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Now And Then music video The Beatles via YouTube

New Beatles music video shows late bandmates playing alongside McCartney and Starr

AI was used to show Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr playing alongside their late bandmates.

THE BEATLES HAVE released the music video for what they say is their final song, and with the power of modern technology, they get to perform alongside their late bandmates once more.

The iconic rock band, that continued to make music after the deaths of John Lennon and George Harrison, has used technological advances to bring back their old friends – in audio and now visual form.

The cover art for the song shows Harrison and Lennon aged by AI to blend with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, who are now in their 80s.

Harrison’s son Giles helped produce the song and Peter Jackson directed the music video, which came out today.

Jackson described the video, which incorporates unseen candid footage of the Beatles at the height of their fame, as “pretty nutty” and providing a “much needed balance between the sad and the funny”. 

It was a software system developed by Jackson and his team, used throughout the production of the Beatles documentary series Get Back, that made possible the uncoupling of Lennon’s vocal from his piano part. The original recording could then be brought to life and worked on anew with contributions from all four Beatles.

Now And Then is based on a demo by Lennon that the remaining Beatles had begun working on after his death. However, it is only in recent years that Starr and McCartney have been able to finish the song, thanks to artificial intelligence.

One clip in the music video shows present-day McCartney singing beside a Sgt. Pepper era Harrison, and the pair appear to acknowledge each other.

In some other not-so-well blended shots, a present-day Starr sticks out among the late bandmates, ruining the illusion that they are in one room together.

‘Biblical’

In a post to X yesterday, Pattie Boyd who was once married to Harrison, said she was “looking forward” to hearing the song.

Yoko Ono, Lennon’s second wife, also reposted the song.

Fans flocked to X to share their opinions, most of which were resoundingly positive, as the song has provoked both sadness and nostalgia. 

Liam Gallagher of Oasis fame described it as “absolutely incredible biblical celestial heartbreaking and heartwarming” all at once.

McCartney spoke to BBC Radio 1 about the “magical” process of producing Now And Then.

“Before John died, he was working on some songs and Yoko spoke to George Harrison and said, you know, ‘I’ve got a cassette with some John songs on that he never got to finish. Would you be interested in finishing them off?’”

“We thought yeah it would be great because, in a way, we’d be working with John again, which we thought we’d never be able to do,” said McCartney.

The remaining band members finished two of Lennon’s demos, but “didn’t get around” to the third one until now.

“I ended up talking to Ringo and we asked him if he’d fancy putting the drums on again,” he said.

“I put the bass on again. We already had George playing guitar and we had John on vocals, so it was kind of magical.”

In a poll by The Journal this week, the public opinion on which Beatles song is best was split, but Hey Jude, Let It Be, Yesterday and A Day in the Life were among the top favourites.

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26 Comments
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    Mute Ollie McGlinchey
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 7:39 PM

    If this dirge was released by a new band it would struggle to get played on RTE Radio 1

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    Mute John Doyle
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 7:45 PM

    @Ollie McGlinchey: I feel for people who can’t appreciate genius.

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    Mute TheGood Feign
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    Nov 4th 2023, 1:09 AM

    @Ollie McGlinchey: but it’s not a new band, it’s The Beatles! The context is totally different, so, this was always going to get a great reception. This is simple stuff.

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    Mute Mark Dunne
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 7:32 PM

    Most overrated band ever

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    Mute John Doyle
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 7:44 PM

    @Mark Dunne: Best band ever and that’s the opinion of musicians.

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    Mute Shom Whelan
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 8:06 PM

    @John Doyle: I would have to agree with Mark, sure The Beatles were a very good band, but they are overrated, Dave Clarke 5, The Kinks, The Who, Queen, Led Zeppelin, were much better

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    Mute Al Jo Mc
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 8:47 PM

    @Shom Whelan: Perhaps in short bursts.

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    Mute Shom Whelan
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 9:32 PM

    @Al Jo Mc: no

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    Mute stephen deegan
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 11:46 PM

    @Mark Dunne: I suppose it’s a matter of opinion. I can’t stick Dylan or Springsteen but I like the Beatles. There’s loads of supposedly amazing bands that I can’t stick, but there’s other ones that I listen to every day. Isn’t that what makes it so special, music moves people in different ways. And long may it last.

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    Mute Dave Harris
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    Nov 4th 2023, 1:05 AM

    @Shom Whelan: music isn’t a competition man.
    You can like ( or dislike) any or all of those bands

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    Mute
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 8:04 PM

    I wasn’t George Harrison’s son Giles that produced it. It was George Martin’s son Giles.

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    Mute stephen deegan
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 11:47 PM

    @: He did a great job on the Love album.

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    Mute John Condon
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 6:10 PM

    I sweat, there’s something in my eye.

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    Mute Willie Marty
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 7:35 PM

    @John Condon: let it be

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    Mute Simon Eales
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 6:51 PM

    When Paul and Ringo are gone they should go on tour as holograms.

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    Mute ecrowley ecrowley
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 7:28 PM

    @Simon Eales: No, they shouldn’t. The hologram thing has already been done and it’s lame.

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    Mute John Doyle
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 7:43 PM

    @ecrowley ecrowley: Not so.

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    Mute Emmet Murphy
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 10:46 PM

    @Simon Eales: They can call them, ‘ The Holograms’ then and Ronan Keating could manage them as his first boyband?

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    Mute Leonard Gardner
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 10:42 PM

    Spin tingling quality and a last hurrah from the true leaders of the pack.

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    Mute K H
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    Nov 4th 2023, 6:59 AM

    When ya know , ya know . Great new song , accompanied by a great video..how bitter-sweet. Long live The Beatles

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    Mute John Condon
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 6:10 PM

    *swear*

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    Mute
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    Nov 3rd 2023, 6:53 PM

    @John Condon: spunk

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    Mute Denis Rathsallagh Brady
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    Nov 4th 2023, 10:30 AM

    Average song nothing special. Below average probably.
    Its only amazing brilliant biblical because of who they were and the process to bring it to life

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