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After months of waiting and speculating, The Beatles have finally announced the release of a "new" song, "Now and Then," and the re-release of their 1973 greatest hits albums -- 1962-1966, also known as The Red Album, and 1967-1970, The Blue Album.
"Now and Then" will be released next Thursday, November 2nd, at 10 a.m. ET as a double-A side single along with their 1962 debut U.K. single, “Love Me Do.” It will be available on seven- and 12-inch vinyl, on cassette and digitally.
It is the third and final John Lennon demo that Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr first attempted to finish, along with "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love," when they released their Anthology collection in the 1995 and '96.
Using new software developed by Peter Jackson's team -- director of their Get Back documentary -- they were able to finally isolate John's vocal from his piano and the television playing in the background.
They used George's electric and acoustic guitar tracks from the Anthology sessions, and Paul and Ringo were finally able to finish it. They also added a string arrangement, written by Giles Martin, Paul McCartney and Ben Foster, along with backing vocals from the original recordings of “Here, There and Everywhere,” “Eleanor Rigby” and “Because.”
Paul says, “There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear. It’s quite emotional. And we all play on it. It’s a genuine Beatles recording. In 2023, to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven’t heard, I think it’s an exciting thing.”
Ringo says, “It was the closest we’ll ever come to having him back in the room, so it was very emotional for all of us. It was like John was there, you know. It’s far out.”
Olivia Harrison says: “Back in 1995, after several days in the studio working on the track, George felt the technical issues with the demo were insurmountable and concluded that it was not possible to finish the track to a high enough standard."
And John's youngest son, Sean Ono Lennon, adds, “It was incredibly touching to hear them working together after all the years that Dad had been gone. It’s the last song my dad, Paul, George and Ringo got to make together. It’s like a time capsule and all feels very meant to be.”
The music video for “Now and Then” will debut on Friday, November 3rd.
A 12-minute documentary film, Now and Then – The Last Beatles Song, will debut on November 1st on The Beatles’ YouTube channel at 3:30 p.m. ET. It contains exclusive footage and commentary from Paul, Ringo, George, Sean Ono Lennon and Peter Jackson.
This will all be followed on November 10th by the re-release of 1973's The Beatles’ 1962-1966 (‘The Red Album’) and 1967-1970 (‘The Blue Album’), which have both been expanded and mixed in stereo and Dolby Atmos.
"Red" contains 12 additional tracks, with nine added to "Blue," including "Now and Then." All the additional tracks have been remixed, as are the ones that were on the originals.
They will be available in multiple configurations, including a four-CD, and six 180-gram vinyl sets.
1962-1966 (2023 EDITION)
- Love Me Do (2023 Mix)
- Please Please Me (2023 Mix)
- I Saw Her Standing There (2023 Mix) *
- Twist and Shout (2023 Mix) *
- From Me to You (2023 Mix)
- She Loves You (2023 Mix)
- I Want to Hold Your Hand (2023 Mix)
- This Boy (2023 Mix) *
- All My Loving (2023 Mix)
- Roll Over Beethoven (2023 Mix) *
- You Really Got a Hold On Me (2023 Mix) *
- Can’t Buy Me Love (2023 Mix)
- You Can’t Do That (2023 Mix) *
- A Hard Day’s Night (2023 Mix)
- And I Love Her (2023 Mix)
- Eight Days a Week (2023 Mix)
- I Feel Fine (2023 Mix)
- Ticket to Ride (2023 Mix)
- Yesterday (2023 Mix)
- Help! (2023 Mix)
- You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (2023 Mix)
- We Can Work it Out (2023 Mix)
- Day Tripper (2023 Mix)
- Drive My Car (2023 Mix)
- Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (2023 Mix)
- Nowhere Man (2023 Mix)
- Michelle (2023 Mix)
- In My Life (2023 Mix)
- If I Needed Someone (2023 Mix) *
- Girl (2023 Mix)
- Paperback Writer (2022 Mix)
- Eleanor Rigby (2022 Mix)
- Yellow Submarine (2022 Mix)
- Taxman (2022 Mix) *
- Got to Get You Into My Life (2022 Mix) *
- I’m Only Sleeping (2022 Mix) *
- Here, There and Everywhere (2022 Mix) *
- Tomorrow Never Knows (2022 Mix) *
*Newly added track
1967-1970 (2023 EDITION)
- Strawberry Fields Forever (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
- Penny Lane (2017 Mix)
- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (2017 Mix)
- With a Little Help From My Friends (2017 Mix)
- Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds (2017 Mix)
- Within You Without You (2017 Mix) *
- A Day in the Life (2017 Mix)
- All You Need Is Love (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
- I Am the Walrus (2023 Mix)
- Hello, Goodbye (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
- The Fool on the Hill (2023 Mix)
- Magical Mystery Tour (2023 Mix)
- Lady Madonna (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
- Hey Jude (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
- Revolution (2023 Mix)
- Back in the U.S.S.R. (2018 Mix)
- Dear Prudence (2018 Mix) *
- While My Guitar Gently Weeps (2018 Mix)
- Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (2018 Mix)
- Glass Onion (2018 Mix) *
- Blackbird (2018 Mix) *
- Hey Bulldog (2023 Mix) *
- Get Back (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
- Don’t Let Me Down (2021 Mix)
- The Ballad of John and Yoko (2015 Stereo Mix / 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix)
- Old Brown Shoe (2023 Mix)
- Here Comes the Sun (2019 Mix)
- Come Together (2019 Mix)
- Something (2019 Mix)
- Octopus’s Garden (2019 Mix)
- Oh! Darling (2019 Mix) *
- I Want You (She’s So Heavy) (2019 Mix) *
- Let it Be (2021 Mix)
- Across the Universe (2021 Mix)
- I Me Mine (2021 Mix) *
- The Long and Winding Road (2021 Mix)
- Now and Then *
* Newly added track
Source: TheBeatles.com and Premiere