Now & Then

In case you didn't know, I love the Beatles...

Now and Then was part of two cassettes of material Yoko Ono gave Paul McCartney many years after John Lennon’s death. Of course, George Harrison is no longer with us, having passed away in 2001, but in the mid-90s, the three remaining Beatles took two songs John wrote and released them as Beatles tunes. They were Real Love and Free as a Bird, which I have featured on my blog.
 

This particular song, Now and Then, also known as I Don’t Want to Lose You and Miss You, was supposed to be the third and final song the remaining Beatles would perform together with the haunting voice of John. Written by him about two years before his death, it was recorded as a demo tape and he never had a chance to tidy it up, finish lyrics and make a decent recording. What you will hear is a tinny sounding voice of Lennon.Paul, George and Ringo had worked on the song, but according to Paul, George didn’t want to do it. It may have been because the lyrics were never finished. In any event, in March of 1995, the three began working on it and only ended up recording a rough backing track that was going to eventually be used as an overdub. After two days of recording, the project was scrubbed and plans to come out with a reunion single were scrapped.

Sometime in 2005 and since, reports began circulating that Paul was hoping to complete the song with Ringo by laying down a new drum track, writing new verses, using archival recordings of George’s guitar work, and releasing it as a Lennon/McCartney composition. The only recording of the song is Lennon’s original demo. Though not official, it was released on a bootleg CD. The overdubs by the three Beatles in 1995 have not surfaced to this day.

There was a remix released in 2007 titled 1995 edit that does contain John’s demo along with instrumental overdubs by unspecified artists. It includes material from some of the Beatles 1960s songs. This is that song. Don’t let it fool you. It may sound somewhat like the Beatles, but the only real thing about it is John’s voice, which really sounds like a 1920s recording.

I include it today because it is the last known song by John Lennon that most people never knew existed. Of course, if you haven’t ever heard India or Grow Old With Me, I will dig them up for you. Speaking of Grow Old With Me, Ringo will turn 70 in three weeks. That really makes When I’m Sixty-Four seem old. Along with me.

All we need is love…

PEACE & LOVE