Released in 2023 and completed with the help of modern audio restoration, “Now And Then” stands as the final chapter of The Beatles’ recorded legacy — a moment where time bends, voices return, and the bond between four men proves stronger than loss. Originally written and recorded as a rough home demo by John Lennon in the late 1970s, the song remained unfinished for decades until Paul, Ringo, and the estates of George and John made it possible for the world to finally hear it as a fully realized Beatles track.
What makes “Now And Then” extraordinary is not technology, but emotion.
This is not a polished hit from the band’s prime, but a fragile message carried across time. Lennon’s voice — clear, vulnerable, and unguarded — feels as though it is emerging from a long, quiet darkness. The Ultimate Mix isolates his vocal with stunning clarity, revealing the tremble, warmth, and wistfulness that were buried in the original cassette recording. It is not nostalgia; it is presence. John is there.
Paul McCartney’s role in completing the song is both musical and deeply personal. His bass lines, harmonies, and delicate piano additions wrap around John’s voice like an embrace. There is no attempt to modernize the song beyond what is necessary; Paul chooses restraint, honoring the emotional intent rather than imposing contemporary gloss. His vocal harmonies — joined at times by Ringo and archival contributions from George — create the unmistakable Beatles blend, a sound shaped by decades of brotherhood and longing.
Lyrically, “Now And Then” reflects Lennon’s introspective late-period writing.
He sings of distance, regret, memory, and the desire to reconnect:
💬 “Now and then, I miss you…”
The line lands with profound weight in the context of the Beatles’ history. Lennon wrote the song as a reflection on personal relationships, but when heard today, it becomes a message to his bandmates, to fans, and even to his younger self. It echoes with the grief of separation and the resilience of enduring love.
The emotional heart of the song lies in its duality:
It is both a farewell and a reunion.
A goodbye spoken softly through time, and a moment of reconnection long after such things seem possible.
Ringo Starr’s drumming grounds the track with sensitivity. He avoids spectacle, choosing a steady, warm pulse that supports the song’s reflective mood. George Harrison’s presence is woven in through guitar ideas he contributed in the 1995 sessions, preserved in tribute rather than reconstructed. His spirit lives within the harmonic choices and the tone of the arrangement.
The string arrangement, inspired by George Martin’s orchestral style, adds a final layer of Beatles DNA. It rises gently, never overwhelming the simplicity of the composition, offering the kind of emotional lift the band used in “Eleanor Rigby” and “The Long and Winding Road.”
What makes “Now And Then” so powerful is its sense of inevitability. It feels like the last missing page of a story — not because it was planned, but because love, memory, and music have a way of circling back. The song closes the Beatles’ catalogue with grace, humility, and deep emotional truth.
Ultimately, “Now And Then” is not just a final Beatles song.
It is a message carried across decades,
a reminder that bonds do not break,
and a quiet miracle in the shape of a melody.