suggestion John had written it with Paul in mind as the subject of the song, or for Paul to add his own contributions. I guess we'll never know.
Bullseye. I also don't regard it as a true Beatles track. It's a kinda Frankenstein thing. John wasn't recording his rough demo as a Beatles song. And if he were still alive, would he have agreed to its release as a Beatles song? If the Beatles had this in 1967, would it have been on any album? It's really just a scrap from the cutting room floor, resurrected with some hamburger helper. That said, the work done by all concerned is magnificent.
100% agree with you. Is not a matter of production, or hype, is a matter of the song itself, sounds like a Beatles song but didn't hook me, it didn't made me play it again over and over, like I do with Tomorrow Never Knows or many many others.
I suppose like any song in the universe, the meaning and love attributed to a song depends on the listeners situation at the time, and how the song might "speak to them". Having a song thrust upon them is probably going to have less of a dynamic effect.
@@TudorSmith As Beatles fans I think we have to cut them some slack when it comes to new songs.....two of them are dead and the other two are octogenarians. I think there is a chance the Beatles might have got back in the studio for their 20th anniversary in the 1980s and John would have come along with a few new songs...."Free as a bird"...."Real Love" and "Now and Then".
The Beatles are the group for me, it's my age group. The fab four have a large repertoire, they don't need any tinkering decades later. All I know is that when I am at my computer, I often start singing a Beatles song not even be conscious of what I am doing. We are entitled to like or dislike what we choose. Yes I can sing I want to hold your hand or I love you, but I like the later stuff better.
My only criticism about this song is the fact that the most touching, sentimental and beautiful part was cut off: "I don't wanna lose you, oh no, no, no..." Otherwise, it's fine. I liked it.😊
I like it a lot, and found my first listen quite emotional, but I'm a Beatles fanatic. I know what you mean about it sounding like a Lennon song with session musicians who happen to be Beatles though. It sounds far more Lennon-focused than Free as a Bird and Real Love were.
Facts about The Beatles Beatles pioneered use large stadium , first ever perform live on Television, They invented Loops in recording studio, back masking and automatic double tracking and now first ever use AI technology
We all know the last Beatles song is actually "The End" off Abbey Road. I agree with your thoughts as well. I feel like I want to like it much more than I do, as a lifelong Beatles fan. But no, it's what it is.....a Paul McCartney production utilizing scraps from John & George. I dislike the slide guitar played by Paul "in the style of George" as well. Does anyone know if Jeff Lynne was involved in "Now and Then"? I feel he could have made it more listenable.
Yes! The End. I'm not sure if Jeff Lynne had any input on the new production but Paul McCartney did say in that interview way back, that he and Jeff might finish it one day.
I think its a grower Tudor. You make some very interesting points. And lastly, I'm absolutely with you on Martha my dear. That song does more for me than some of the more recognised tracks.
I actually can't waitto see what video is released for Now and Then. It maywell make me change my mind if I see a visual interpretation to the song! Martha My Dear. Such an uplifting song!
For me Now and Then is not a good song, it was a musical idea John got down on cassette and maybe he intended to come back to it as he revamped his musical career, who knows. I certainly don't consider it a Beatles tune but then i had the same view for Free As a Bird and Real Love. Those 2 songs i thought, back in the 90's, were gimmicks used to promote the Anthology. Well done to the people involved in creating this tune with today's technology, it's amazing how far the technology has advanced since this tune was first attempted back in the 90's by the Threetles. Does that mean Now and Then is really a Twotles release.
John told Paul and Ringo that he was leaving the Beatles in a meeting in September 1969. George, Paul, and Ringo recorded I Me Mine in January 1970. I Me Mine is a Beatles song, and so was Free as a Bird, Real Love, and Now and Then.
I love it. I agree it won't be regarded as the best of classic Beatles yet it sounds very Beatley. It is hauntingly beautiful and designed as a trailer for the red and blue album reissues. No doubt the video will be great and enhance its overall package. If I had to critique it I would say it did not need Paul to sing behind what is essentially a John song and a John style song. I would have kept George solo as George soloing, not Paul. The Giles Martin string phrase at the end of the song is so characteristically Beatley that I would have had it as a recurrent phrase to begin the chorus after John's haunting minor key phrase sung at the end of the verse. By the way my wife loves your soft spoken voice.😁
Melodically it is sweet and haunting. I wasn’t sure the slide solo sounded much like George but the “nod” was there at least. I reckon you’re right about a video. Something visual will definitely enhance the interest 👍
Yes! keep those P&P videos coming 🙂. Just listen to the song and i admit i liked it but i didn't sense any euphoria, give it 7.5 out of 10. Born in late 50s i recall hearing She loves you on the radio and trying to mimic it on the playground. I like their more melancholic ballads like Michelle and While my guitar gently weeps. That's all from the Swedish jury.
My first listen was on an iPhone and the sound mix sounded terrible. Just listened on good headphones and it sounded great, acoustic guitars (George?) piano, vocals even hi-hat clear! Had hoped to hear Paul sing solo on a bridge somewhere. Agree with a previous comment: not all the Beatles played on all songs post Sgt Pepper! Truth is I’m properly too embedded in the Beatles to be objective.
Strange that the cassette this song was taken from had a post it attached with "For Paul" written on it in John's handwriting. There was a newspaper article in 1979 or 80 about how the Beatles were going to tell their story and it was to be released as a movie, " this is where all John's audio for Anthology comes from".. The movie which was to be called "The Long And Winding Road" would feature the reformed Beatles playing new music together for the first time in 10 years... After Lennon was murdered it all was shelved for 15 years and renamed The Beatles Anthology. I can't help but wonder if These demo's were always intended to be Johns contribution to the original project.....
I'm with you on this. The production quality is amazing, but it doesn't cut it as a good Beatles song. Frankly, I didn't care for the other "new Beatles songs" from the 90's, either - I felt they were overproduced. Besides, who knows if Lennon would have even wanted to move forward with this tune. I don't feel it was very well written, either. Probably because John wasn't done with it, yet.
It's more or less a coda, if you will, to a storied career. Was it necessary? No. They have nothing else to prove to us. We didn't need this song, but I'm glad we have it. They needed it. It was their way of thanking us one last time.
A coda. Nicely put. I suppose at the end of the day, it is still them (albeit two remaing Beatles) still working and offering up their art to those who appreciate it.
I feel from the first hearing that there will be a new Beatles release, that the whole is tribute to the Beatles as a group and specially tribute to John and George who have not been with us, for years. Tribute is from Paul and Ringo, the survivors. They chose a song, done by John as a demo and make a marvelous production both audio and video. On the other hand I see it as farewell from all of them to the World, to us all. They thank us for beeing their admireres for years and will be on. I do not expect that there will be other Beatles releases (from any other demo material). This is a gesture from the living members, supported obviosly from the family of John and George, and therefore it is released as the Beatles very last song.
Hi Tudor Hope all is well. I listened to the song & am not thrilled with it It doesn't sound like a Beatles song even though the 4 of them are on it in some capacity. To me it sounds like John from the Double Fantasy LP & Recordings he was doing at the time I was somewhat disappointed in this song when listening to it. Like you I won't be playing it too often.
Hi Tudor. I think the major problem with this song is the hype. It's been ramped up for the last few months. So by the time today came around, we were expecting Help, Strawberry Fields, In My Life etc etc. And it was never going to be so. It was always going to be an interpretation of a Lennon idea. Without Lennon as the foreman giving instruction and sharing his vision, it is always going to fall short. You can't fault the work that's gone into it. It's top notch. But it can't be what we all want it to be. The Dream Is Over, sadly. Maybe working on other real Beatles stuff, like the Star Club tapes would better serve us fans. Cheers for the video. P S. However. The new stereo mix of Love Me Do is great. All the best
Well, i liked the song before and now even more after watching the video for it. The video for this song is just a moment in history, plus i cried in front of my dog and he didn't have a clue what was happening lol ...
You made some good points Tudor. However, your theory that it's not a proper Beatles single doesn't hold water because then you could argue that Yesterday was not a proper Beatles single because only Paul is on it, or The Ballad of John & Yoko because only John and Paul are on it. Whilst its not in the same league as these classic Beatles singles, any Beatles release is an exciting event for us fans. I think it's good, but I would have liked it to go on a minute or so longer with a haunting string and piano coda. It's a bit too "safe" for a Beatles song. 7.5/10 for me.
All of those solo tunes the band created (Yesterday, Julia etc) where the other band members where not involded, still fell under the umbrella of the working Beatles band. At least for me anyway. Those songs would be released on offical Beatle albums but were always recognised as solo efforts. I just can't see how Now and Then fits into that equation. So because of that, my understanding is that John wrote it whilst not being a Beatle, it makes it less of a Beatle song for me. Otherwise, everything they ever wrote post Beatles, where perhaps the others contributed to the songs, could be deemed as Beatles songs too.
The song is obviously not going to ignite the imagination like peak era Beatles, and the song is typically languid as was Lennon's style a lot of the time then (in mid 1970's). However, after a few listens, I watched the 12 minute accompanying documentary, and seeing how much it meant to Ringo and McCartney, two men, regardless of whether you still look upon them as "Beatles", two men in their 80's having the chance to finish one last song, with their two mates, that clinched it for me. Not the song itself, not the production, the actual meaning behind the song, the history, the legacy, the full stop at the end of the last chapter. It's carries a gravitas.
