The Beatles song ‘Now and Then’, considered but rejected for The Beatles Anthology series of 1995 and 1996, is finally going to have an official released.
Three songs, ‘Free As A Bird’, ‘Real Love’ and ‘Now and Then’ were considered for the Anthology. ‘Free As A Bird’ was released in Anthology 1 in November 1995. ‘Real Love’ appeared on ‘Anthology 2’ in March 1996.
John Lennon wrote ‘Now and Then’ in the 1970s. He recorded the demo in 1979 but never finished the song. When The Beatles were compiling the Anthology series Yoko supplied John’s demos of ‘Free As A Bird’, ‘Real Love’, ‘Grow Old With Me’ and ‘Now and Then’. ‘Grow Old With Me’ was released on Lennon’s posthumous ‘Milk and Honey’ album in 1984 but there were plans to build a Beatles version for Anthology based on the demo.
Ringo Starr covered ‘Grow Old With Me’ on his 2019 album ‘What’s My Name’.
Paul McCartney said this week that he, George Harrison and Ringo Starr spent a day on ‘Now and Then’ for the Anthology but George didn’t like it as he felt it was too incomplete and by democratic vote, it was rejected for that project.
The song was once again considered for release around 2005 but again rejected.
What has changed now is the new technology available, developed by Sir Peter Jackson’s company to separate sounds into their own channel. Jackson used the technology on the ‘Get Back’ movie. Giles Martin used to on the recent ‘Revolver’ box set and has used it on his new remix of The Beach Boys ‘Pet Sounds’ album.
Sir Paul has been talking about the impended release of ‘Now and Then’ as he completes his promo tour for his new book ‘1964: Eyes of the Storm’.
A release is expected before the end of the year.
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