Now that we all had a chance to listen to Now and Then, we can make up our minds and give our opinion. I must say, it is not bad. Not bad at all.
It is a beautiful ballad that is right there with Across the Universe and #9 Dream. It has a great melody; one of the musical elements that has kept Beatles music fresh after all these years (for other element see The Beatles Era). It is sung by John with an intensity that reminded me of A Day in the Life. And let’s not forget, Johns singing is not take 12. It is not even take 1. It is just a demo!
Paul added bass and Ringo drums. The piano accompaniment is a simple pumping piano; remember the Beatles did not take fancy piano lessons when they were young. But their playing is intuitive and creative, as can be heard after the first two lines of the third and fourth verse, where they use the piano as a rhythm instrument: a hammering piano. Somewhat like the hammering piano that starts While my Guitar Gently weeps.
Two other Beatlesque elements can be recognized in Now and Then. Strings with a bite, like Paul wanted for Eleanor Rigby, were added as well as a slide guitar in the style of George. The strings intertwine beautifully with the vocals and the interaction of strings and slide guitar combined with backing vocals take the song to a higher level after the second chorus. It is like this part provides you the opportunity to really feel the dept of Johns message. After the fourth verse and chorus, the strings playfully end the song.
If you have seen the Get Back documentary made by Peter Jackson, you will know that the Beatles not only practiced numbers that ended up on the Let it Be album, but also a dozen that ended up on Abbey Road, and quite a few numbers that ended up on the solo albums of the individual Beatles. So songs that potentially where Beatles songs ended up being solo numbers, and we learned to know them as such. Therefore it is ironic that a song that clearly was intended to be released as a John Lennon song, now ended up as the last Beatles song ever.
Well, well. Just viewed a very credible and informative piece on YouTube about Now and Then, with Giles Martin and Paul and Ringo; explaining in detail how the song was put together. Glad I saw it. Very well done!
I am so impressed with George’s playing! I wonder if his playing was just for this song?
Yes, the lead guitar part was George (recorded in circa 1995) Paul recorded the slide guitar part as a homage to George.
I like Now and Then very much ( including the video), and I’m still a little puzzled as to what part George is playing on. I have to admit though, that of the three ( Free As A Bird, Real Love and Now and Then), my favourite is Free As a Bird (including the wonderful video). But I think Now and Then is a great song to finish the Beatles’ legacy with.