The Beatles release their 'last' song
Updated | By Poelano Malema
The band released a short film explaining the inspiration behind the song.
After months of waiting in great anticipation, the last Beatles song is finally out!
In June, Sir Paul McCartney announced that the band would be releasing the "last Beatles song".
The song is finally out and it is called, 'Now And Then'.
It came out on November 2.
It features the voice of the legendary John Lennon, who was assassinated on 8 December 1980. He served as the co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist, and rhythm guitarist for the Beatles.
John recorded the vocals for the song before passing away.
READ: Why The Beatles split in the 1970s
According to the YouTube video description of 'The Beatles - Now And Then - The Last Beatles Song (Short Film)', John recorded the vocals in the 1970s.
"Now and Then's eventful journey to fruition took place over five decades and is the product of conversations and collaborations between the four Beatles that go on to this day. The long mythologised John Lennon demo was first worked on in February 1995 by Paul, George and Ringo as part of The Beatles Anthology project but it remained unfinished, partly because of the impossible technological challenges involved in working with the vocal John had recorded on tape in the 1970s," reads the video description.
Fast forward to 2022, the band found technology that could help them extract John's vocals.
"For years it looked like the song could never be completed. But in 2022 there was a stroke of serendipity. A software system developed by Peter Jackson and his team, used throughout the production of the documentary series Get Back, finally opened the way for the uncoupling of John’s vocal from his piano part. As a result, the original recording could be brought to life and worked on anew with contributions from all four Beatles.
"This remarkable story of musical archaeology reflects The Beatles’ endless creative curiosity and shared fascination with technology. It marks the completion of the last recording that John, Paul and George and Ringo will get to make together and celebrates the legacy of the foremost and most influential band in popular music history."
New Zealand film director, screenwriter, and producer Peter Jackson talked about what it took to make the music video of the song.
"When Apple asked me to make the music video, I was very reluctant - I thought my next few months would be a hell of a lot more fun if that tricky task was somebody else’s problem, and I could be like any other Beatles fan, enjoying the night - before-Christmas anticipation as the release of a new Beatles song and music video approached - in 1995, l loved the childlike excitement I felt as the release of Free As A Bird was inching closer. I could have that experience once again - all I had to do was say no to The Beatles....," he said.
Read his statement below.
READ: 'Let It Be'- Dolly Parton covers an iconic Beatles song
For loads of fantastic 60s, 70s, and 80s classics, listen to East Coast Gold via the ECR app or here. We’re also on platforms like Alexa (just enable the ‘East Coast Gold’ skill), MyTuner, Radio Garden, iono.fm, Radioline, and OpenRadio.
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Image courtesy of YouTube screenshot.
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