It would have been released with the 95 ones if the technology then had allowed John's voice to be pulled out from the piano, tape hiss, print through and the birdsong that were on the tape. George, Ringo and Paul liked it by then. 'Now and Then' has been released as a double A side along with the first Beatles record.
Young enough that the first Beatles song I can remember is There's a Place.. .and we thought they were German! Their new music was exciting and uplifting, it just grabbed us shook us and threw us out. This doesn't do that but remember, Paul and Ringo are in their eighties and wouldn't produce work of 20 year olds. So, this is rather gorgeous but imo not representative of The Beatles.
I respect your opinion Tudor and can understand your point of view. I think really it was all they had so they had to make the best of it. You could say in your imagination that John said to the others that he really liked this song and wanted to do it then it would be a Beatles song. Hope you are doing well!
I wasn't moved at all by the "new" song. I do praise the production work, but of all three songs the surviving members worked on, "Now and Then" ranks third. Perhaps it's the fact that it's McCartney playing the guitar solo instead of Harrison (and then making sure everyone knows it), but beyond that, I think this reminds me of Lennon's quote about the "concept" idea of Sgt. Pepper when he said "it works, because we said it worked." So yeah, it's officially a new Beatles song, but if it had appeared on a latter day Beatles album, it would not have moved the masses.
Right back in 1995 I was questioning the need for the Anthology project. It seemed to be just a regurgitation if material. Free As a Bird I really liked, but I think it was the accompanying video with its visual storyline that sold the song for me. It might be interesting to see what visual treats the Apple team come up with for Now and Then, and if it then makes the song something else. Yeah: John's comment. We said it is so it is [paraphrasing] 👍
Appreciate your video and thoughts, but disagree. The way they put this together was the way the Beatles recorded music. Paul and Ringo both said "it was like having John in the other room." Only thing is George and John didn't have any say in the final version...obviously. And that may very well have been true for a few other Beatles songs they made (where one may have had more input especially during the White Album). Lets look at "Why Don't We Do It in the Road. That is almost entirely Paul McCartney with Ringo later adding drums and hand claps. John and George had nothing to do with it because they were overdubbing Piggies and Glass Onion in another room. So, technically, Now and Then is more a Beatles song than Do it in the Road. But no one says Do it in the Road is not a Beatles song. A few others don't include all four either. My one concern is maybe not a lot of George on it but guessing someone will eventually deconstruct the song to prove who did what. But they did the best they could with what they had. Now, I am not saying that Now and Then is a masterpiece, but it is a good song and remarkable how they put it together over a period of 46 years especially having what little they had, and in poor quality, to work with. If anything, they are once again pioneers in that it will open the door for other artists/bands to do the same and give their fans one last glimmer of joy. If anything, Now and Then is an appropriately named song to wrap up an incredible catalog and give them one last bow for their fans. We still talk about them like they are all still here in 2023. Pretty cool.
Yep I'll take that. You have made excellent points 👍 All of those solo efforts while being the Beatles, were released as Beatles material on their albums, while they were still a band. For me, this is more like a "what if we'd not split up" kind of thing. But yeah, a nice way to wrap it all up. A fine conclusion.
Good point. Had John included this song in any release prior to his death, he’d have considered it worthy of inclusion on an album. But for me the crux of the matter is that it was written/composed post-Beatles. So why call it a Beatle song? The lads contributed on each others albums throughout the 70s but none of those tunes were considered as Beatles song!
Hi Tudor, Love your thoughts on Now and Then. You asked the question in your video: are there still REAL Beatles songs (I mean made before 1970) that were never released? Lost gems? The answer to your question is a website and a TH-cam Channel I highly recommend you checking out: the Almost Beatles Songs project. This is a group of musicians who unearthed songs hidden in the Nagra cassettes which were used in part for the documentary Get Back by Peter Jackson or elsewhere. Among these songs we find Watching Rainbows which is very good. They remake the songs tastefully and the way they perform the songs is very professional and respectful. The same goes for their videos. Some discoveries are absolutely astonishing. I never miss a new video on their TH-cam Channel. Enjoy ! Cheers
I think I'd only seen one video from that channel (Almost Beatles Songs) but because I presumed it was all about AI, I more or less ignored it. Maybe I'll take a second look.
Like your thoughtfulness Tudor and the way you don't swallow the hype. I have to say I think Peter Jackson's video has rescued a rather tedious song. They work together so well. The sum of the parts are greater than the whole, or somesuch :)
Respect you greatly Tudor… but can’t agree with you on this …. The sentiments from Paul and Ringo is to make it a Beatles song …..interesting to see your thoughts after the video tomorrow….
No probs. It’s cool to disagree. I reckon you’re right about a video for the song. Visually it could pull it all together into a sweet package. The Free As A Bird video did it for me.
It's an amazing song for what they are able to work with. You cannot compare it to songs they are able to complete (All together of them). Comparing it is ignorant because it will never be the same. It is a Beatles song because all of them worked on it but not the same fashion the way they did it before. It's an "A-" Beatle song for me, the melody, the lyrics (or lack there of), the story behind it and the re arrangement. But having said that, I agree with you that it is predominantly a John song. But you can also say that on Eleanor Rigby right? It's predominantly Paul, and only George and John providing backing vocals. That's it, yet we dont have an issue with it being called a "Beatles song".
Absolutely. As the Beatles, there are many many examples where collaboration between all four was minimal. We know so many tunes where only one member of the Beatles was involved, where only two were involved and also where only 3 were involved. For me though, they were still a band, and those solo efforts were included on an album release, while they were a band. But Now and Then has it's moments and it is commendable that the others were able to contribute to it.
Welcome back. Thanks for your honesty. There is also not the beatlemania excitement that comes with the release like there was when I was a kid. At that time the world revolved around the beatles and now there isn't that buzz. I am and always will be a fan but this one is interesting but not a heart throb.
It's a funny thing...honesty. We all have a liberty to have an opinion about something and as usual it ruffles peoples feathers. But it is just that. I have - strangely - a bit of an obligation as a channel creator, to offer up my thoughts. Folk don't have to watch if they disagree or don't like my thoughts. But what I like is that it engages people and offers them an opportunity to share their thoguths too. The nature of the internet beast. But yeah, on the subject of the song, it's another amazing contribution for the fanbase. It just left me with questions.
Love your channel Tudor... when it was released I immediately wondered your opinions. I like the song but I prefer the original arrangement (they're missing an incredible section), pacing (they speeded it up)and chord choices (some lovely chords on the demo). But the melody is beautiful... For me the last Beatles tune is "The End".. or "Her Majesty" at a push... :D However... Wings... the band the Beatles could have been... :D
I don't think you are wrong, Tudor. A refreshing, and counter view to the reviews/reactions doing the rounds. I enjoyed the song, and the story behind the technology is fascinating. Is it a true Beatles song - perhaps no. But, the Fab Four in their own way are involved. I can live with that. Maybe you hit the nail on the head - a good gateway for newer/younger Beatles fans. Not a bad thing. I quite like the thought that it's about pioneering tech.....Jackson & Giles using new methods - like Martin and Lennon/McCartney for Sgt Peppers. Young Lennon harmonising with an older McCartney is pretty cool though
Perhaps that’s it - keeping the legacy going for the next generation, and in doing that, making the best use of modern technology that is available to them. Of course the Beatles throughout their own tenure tapped into whatever new technology they could get their hands on, in order to get their ideas into fruition.
Now and Then for me fits perfectly with Free As A Bird and Real Love. They share a similar feel from the same era. And I like to think of it as a moment in time when John, had he lived, might have been happy to reunite with the other Fabs. John would have offered up these three songs along with maybe Nobody Told Me and others from Milk and Honey to the Beatles. Paul would have had some Tug of War songs on the way and George likewise Somewhere In England tunes. And All Those Years Ago would have been Ringo’s vocal in its original form. Would all of that added up to an album as great as their 60’s work? Probably not but would I have loved for it have happened? You betcha!!!!
How good is the Now and Then video that accompanies the song, why didn't they release the song and it's video clip at the same time ? The Peter Jackson 12 minute video is pretty good as well, which was released prior to the songs release.
I didn't know the song had come out. I'm going to go listen to it now. Thanks for your thoughts on this. Very interesting. OK, I'm back after listening and seeing a short trailer on something about this that Disney is putting out about this new song. The Disney thing looks interesting and I would like to see that. As far as the song?......Meh...it's ok. I suppose it is exciting that they have all collaborated on this but .... I am with you on this. Doesn't move me. I love everything Beatles. They were part of my youth. I lived with them 24/7 for years and years. Obsessed would be the word there. hahahah. Yeah, I'm not sold on this one and I, like you, will not be listening to this again. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
I absolutely LOVE this song!! You must watch it with the video for the full context - th-cam.com/video/Opxhh9Oh3rg/w-d-xo.html - It's deepy touching and beautiful. Of course, this song was never going to be Hey Jude Part 2 or Strawberry Fields 2. It is exactly what it is supposed to be - a wistful and appropriate farewell to the greatest band ever. I am disappointed that you did not do a video on the new "Now & Then" video. As for George's quote, he was commenting on the fact that back then, in 1993, there was not the technology available to separate John's voice from the piano, which he said sounded like crap. I am really disappointed by strange and angry responses to this song by so-called Beatles fans (not you) whose spoiled and angry comments about this song reeks of some weird entitlement. I just don't get it. Two of the Beatles are dead, the surviving two Beatles are in their 1980s, so to get a "new" or any Beatles song at this late stage is quite remarkable and a beautiful gift. The more I listen to it, the more I absolutely love it. I understand that some people's reaction were unrealistically high, which may have lowered their tolerance for anything that wasn't worthy to be on Sgt. Pepper. The angry reaction to the song among even hardcore Beatles fans proves that the Beatles were 100% correct in not getting back together when John and George were still alive - they knew they reaction to their new material back then then would have been just as negative as the reaction to "Now and Then" in 2023. I respectfully suggest you re-watch the song with the video a few times - you might be suprised how your opinion changes! Having said all that, I am a huge fan of your videos and channel and I wish you a very happy holiday season from across the pond! And please, keep your amazing videos coming!
Hi. Yeah I was a little hasty wasn’t I? I did subsequently watch the video once it was released and it did change my perspective. I saw the song in context. I think my little “Short” video was my retraction 👍
Paul co wrote the chorus because there were "bits" missing, so it's a Lennon/McCartney written track, so by that alone it should be a Beatles song, I see the point your making but by that logic blackbird and yesterday are Paul McCartney songs not Beatles songs, while my guitar gently weeps is a Harrison song featuring McCartney, Lennon, starr and Clapton, so is this a Beatles song or a Harrison song???
I did love Now and Then, particularly seeing John being mischievous was nostalgic but I was a bit put off by Ringo, who isn’t the greatest singer & his flashy tracksuit or whatever he was wearing. That’s why it’s not really a Beatles song but I did like the comedy bits with John.
Sounds very ELO’ish. I believe John Lennon quoted in the 70’s that if the Beatles were still together they’d sound like ELO. Has Jeff Lynne’s anthology work got some influence on this? A well put together song anyway. A project well done. Time will tell whether it will fizz away or leave an impression. Would make a good Bonus track for the ‘Imagine’ album.!
I respect your view, Tudor, although I find your sentiments to be slightly curmudgeonly. It's a good song in my view (and a superb production, as you say) without being a great song. As someone who first heard a Beatles record in 1963 as a young lad, I find it both exciting and poignant to hear them all together on a 'new' song in 2023. By the way, who gets song writing credits for it?
I'm not sure if McCartney gets to put his name on this one. Curmudgeonly....I like that. I was getting on my high horse and it's easy to become less objective. Sorry if I ruffled feathers 👍
like yourself i was born in the 60's and remember my dad playing their records. i like the song for what the demo was and how its turned out they did brilliant, i really do hope it's the last (new) song released. 7 out of ten for me and for the likes of me and you with Beatles fans our age know that this, free as a bird & real love weren't written for the Beatles but for john himself to work on later if he liked them at a later date (in fact real love was first released in 1988 on the imagine soundtrack half Beatle john and half solo john) so that wasn't really new to Lennon fans. It should have been released for me as was intended a bit of fun for the anthology that's what these songs are to me. We are never going to get a modern she loves you or similar coz Lennon at 37 doesn't think like the 22 year old Lennon. But for what it was they did great.
I understand your criticism but these are the same dynamics already experienced 30yrs ago with Real love and Free as bird. And they are now part of the canon - as well as history. So, nothing new here. But still, if you think about the original Beatles works between 1966 and 1968 - especially White Album - those were all individual songs recorded without necessarily all of them. Can we say Eleanor Rigby isn't a Beatles song? And even if John participated in the lyrics, the same happened with those last three songs, where some changes and choices have been done with lyrics and arrangements by the other three. Speaking of NAT specifically, I probably would emphasize the solo part more, with a more prominent guitar solo or a change of direction, just because the song itself is very horizontal - as typical of John's songs. I actually listened to the original demo and there is a part they removed which is not too bad, actually very interesting and "modern." If Paul's voice was still in good shape he would have probably done something with that...
Now and Then is a pretty good song, but Paul left out the whole bridge ("I don't wanna lost you, oh no..."). It's the only part that really lifts the song towards something climactic. So I'm off now to find the fan made version from years ago...
I love the Beatles, I always have and always will from when I first heard them as a 4 year old in 1964. I have every Album and I listen to at least one Beatles song every day. Unfortunately this song won’t be one of them, I can see why John left it as a demo. George was correct and if he was still alive it wouldn’t have been recorded. If one disagreed then it wasn’t done…..3/10 for me Tudor.
I agree with you on this. As a UK child born in the very early 1960s, I must say I was a little apprehensive this release was going to be a bit substandard just as when in 2022 I saw Paul McCartney struggling to reach the high notes in the live BBC programme from Glastonbury concert. Both were, unfortunately but then I was also disappointed with John Lennon's 'Double Fantasy' when I heard it in 1980. George,Ringo,John and Paul set such a high standard that anything less would be underwhelming . As a devoted fan, I wish Paul and Ringo would preserve their and The Beatles legacies and bow out gracefully completely . I believe John and especially George would agree if they were still with us.
I remember seeing an interview once with Paul where he was asked if he’d ever consider retiring but his response if I remember correctly was that he wouldn’t because all he’s ever known is music and it was something he could continue to pursue. But as you say, there could be something in leaving the legacy intact.
Oh look, it’s a good record, it’s very well made, and I like the fact that Macca added some extra music to it. But it’s not a great Beatles record. It’s a slightly maudlin late Lennon song. I like it a lot, and in the context of a ‘last Beatles song’ - it’s very touching. George Harrison’s contribution is very slight, and he made it clear that he didn’t like the song. Ah, what do I know, it’s a new Beatles song FFS! (Paraphrasing Paul McCartney) Anyway, I think that really is it. The End. The Beatles split 2 years before I was born, but they’ve been a massive part of my life. Must admit, Free As A Bird was a big thing for me - at least I could see a Beatles release during my lifetime!
I gues the song got the treatment on any of Johns song in the Beatles era. That is they got rewamped to something else and in many cases to something better. Come Together was intended to be a Chuck Berry kind of song, which Paul turned in to a slower but heavier classic. John and Paul stopped to cowrite things in later years, so I guess they rewamped the songs as I guess they got different eaars and ideas of anything they heard the first time. In my ears, the song is OK, it turned out hafter production nice, but in my ears it sound as much Jeff Lynnes ELO as BEatles. One thing more, I would liked the idea of releasing an unrecorded song bt George along as there were songs on Abbey Road where John was not involved in recorning, like Maxwell due John refused to work on it and due his car accident like the famed medleys some songs. Perhaps a an acoustic song by Paul, like the Balckbird. One song, is not enough.
I don't understand this point of view. All 4 Beatles are on the track. That fundamentally means it's a Beatles song. Yes it would have been a great bonus if they would have collaborated on it. But collaboration doesn't equate to defining who performed the track. The people who are on the track does.
Could that be said of all the solo projects that they working on together in the 70s? Ringo and George on John's albums? No Paul, but is it the Beatles? No....it's John and the plastic ono band (with a little help from his friends). Now and Then as with Real Love and Free As A bird, is a combination of all four of them performing on the song. Kinda makes it Beatlesque to me, but I don't feel it fits the category of a Beatles track. I shall agree to disagree! 🙏
It was Yoko’s idea to do this. You may be over thinking it. The 3 Beatles had no problem with this and all Paul & Ringo did was to finish it off. Hey, maybe they shouldn’t have done “Love” either. Which was George’s creation. As you said one for all. All the Beatles and Yoko signed off, and now the families on this arrival. It’s still the Beatles. (cause no other people in the world could have made this song from an old tape)
Yeah probably overthinking it - or not thinking enough before putting comment to video 🤷🏻♂️ I loved the Love production. But for me that was the Beatles but just with a different production spin. Now and Then doesn’t feel like a Beatles song to me that’s all 👍
PS. I guess the Ballad of John and Yoko is NOT a Beatle song. Neither Ringo or George plan on it. So I guess that’s NOT a Beatle song either. I’m being tongue in cheek of course. But I see and respect your point. As the two deceased have no say.
Having heard the demo I was pleasantly surprised. But like you, socks not blown off. It's good, even very good. I'd give it 7 out of 10. I don't really object to the methodology as much as you Tudor ie overdubbing John's vocal track. Hasn't that been their way of working since the White Album, more or less?
Thank you for mentioning Steely Dan - and reminding me of them, spent the after-noon with The Fez, Hey Ninteen, Only a fool could say that and Rikki don't lose that number, topped it with Donald Fagan New Frontier and The goodbye look, such a tremendous boost. I would like to recommend a Swedish group, if I may? Listen to th-cam.com/video/rV9uCmlMQ1c/w-d-xo.html I am convinced that being a musician and a music lover, this must be to your liking? There is much more on u-tube from Dirty Loops, breathtakingly talented, all three of them. Best wishes and please keep up the good work! Lena
This is not a Beatles song it's a Paul's try on it. Totally agree with you. I loved the John's Demo , this song should have gone in another direction and Paul would be the last person choosen by John to do it. To me there is versions of this Demo done by some people in YT, that I really liked more than this shinny, perfect Paul version.
I think that the song is fit for purpose, as a soundtrack to mark the final fading out of the Fab Four, what with Paul now in his 80s. Is it really a Beatles song? Absolutely yes! The Beatles are a brand (as well as a band!) Any song released under the band brand is a Beatles song, no matter how it was put together. Just look at other band brands like Pink Floyd. As to the subjective question regarding how good or bad the song is, it definitely should not be compared to the greatest hits of the Beatles. It certainly isn't Yesterday or Let it Be. It should however be compared to the hit music of today, like Taylor Swift or whoever, but I haven't seen any reaction channel compare it with today's music. For me, it is a good song. I was a little underwhelmed at first, but it has grown on me and now has that classic feel where I can't remember not having heard it! It still isn't up there with their greatest work, but I personally rate it at least as high as any current offering from the musical performers of today.
@@TudorSmith Yes, I will probably listen to it now and then! BTW, it got me thinking about the whole Lennon shooting thing again, in the light of recent world events (e.g., war in Ukraine) and also having now heard Eisenhower's historic farewell speech, in which he warns of the dangers of the US military industrial complex. At the risk of sounding like a "conspiracy theorist", it just seems to me way too "convenient" that the most famous anti-war activist of his time (Lennon) ended up being shot and killed by a crazy obsessed fan of his music. A couple of things about the Mark Chapman story don't really add up. Why is he still in prison, 42 years later? Why did he make no attempt to get away when he shot Lennon? He just sat there on the steps of the Dakota, reading "The Catcher in the Rye", waiting for the police to come! I can't verify the truth of this, but some sources claim that the pattern of bullet wounds on Lennon were more indicative of a professional hitman, rather than anything Chapman would be capable of. Also that Chapman had spent some time at some sort of World Vision camp, with connections to the CIA, alongside John Hinckley Jr. So, I really don't know what happened, but here is a possible scenario: while at the camp, Chapman was identified as a no-hoper of weak mind and brainwashed into going after Lennon, which he did. Chapman probably thinks that he shot Lennon, but maybe they sent a hitman to follow him and the hitman actually made the hit on Lennon. Chapman's role would have been to simply take the blame, so that it could be written off as the work of a crazy obsessed Beatles fan. If they keep him in prison, they can control what he says and who he talks to, in case he starts to recall any details from the camp. Pure speculation on my part, but something smells off about the official narrative. It sounds a bit too "hung like Epstein!", if you see what I mean?
I agree. It's not my place to disagree with the family or the two remaing Beatles. It's their choice to say it's a Beatles song. My opinions are my own thoughts. I could keep them to myself, but I offer them up to my community for discussion.
@@TudorSmith Yes, but I don't think it's relevant. We can discuss the music, the track, but not if it's The Beatles. Is Why don't we do it in the road, Inner light, Within you Without you, The Ballad of J & Y, Yesterday and more, The Beatles? Yes it is, because they say so. This is not the first time they record like this. Three of them started this. Now George is gone, but he participated in 1995. I don't see any problem with that. Sometimes you need to put the emotions aside and be a little .ore practical, a little more rationel. Paul was the musical backbone, the musical engine in The Beatles. Both Ringo and John has talked about this (but of course not that negative George), Thanks to Paul we have a lot of Beatles music and now thanks to him we've got a final Beatle song. All Beatles fans should be grateful to Paul and thank him. Not question him. And everyone who say this is not The Beatles, well don't listen to it then! Sorry for my bad english.
problem is now...your opinion has changed after seeing a video, which you re entitled to do by the way !, but George Martin forseeing music on the MTV generation, he said that "in the future, people will listen with their eyes, not with their ears"...and youve done exactly that, can a song or tune be merited because the video to it is great ?
You make a valid point. Visually, the song is brought to life for me because it provides context. Without the video the song is still a bit middle-of-the-road for my tastes. So I'm torn between the moving collage of Beatles clips that refreshes by love of the band, and the average-sized song that goes with it!
Tudor, I'm with you. I heard it the day it was released andmy immediate reaction was, "Eh, it's ok, but I'm not feeling it as a Beatles song." It's more something off side 2 of a John Lennon album. I listened to it again a few days later and I haven't changed my mind. It's just okay. That's about it.
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There are songs like 'Yesterday' was only Paul but was on a Beatles ' album & considered a Beatles song. Just a thought.
I love 'Now & Then' !
I suppose if I have an argument, it would be that any "solo" song or perfomance in the 60s was when they were a complete unit. But you're right. Even with modern technology, Now and Then is a complete collaboration between the four of them!
I wasn't sure at first but it's a grower. Having now listened to it a few times I think it's very good.
It’s not at all bad really. Perhaps I need to give it time to grow on me. Strangely, it sounded dated to me.
It makes millions happy. It makes millions cry. After a few hours it's #1 'trending in music' on youtube.
It’s a grower and as you’ve observed with the video, it brings a whole different dimension to it. The arrangement is superb. We mustn’t compare it to a day in the life or strawberry fields. It’s 2023 and I’m glad we have it. It’s great for what it is and I find it touching and moving.
I was disappointed that Paul omitted the "I don't want to lose you" chorus.
I’m pretty upset at that too. It really was a great way to transition the song to the rest of the chorus. But now without it, it sounds unfinished.
That lyric wasn't finished. Didn't need it. Paul did a great job.
I was kind of expecting that part to be turned into a bridge, honestly.
It wasn’t finished or good enough to include….John certainly wouldn’t have wanted it included as it was.
Obviously Paul left that out cause it probably refers to Yoko whereas John's last words to Paul were "Think of me , now and then , old friend" and marked on the cassette was ' for Paul ' ! 🤡
I am a massive Beatles fan and I totally agree with you
Oh Tudor, it’s a grower…..first listen I wasn’t sure…..but now I love it. Let’s face it, it’s a John Lennon track with the others playing on it….like other songs from the late 60s.
To me all 3 Threetle Sesson produce Beatles sobs with an asterisk! Great thoughts Tudor! ❤❤❤😊
Sobs with an astersik. Is that an American terminology? I've not heard that before Michael 😂
Tudor: Hi. Born on this day(December 9) in 1944 the late, great Neil Innes. Love The Rutles and "Death Cab For Cutie" from "Magical Mystery Tour". Cheers!🥨
This day? Amazing. Yes Neil should have himself been declared a national treasure!
To be honest, I think it's immaterial whether or not it's a good song. I was 7 when "Love Me Do" came out. I'm now 68 and witnessing possibly the last ever Beatles recording. What a privilege and what an event! How lucky that the technology to produce this exists while we still have Paul and Ringo.
Listened to this dozens of times on my hi res headphones and there's loads of little things you can hear that you don't seem to hear on normal speakers, the song is very quiet and under produced. The bit in the song that got me is around the 3 minute mark when the harmonies from Because kick in, it's beautiful. I'm sure there's a bit Eleanor Rigby in there also with the strings. I love the song and either way it's great to be talking about a 'new' Beatles song in 2023, who'd have thought it.
I have been living under a rock lately and my first notice of the existence of the new song was your thoughts video. I went to listen to the song and also a background video before coming back to you. Yeah... I found it 'beatlish' enough and very well produced... But safely on middle ground and sort of a bit mehh... But there are lots of other Beatles songs that I find a bit mehh too, so I can live with that.
Thank you Peter Jackson for the beautiful resuscitation work. Technology at its best and finest. And thank you Beatles family for bringing this project to its conclusion with the blessings of all. And thank you, Tudor, for bringing it to my attention.
I can live with it too. 👍
This song could have been a great fit on John's "Mind Games" album; to me, "Now and Then" is not a Beatles song.
It must have been great fun for Paul to work on it, to make a fragment of a song into a real song. A bit like what he did back in 1967 with "A day in the life", which also was just a fragment of a song when John brought it to the studio. I too wasn't really that moved by the song, but I was really moved by the video that was released the next day.
At last someone said it, I feel the same way. Great song production but it also didn't move me like free as a bird.
I’m with George Harrison on this one. He didn’t want to continue working on it as he felt it was - erm - f*@king awful 🤣
Hi Tudor, welcome back.If everyones opinion was the same, it would be a boring world. I loved the track, i,ve listened to it many times. Along with the video. I,ve loved the beatles for many years, for me it was well worth the wait. Look forward to your new videos, all the best, Kev chatterley.
Cheers Kev. My opinion is changing. I’m glad I got to watch the video
I loved beatles a lot when I was a young girl and also now I love to listen beatles'music
It was fantastic the way they were able to accomplish such a feat of getting that old demo to upgrade into something like this. I know a top complaint is that it sounds too Paul like but let's be real here it had his name on the demo cassette "For Paul" so by that idea it should be fine lol
Yeah, maybe John had a plan. He would create, as he had done in the past, an idea. And then give it to Paul for him to add his own elements to the song. Think "A Day In The Life". Two distinct tunes that work so well together as one song.
So was the PostIt reference of "For Paul" suggestion John had written it with Paul in mind as the subject of the song, or for Paul to add his own contributions. I guess we'll never know.
Bullseye. I also don't regard it as a true Beatles track. It's a kinda Frankenstein thing. John wasn't recording his rough demo as a Beatles song. And if he were still alive, would he have agreed to its release as a Beatles song? If the Beatles had this in 1967, would it have been on any album? It's really just a scrap from the cutting room floor, resurrected with some hamburger helper. That said, the work done by all concerned is magnificent.
100% agree with you. Is not a matter of production, or hype, is a matter of the song itself, sounds like a Beatles song but didn't hook me, it didn't made me play it again over and over, like I do with Tomorrow Never Knows or many many others.
I suppose like any song in the universe, the meaning and love attributed to a song depends on the listeners situation at the time, and how the song might "speak to them". Having a song thrust upon them is probably going to have less of a dynamic effect.
Each to their own, but I love it.
It’s growing in me 👍
@@TudorSmith As Beatles fans I think we have to cut them some slack when it comes to new songs.....two of them are dead and the other two are octogenarians.
I think there is a chance the Beatles might have got back in the studio for their 20th anniversary in the 1980s and John would have come along with a few new songs...."Free as a bird"...."Real Love" and "Now and Then".
Sot on I think exactly the same I totally agree with you.
The Beatles are the group for me, it's my age group. The fab four have a large repertoire, they don't need any tinkering decades later. All I know is that when I am at my computer, I often start singing a Beatles song not even be conscious of what I am doing.
We are entitled to like or dislike what we choose. Yes I can sing I want to hold your hand or I love you, but I like the later stuff better.
The song is beautiful, a grower, John wrote Street of Dreams in 1980, and a lot more demos....
My only criticism about this song is the fact that the most touching, sentimental and beautiful part was cut off: "I don't wanna lose you, oh no, no, no..."
Otherwise, it's fine. I liked it.😊
I need to go listen to an original cassette version if I can find it and have another listen.
I like it a lot, and found my first listen quite emotional, but I'm a Beatles fanatic. I know what you mean about it sounding like a Lennon song with session musicians who happen to be Beatles though. It sounds far more Lennon-focused than Free as a Bird and Real Love were.
Facts about The Beatles
Beatles pioneered use large stadium , first ever perform live on Television, They invented Loops in recording studio, back masking and automatic double tracking and now first ever use AI technology
Now and Then is like a track on the White Album. Each member of the band doing their own songs with the others as a back up band.
Yes it does have that vibe doesn’t it?
We all know the last Beatles song is actually "The End" off Abbey Road. I agree with your thoughts as well. I feel like I want to like it much more than I do, as a lifelong Beatles fan. But no, it's what it is.....a Paul McCartney production utilizing scraps from John & George. I dislike the slide guitar played by Paul "in the style of George" as well. Does anyone know if Jeff Lynne was involved in "Now and Then"? I feel he could have made it more listenable.
Yes! The End.
I'm not sure if Jeff Lynne had any input on the new production but Paul McCartney did say in that interview way back, that he and Jeff might finish it one day.
It sounds like something ELO would have done
Steely Dan! So, so good! Do it again🎶🎶🎶
You can’t beat the Fagen/Becker combination ❤️
@@TudorSmith oops, thought it was Fagan - at least, I didn’t spell it Fagin…
@@TudorSmithI sent you a pm on Messenger.
I think its a grower Tudor. You make some very interesting points. And lastly, I'm absolutely with you on Martha my dear. That song does more for me than some of the more recognised tracks.
I actually can't waitto see what video is released for Now and Then. It maywell make me change my mind if I see a visual interpretation to the song! Martha My Dear. Such an uplifting song!
It didn't move me either and that video was a travesty!
I liked the song, and I thought middle eight with Paul's slide guitar with the orchestra was absolutely brilliant.
I'm also inclined to agree with you that I doubt that any of George's guitar from the 90s is actually included in the final version.
I was wondering that too.
For me Now and Then is not a good song, it was a musical idea John got down on cassette and maybe he intended to come back to it as he revamped his musical career, who knows.
I certainly don't consider it a Beatles tune but then i had the same view for Free As a Bird and Real Love. Those 2 songs i thought, back in the 90's, were gimmicks used to promote the Anthology.
Well done to the people involved in creating this tune with today's technology, it's amazing how far the technology has advanced since this tune was first attempted back in the 90's by the Threetles. Does that mean Now and Then is really a Twotles release.
I guess with John, Paul and Ringo it's Threetles. Twotles sounds like something from Peter Pan's lost boys 🤣
John told Paul and Ringo that he was leaving the Beatles in a meeting in September 1969. George, Paul, and Ringo recorded I Me Mine in January 1970. I Me Mine is a Beatles song, and so was Free as a Bird, Real Love, and Now and Then.
I love it. I agree it won't be regarded as the best of classic Beatles yet it sounds very Beatley. It is hauntingly beautiful and designed as a trailer for the red and blue album reissues. No doubt the video will be great and enhance its overall package. If I had to critique it I would say it did not need Paul to sing behind what is essentially a John song and a John style song. I would have kept George solo as George soloing, not Paul. The Giles Martin string phrase at the end of the song is so characteristically Beatley that I would have had it as a recurrent phrase to begin the chorus after John's haunting minor key phrase sung at the end of the verse. By the way my wife loves your soft spoken voice.😁
Melodically it is sweet and haunting. I wasn’t sure the slide solo sounded much like George but the “nod” was there at least. I reckon you’re right about a video. Something visual will definitely enhance the interest 👍
Yes! keep those P&P videos coming 🙂. Just listen to the song and i admit i liked it but i didn't sense any euphoria, give it 7.5 out of 10. Born in late 50s i recall hearing She loves you on the radio and trying to mimic it on the playground. I like their more melancholic ballads like Michelle and While my guitar gently weeps. That's all from the Swedish jury.
The Swedish jury. I like that 🤣
My first listen was on an iPhone and the sound mix sounded terrible. Just listened on good headphones and it sounded great, acoustic guitars (George?) piano, vocals even hi-hat clear! Had hoped to hear Paul sing solo on a bridge somewhere. Agree with a previous comment: not all the Beatles played on all songs post Sgt Pepper! Truth is I’m properly too embedded in the Beatles to be objective.
If you haven’t yet, see the video on YT. Shows both George and Paul on acoustic guitars. It’s actually quite moving.
Totally agree Tudor - just seen it.
Strange that the cassette this song was taken from had a post it attached with "For Paul" written on it in John's handwriting. There was a newspaper article in 1979 or 80 about how the Beatles were going to tell their story and it was to be released as a movie, " this is where all John's audio for Anthology comes from".. The movie which was to be called "The Long And Winding Road" would feature the reformed Beatles playing new music together for the first time in 10 years... After Lennon was murdered it all was shelved for 15 years and renamed The Beatles Anthology. I can't help but wonder if These demo's were always intended to be Johns contribution to the original project.....
I reckon you're on to something.
I'm with you on this. The production quality is amazing, but it doesn't cut it as a good Beatles song. Frankly, I didn't care for the other "new Beatles songs" from the 90's, either - I felt they were overproduced. Besides, who knows if Lennon would have even wanted to move forward with this tune. I don't feel it was very well written, either. Probably because John wasn't done with it, yet.
From the years of footage we have of John, I wonder (but couldn’t possibly confirm) if he would have offered up the song himself.
It's more or less a coda, if you will, to a storied career. Was it necessary? No. They have nothing else to prove to us. We didn't need this song, but I'm glad we have it. They needed it. It was their way of thanking us one last time.
A coda. Nicely put. I suppose at the end of the day, it is still them (albeit two remaing Beatles) still working and offering up their art to those who appreciate it.
I feel from the first hearing that there will be a new Beatles release, that the whole is tribute to the Beatles as a group and specially tribute to John and George who have not been with us, for years. Tribute is from Paul and Ringo, the survivors. They chose a song, done by John as a demo and make a marvelous production both audio and video. On the other hand I see it as farewell from all of them to the World, to us all. They thank us for beeing their admireres for years and will be on. I do not expect that there will be other Beatles releases (from any other demo material). This is a gesture from the living members, supported obviosly from the family of John and George, and therefore it is released as the Beatles very last song.
Well said 🙏
Hi Tudor
Hope all is well.
I listened to the song & am not thrilled with it
It doesn't sound like a Beatles song even though the 4 of them are on it in some capacity.
To me it sounds like John from the Double Fantasy LP & Recordings he was doing at the time
I was somewhat disappointed in this song when listening to it.
Like you I won't be playing it too often.
I think your over thinking I loved knowl park Always a treat
I was 🤣 the video for Now and Then brought me back down off my high horse lol
@@TudorSmith where is that fucking tree. Really enjoy stuff
I agree, the 'last Beatle record' tag isn't wise incase something else is discovered
Who knows right? There could be other tunes lurking in the closet!
well for me it’s a Beatles song, and I’m sure John and George likes it too.
Hi Tudor. I think the major problem with this song is the hype. It's been ramped up for the last few months. So by the time today came around, we were expecting Help, Strawberry Fields, In My Life etc etc. And it was never going to be so. It was always going to be an interpretation of a Lennon idea. Without Lennon as the foreman giving instruction and sharing his vision, it is always going to fall short.
You can't fault the work that's gone into it. It's top notch. But it can't be what we all want it to be. The Dream Is Over, sadly.
Maybe working on other real Beatles stuff, like the Star Club tapes would better serve us fans.
Cheers for the video.
P S. However. The new stereo mix of Love Me Do is great.
All the best
Agreed, not really THAT different to the original demo. It did not fall as flat as 'Real love' or 'Free as a Bird'.
Listened a few times Johns voice still clear and they made it upbeat
Well, i liked the song before and now even more after watching the video for it. The video for this song is just a moment in history, plus i cried in front of my dog and he didn't have a clue what was happening lol ...
I was welling up. My cat was non-plussed 🤣
You made some good points Tudor. However, your theory that it's not a proper Beatles single doesn't hold water because then you could argue that Yesterday was not a proper Beatles single because only Paul is on it, or The Ballad of John & Yoko because only John and Paul are on it. Whilst its not in the same league as these classic Beatles singles, any Beatles release is an exciting event for us fans. I think it's good, but I would have liked it to go on a minute or so longer with a haunting string and piano coda. It's a bit too "safe" for a Beatles song. 7.5/10 for me.
All of those solo tunes the band created (Yesterday, Julia etc) where the other band members where not involded, still fell under the umbrella of the working Beatles band. At least for me anyway. Those songs would be released on offical Beatle albums but were always recognised as solo efforts. I just can't see how Now and Then fits into that equation. So because of that, my understanding is that John wrote it whilst not being a Beatle, it makes it less of a Beatle song for me. Otherwise, everything they ever wrote post Beatles, where perhaps the others contributed to the songs, could be deemed as Beatles songs too.
The song is obviously not going to ignite the imagination like peak era Beatles, and the song is typically languid as was Lennon's style a lot of the time then (in mid 1970's). However, after a few listens, I watched the 12 minute accompanying documentary, and seeing how much it meant to Ringo and McCartney, two men, regardless of whether you still look upon them as "Beatles", two men in their 80's having the chance to finish one last song, with their two mates, that clinched it for me. Not the song itself, not the production, the actual meaning behind the song, the history, the legacy, the full stop at the end of the last chapter. It's carries a gravitas.
It certainly does carry gravitas 🙏
Hi Tudor
Hope all is well.
Just being reported in the last 20 minutes or so.
Denny Laine Passed Away at age 79.
RIP. God Bless
Oh no. What a loss. His contribution to Wings was integral. Sad loss
@TudorSmith Yes it is a Loss.
Sir Paul posted a very nice tribute on Facebook in the last 45 minutes or so.
It would have been released with the 95 ones if the technology then had allowed John's voice to be pulled out from the piano, tape hiss, print through and the birdsong that were on the tape. George, Ringo and Paul liked it by then. 'Now and Then' has been released as a double A side along with the first Beatles record.
Young enough that the first Beatles song I can remember is There's a Place.. .and we thought they were German! Their new music was exciting and uplifting, it just grabbed us shook us and threw us out. This doesn't do that but remember, Paul and Ringo are in their eighties and wouldn't produce work of 20 year olds. So, this is rather gorgeous but imo not representative of The Beatles.
I respect your opinion Tudor and can understand your point of view. I think really it was all they had so they had to make the best of it. You could say in your imagination that John said to the others that he really liked this song and wanted to do it then it would be a Beatles song. Hope you are doing well!
Yeah I think McCartney had this on the back burner ever since the Anthology days.
Agreed, that part was nice to see, classic beatles, unfortunately not the song 😕
I wasn't moved at all by the "new" song. I do praise the production work, but of all three songs the surviving members worked on, "Now and Then" ranks third. Perhaps it's the fact that it's McCartney playing the guitar solo instead of Harrison (and then making sure everyone knows it), but beyond that, I think this reminds me of Lennon's quote about the "concept" idea of Sgt. Pepper when he said "it works, because we said it worked." So yeah, it's officially a new Beatles song, but if it had appeared on a latter day Beatles album, it would not have moved the masses.
Right back in 1995 I was questioning the need for the Anthology project. It seemed to be just a regurgitation if material. Free As a Bird I really liked, but I think it was the accompanying video with its visual storyline that sold the song for me. It might be interesting to see what visual treats the Apple team come up with for Now and Then, and if it then makes the song something else.
Yeah: John's comment. We said it is so it is [paraphrasing] 👍
Appreciate your video and thoughts, but disagree. The way they put this together was the way the Beatles recorded music. Paul and Ringo both said "it was like having John in the other room." Only thing is George and John didn't have any say in the final version...obviously. And that may very well have been true for a few other Beatles songs they made (where one may have had more input especially during the White Album).
Lets look at "Why Don't We Do It in the Road. That is almost entirely Paul McCartney with Ringo later adding drums and hand claps. John and George had nothing to do with it because they were overdubbing Piggies and Glass Onion in another room. So, technically, Now and Then is more a Beatles song than Do it in the Road. But no one says Do it in the Road is not a Beatles song. A few others don't include all four either. My one concern is maybe not a lot of George on it but guessing someone will eventually deconstruct the song to prove who did what. But they did the best they could with what they had.
Now, I am not saying that Now and Then is a masterpiece, but it is a good song and remarkable how they put it together over a period of 46 years especially having what little they had, and in poor quality, to work with. If anything, they are once again pioneers in that it will open the door for other artists/bands to do the same and give their fans one last glimmer of joy. If anything, Now and Then is an appropriately named song to wrap up an incredible catalog and give them one last bow for their fans. We still talk about them like they are all still here in 2023. Pretty cool.
Yep I'll take that. You have made excellent points 👍 All of those solo efforts while being the Beatles, were released as Beatles material on their albums, while they were still a band. For me, this is more like a "what if we'd not split up" kind of thing. But yeah, a nice way to wrap it all up. A fine conclusion.
John's vocals recorded on a cassette in 1978. If John thought it was any good, don't you think it would have been on Double Fantasy in 1980?
Good point. Had John included this song in any release prior to his death, he’d have considered it worthy of inclusion on an album. But for me the crux of the matter is that it was written/composed post-Beatles. So why call it a Beatle song? The lads contributed on each others albums throughout the 70s but none of those tunes were considered as Beatles song!
Nah, Yoko filled half of the album. There are other reasons not to record something yet, like not knowing what to do with it yet.
Hi Tudor,
Love your thoughts on Now and Then. You asked the question in your video: are there still REAL Beatles songs (I mean made before 1970) that were never released? Lost gems? The answer to your question is a website and a TH-cam Channel I highly recommend you checking out: the Almost Beatles Songs project. This is a group of musicians who unearthed songs hidden in the Nagra cassettes which were used in part for the documentary Get Back by Peter Jackson or elsewhere. Among these songs we find Watching Rainbows which is very good. They remake the songs tastefully and the way they perform the songs is very professional and respectful. The same goes for their videos. Some discoveries are absolutely astonishing. I never miss a new video on their TH-cam Channel. Enjoy !
Cheers
I think I'd only seen one video from that channel (Almost Beatles Songs) but because I presumed it was all about AI, I more or less ignored it. Maybe I'll take a second look.
@@TudorSmith…
Like your thoughtfulness Tudor and the way you don't swallow the hype. I have to say I think Peter Jackson's video has rescued a rather tedious song. They work together so well. The sum of the parts are greater than the whole, or somesuch :)
Yeah together they do make something special!
Respect you greatly Tudor… but can’t agree with you on this …. The sentiments from Paul and Ringo is to make it a Beatles song …..interesting to see your thoughts after the video tomorrow….
No probs. It’s cool to disagree. I reckon you’re right about a video for the song. Visually it could pull it all together into a sweet package. The Free As A Bird video did it for me.
It's an amazing song for what they are able to work with. You cannot compare it to songs they are able to complete (All together of them). Comparing it is ignorant because it will never be the same. It is a Beatles song because all of them worked on it but not the same fashion the way they did it before. It's an "A-" Beatle song for me, the melody, the lyrics (or lack there of), the story behind it and the re arrangement. But having said that, I agree with you that it is predominantly a John song. But you can also say that on Eleanor Rigby right? It's predominantly Paul, and only George and John providing backing vocals. That's it, yet we dont have an issue with it being called a "Beatles song".
Absolutely. As the Beatles, there are many many examples where collaboration between all four was minimal. We know so many tunes where only one member of the Beatles was involved, where only two were involved and also where only 3 were involved. For me though, they were still a band, and those solo efforts were included on an album release, while they were a band.
But Now and Then has it's moments and it is commendable that the others were able to contribute to it.
What do you think of real love and free as a bird?
Real Love didn’t move me, but I really liked Free As A Bird - but maybe the video helped a lot
@@TudorSmith let’s see tomorrow what now and then has to bring! Love your videos about the Beatles. Cheers!
Yeah a video could change my mind. The Free As A Bird video was fab for me.
Welcome back. Thanks for your honesty. There is also not the beatlemania excitement that comes with the release like there was when I was a kid. At that time the world revolved around the beatles and now there isn't that buzz. I am and always will be a fan but this one is interesting but not a heart throb.
It's a funny thing...honesty. We all have a liberty to have an opinion about something and as usual it ruffles peoples feathers. But it is just that. I have - strangely - a bit of an obligation as a channel creator, to offer up my thoughts. Folk don't have to watch if they disagree or don't like my thoughts. But what I like is that it engages people and offers them an opportunity to share their thoguths too. The nature of the internet beast.
But yeah, on the subject of the song, it's another amazing contribution for the fanbase. It just left me with questions.
Love your channel Tudor... when it was released I immediately wondered your opinions. I like the song but I prefer the original arrangement (they're missing an incredible section), pacing (they speeded it up)and chord choices (some lovely chords on the demo). But the melody is beautiful...
For me the last Beatles tune is "The End".. or "Her Majesty" at a push... :D
However... Wings... the band the Beatles could have been... :D
Love that last quote 🤣
I don't think you are wrong, Tudor. A refreshing, and counter view to the reviews/reactions doing the rounds. I enjoyed the song, and the story behind the technology is fascinating. Is it a true Beatles song - perhaps no. But, the Fab Four in their own way are involved. I can live with that. Maybe you hit the nail on the head - a good gateway for newer/younger Beatles fans. Not a bad thing. I quite like the thought that it's about pioneering tech.....Jackson & Giles using new methods - like Martin and Lennon/McCartney for Sgt Peppers. Young Lennon harmonising with an older McCartney is pretty cool though
Perhaps that’s it - keeping the legacy going for the next generation, and in doing that, making the best use of modern technology that is available to them. Of course the Beatles throughout their own tenure tapped into whatever new technology they could get their hands on, in order to get their ideas into fruition.
Now and Then for me fits perfectly with Free As A Bird and Real Love. They share a similar feel from the same era. And I like to think of it as a moment in time when John, had he lived, might have been happy to reunite with the other Fabs. John would have offered up these three songs along with maybe Nobody Told Me and others from Milk and Honey to the Beatles. Paul would have had some Tug of War songs on the way and George likewise Somewhere In England tunes. And All Those Years Ago would have been Ringo’s vocal in its original form. Would all of that added up to an album as great as their 60’s work? Probably not but would I have loved for it have happened? You betcha!!!!
That would have been a really intersting course/route for them to take - had they ever considered reuniting.
How good is the Now and Then video that accompanies the song, why didn't they release the song and it's video clip at the same time ?
The Peter Jackson 12 minute video is pretty good as well, which was released prior to the songs release.
It’s brilliant. Left me wanting more.
I didn't know the song had come out. I'm going to go listen to it now. Thanks for your thoughts on this. Very interesting.
OK, I'm back after listening and seeing a short trailer on something about this that Disney is putting out about this new song. The Disney thing looks interesting and I would like to see that.
As far as the song?......Meh...it's ok. I suppose it is exciting that they have all collaborated on this but .... I am with you on this. Doesn't move me. I love everything Beatles. They were part of my youth. I lived with them 24/7 for years and years. Obsessed would be the word there. hahahah. Yeah, I'm not sold on this one and I, like you, will not be listening to this again. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
The last LAST Beatles song could be Carnival Of Light.
I absolutely LOVE this song!! You must watch it with the video for the full context - th-cam.com/video/Opxhh9Oh3rg/w-d-xo.html - It's deepy touching and beautiful. Of course, this song was never going to be Hey Jude Part 2 or Strawberry Fields 2. It is exactly what it is supposed to be - a wistful and appropriate farewell to the greatest band ever. I am disappointed that you did not do a video on the new "Now & Then" video. As for George's quote, he was commenting on the fact that back then, in 1993, there was not the technology available to separate John's voice from the piano, which he said sounded like crap. I am really disappointed by strange and angry responses to this song by so-called Beatles fans (not you) whose spoiled and angry comments about this song reeks of some weird entitlement. I just don't get it. Two of the Beatles are dead, the surviving two Beatles are in their 1980s, so to get a "new" or any Beatles song at this late stage is quite remarkable and a beautiful gift. The more I listen to it, the more I absolutely love it. I understand that some people's reaction were unrealistically high, which may have lowered their tolerance for anything that wasn't worthy to be on Sgt. Pepper. The angry reaction to the song among even hardcore Beatles fans proves that the Beatles were 100% correct in not getting back together when John and George were still alive - they knew they reaction to their new material back then then would have been just as negative as the reaction to "Now and Then" in 2023. I respectfully suggest you re-watch the song with the video a few times - you might be suprised how your opinion changes! Having said all that, I am a huge fan of your videos and channel and I wish you a very happy holiday season from across the pond! And please, keep your amazing videos coming!
Hi. Yeah I was a little hasty wasn’t I? I did subsequently watch the video once it was released and it did change my perspective. I saw the song in context. I think my little “Short” video was my retraction 👍
Paul co wrote the chorus because there were "bits" missing, so it's a Lennon/McCartney written track, so by that alone it should be a Beatles song,
I see the point your making but by that logic blackbird and yesterday are Paul McCartney songs not Beatles songs, while my guitar gently weeps is a Harrison song featuring McCartney, Lennon, starr and Clapton, so is this a Beatles song or a Harrison song???
I did love Now and Then, particularly seeing John being mischievous was nostalgic but I was a bit put off by Ringo, who isn’t the greatest singer & his flashy tracksuit or whatever he was wearing. That’s why it’s not really a Beatles song but I did like the comedy bits with John.
Yes the video was an emotive nostalgia trip that helped us fall in love with them all over agin!
Sounds very ELO’ish. I believe John Lennon quoted in the 70’s that if the Beatles were still together they’d sound like ELO. Has Jeff Lynne’s anthology work got some influence on this? A well put together song anyway. A project well done. Time will tell whether it will fizz away or leave an impression. Would make a good Bonus track for the ‘Imagine’ album.!
He produced it
I respect your view, Tudor, although I find your sentiments to be slightly curmudgeonly. It's a good song in my view (and a superb production, as you say) without being a great song. As someone who first heard a Beatles record in 1963 as a young lad, I find it both exciting and poignant to hear them all together on a 'new' song in 2023. By the way, who gets song writing credits for it?
I'm not sure if McCartney gets to put his name on this one. Curmudgeonly....I like that. I was getting on my high horse and it's easy to become less objective. Sorry if I ruffled feathers 👍
like yourself i was born in the 60's and remember my dad playing their records. i like the song for what the demo was and how its turned out they did brilliant, i really do hope it's the last (new) song released. 7 out of ten for me and for the likes of me and you with Beatles fans our age know that this, free as a bird & real love weren't written for the Beatles but for john himself to work on later if he liked them at a later date (in fact real love was first released in 1988 on the imagine soundtrack half Beatle john and half solo john) so that wasn't really new to Lennon fans. It should have been released for me as was intended a bit of fun for the anthology that's what these songs are to me. We are never going to get a modern she loves you or similar coz Lennon at 37 doesn't think like the 22 year old Lennon. But for what it was they did great.
I understand your criticism but these are the same dynamics already experienced 30yrs ago with Real love and Free as bird. And they are now part of the canon - as well as history. So, nothing new here. But still, if you think about the original Beatles works between 1966 and 1968 - especially White Album - those were all individual songs recorded without necessarily all of them. Can we say Eleanor Rigby isn't a Beatles song? And even if John participated in the lyrics, the same happened with those last three songs, where some changes and choices have been done with lyrics and arrangements by the other three.
Speaking of NAT specifically, I probably would emphasize the solo part more, with a more prominent guitar solo or a change of direction, just because the song itself is very horizontal - as typical of John's songs. I actually listened to the original demo and there is a part they removed which is not too bad, actually very interesting and "modern." If Paul's voice was still in good shape he would have probably done something with that...
Excellent points 👍
Now and Then is a pretty good song, but Paul left out the whole bridge ("I don't wanna lost you, oh no..."). It's the only part that really lifts the song towards something climactic.
So I'm off now to find the fan made version from years ago...
Share a link with me if you find that version 👍
@@TudorSmith th-cam.com/video/_IZvZx0agrU/w-d-xo.html
It will win2 Grammies next year....
You’re probably right.
I love the Beatles, I always have and always will from when I first heard them as a 4 year old in 1964. I have every Album and I listen to at least one Beatles song every day. Unfortunately this song won’t be one of them, I can see why John left it as a demo. George was correct and if he was still alive it wouldn’t have been recorded. If one disagreed then it wasn’t done…..3/10 for me Tudor.
I agree with you on this. As a UK child born in the very early 1960s, I must say I was a little apprehensive this release was going to be a bit substandard just as when in 2022 I saw Paul McCartney struggling to reach the high notes in the live BBC programme from Glastonbury concert. Both were, unfortunately but then I was also disappointed with John Lennon's 'Double Fantasy' when I heard it in 1980. George,Ringo,John and Paul set such a high standard that anything less would be underwhelming . As a devoted fan, I wish Paul and Ringo would preserve their and The Beatles legacies and bow out gracefully completely . I believe John and especially George would agree if they were still with us.
I remember seeing an interview once with Paul where he was asked if he’d ever consider retiring but his response if I remember correctly was that he wouldn’t because all he’s ever known is music and it was something he could continue to pursue. But as you say, there could be something in leaving the legacy intact.
Oh look, it’s a good record, it’s very well made, and I like the fact that Macca added some extra music to it. But it’s not a great Beatles record. It’s a slightly maudlin late Lennon song. I like it a lot, and in the context of a ‘last Beatles song’ - it’s very touching. George Harrison’s contribution is very slight, and he made it clear that he didn’t like the song. Ah, what do I know, it’s a new Beatles song FFS! (Paraphrasing Paul McCartney) Anyway, I think that really is it. The End. The Beatles split 2 years before I was born, but they’ve been a massive part of my life. Must admit, Free As A Bird was a big thing for me - at least I could see a Beatles release during my lifetime!
I gues the song got the treatment on any of Johns song in the Beatles era. That is they got rewamped to something else and in many cases to something better. Come Together was intended to be a Chuck Berry kind of song, which Paul turned in to a slower but heavier classic. John and Paul stopped to cowrite things in later years, so I guess they rewamped the songs as I guess they got different eaars and ideas of anything they heard the first time. In my ears, the song is OK, it turned out hafter production nice, but in my ears it sound as much Jeff Lynnes ELO as BEatles. One thing more, I would liked the idea of releasing an unrecorded song bt George along as there were songs on Abbey Road where John was not involved in recorning, like Maxwell due John refused to work on it and due his car accident like the famed medleys some songs. Perhaps a an acoustic song by Paul, like the Balckbird. One song, is not enough.
I don't understand this point of view. All 4 Beatles are on the track. That fundamentally means it's a Beatles song. Yes it would have been a great bonus if they would have collaborated on it. But collaboration doesn't equate to defining who performed the track. The people who are on the track does.
Could that be said of all the solo projects that they working on together in the 70s? Ringo and George on John's albums? No Paul, but is it the Beatles? No....it's John and the plastic ono band (with a little help from his friends).
Now and Then as with Real Love and Free As A bird, is a combination of all four of them performing on the song. Kinda makes it Beatlesque to me, but I don't feel it fits the category of a Beatles track. I shall agree to disagree! 🙏
It was Yoko’s idea to do this. You may be over thinking it. The 3 Beatles had no problem with this and all Paul & Ringo did was to finish it off. Hey, maybe they shouldn’t have done “Love” either. Which was George’s creation. As you said one for all. All the Beatles and Yoko signed off, and now the families on this arrival. It’s still the Beatles. (cause no other people in the world could have made this song from an old tape)
Yeah probably overthinking it - or not thinking enough before putting comment to video 🤷🏻♂️
I loved the Love production. But for me that was the Beatles but just with a different production spin. Now and Then doesn’t feel like a Beatles song to me that’s all 👍
PS. I guess the Ballad of John and Yoko is NOT a Beatle song. Neither Ringo or George plan on it. So I guess that’s NOT a Beatle song either. I’m being tongue in cheek of course. But I see and respect your point. As the two deceased have no say.
Having heard the demo I was pleasantly surprised. But like you, socks not blown off. It's good, even very good. I'd give it 7 out of 10. I don't really object to the methodology as much as you Tudor ie overdubbing John's vocal track. Hasn't that been their way of working since the White Album, more or less?
Gosh yes, double tracking was a standard production method for the lads
Thank you for mentioning Steely Dan - and reminding me of them, spent the after-noon with The Fez, Hey Ninteen, Only a fool could say that and Rikki don't lose that number, topped it with Donald Fagan New Frontier and The goodbye look, such a tremendous boost.
I would like to recommend a Swedish group, if I may? Listen to
th-cam.com/video/rV9uCmlMQ1c/w-d-xo.html
I am convinced that being a musician and a music lover, this must be to your liking? There is much more on u-tube from Dirty Loops, breathtakingly talented, all three of them.
Best wishes and please keep up the good work!
Lena
You can’t go wrong with an afternoon of Steely Dan.
Thanks for sharing that link. A very talented bunch of guys 👍
🙂🎶🙂
This is not a Beatles song it's a Paul's try on it. Totally agree with you. I loved the John's Demo , this song should have gone in another direction and Paul would be the last person choosen by John to do it.
To me there is versions of this Demo done by some people in YT, that I really liked more than this shinny, perfect Paul version.
Read my remark on the previous post of @rdsieben 🤡
I think that the song is fit for purpose, as a soundtrack to mark the final fading out of the Fab Four, what with Paul now in his 80s. Is it really a Beatles song? Absolutely yes! The Beatles are a brand (as well as a band!) Any song released under the band brand is a Beatles song, no matter how it was put together. Just look at other band brands like Pink Floyd. As to the subjective question regarding how good or bad the song is, it definitely should not be compared to the greatest hits of the Beatles. It certainly isn't Yesterday or Let it Be. It should however be compared to the hit music of today, like Taylor Swift or whoever, but I haven't seen any reaction channel compare it with today's music. For me, it is a good song. I was a little underwhelmed at first, but it has grown on me and now has that classic feel where I can't remember not having heard it! It still isn't up there with their greatest work, but I personally rate it at least as high as any current offering from the musical performers of today.
Thoughtful comment. Thanks for adding it 🙏 The song is growing on me now. I’ve even found myself singing it randomly during my daily routines 🙂
@@TudorSmith Yes, I will probably listen to it now and then! BTW, it got me thinking about the whole Lennon shooting thing again, in the light of recent world events (e.g., war in Ukraine) and also having now heard Eisenhower's historic farewell speech, in which he warns of the dangers of the US military industrial complex. At the risk of sounding like a "conspiracy theorist", it just seems to me way too "convenient" that the most famous anti-war activist of his time (Lennon) ended up being shot and killed by a crazy obsessed fan of his music. A couple of things about the Mark Chapman story don't really add up. Why is he still in prison, 42 years later? Why did he make no attempt to get away when he shot Lennon? He just sat there on the steps of the Dakota, reading "The Catcher in the Rye", waiting for the police to come! I can't verify the truth of this, but some sources claim that the pattern of bullet wounds on Lennon were more indicative of a professional hitman, rather than anything Chapman would be capable of. Also that Chapman had spent some time at some sort of World Vision camp, with connections to the CIA, alongside John Hinckley Jr. So, I really don't know what happened, but here is a possible scenario: while at the camp, Chapman was identified as a no-hoper of weak mind and brainwashed into going after Lennon, which he did. Chapman probably thinks that he shot Lennon, but maybe they sent a hitman to follow him and the hitman actually made the hit on Lennon. Chapman's role would have been to simply take the blame, so that it could be written off as the work of a crazy obsessed Beatles fan. If they keep him in prison, they can control what he says and who he talks to, in case he starts to recall any details from the camp. Pure speculation on my part, but something smells off about the official narrative. It sounds a bit too "hung like Epstein!", if you see what I mean?
PS: Jeffrey, not Brian! :)
??
It’s a very interesting hypothesis on the potential conspiracy theory. It certainly adds up when you put those points together.
Sadly, I have to agree with you.
It’s okay but not great.
The video however was quite moving..
The video made it a bit special for me.
mostly historical interest. whatever, anything with their name on it is of interest.
Yep I'd agree with you on that.
but oh my did you see the vid? now it sinks in. the beatles sure never did anything half assed.
I don't agree. If The Beatles family - all four - think this is The Beatles, who are you to say it's not?
I agree. It's not my place to disagree with the family or the two remaing Beatles. It's their choice to say it's a Beatles song. My opinions are my own thoughts. I could keep them to myself, but I offer them up to my community for discussion.
@@TudorSmith Yes, but I don't think it's relevant. We can discuss the music, the track, but not if it's The Beatles. Is Why don't we do it in the road, Inner light, Within you Without you, The Ballad of J & Y, Yesterday and more, The Beatles? Yes it is, because they say so. This is not the first time they record like this. Three of them started this. Now George is gone, but he participated in 1995. I don't see any problem with that. Sometimes you need to put the emotions aside and be a little .ore practical, a little more rationel.
Paul was the musical backbone, the musical engine in The Beatles. Both Ringo and John has talked about this (but of course not that negative George), Thanks to Paul we have a lot of Beatles music and now thanks to him we've got a final Beatle song. All Beatles fans should be grateful to Paul and thank him. Not question him. And everyone who say this is not The Beatles, well don't listen to it then!
Sorry for my bad english.
problem is now...your opinion has changed after seeing a video, which you re entitled to do by the way !, but George Martin forseeing music on the MTV generation, he said that "in the future, people will listen with their eyes, not with their ears"...and youve done exactly that, can a song or tune be merited because the video to it is great ?
You make a valid point. Visually, the song is brought to life for me because it provides context. Without the video the song is still a bit middle-of-the-road for my tastes. So I'm torn between the moving collage of Beatles clips that refreshes by love of the band, and the average-sized song that goes with it!
Tudor, I'm with you. I heard it the day it was released andmy immediate reaction was, "Eh, it's ok, but I'm not feeling it as a Beatles song." It's more something off side 2 of a John Lennon album. I listened to it again a few days later and I haven't changed my mind. It's just okay. That's about it.
Phew, I’m not alone then!