When “Now and Then” was finally released in 2023, it arrived like a long-lost letter — written decades earlier, unfinished, and only now delivered. Born from a fragile demo recorded by John Lennon in the late 1970s and completed by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, with echoes of George Harrison’s guitar ideas preserved, it became the Beatles’ last gift to the world.
From the opening line — Lennon’s restored voice singing “Now and then, I miss you…” — the song is immediately haunting. There is fragility in his delivery, but also warmth, as though he is reaching out across time. McCartney’s harmonies wrap around John’s vocal like a brother’s embrace, while Ringo’s steady drumming keeps the song anchored in the heartbeat of the band. The orchestral arrangement, rising softly in the background, gives the track a sense of grace — tender rather than grand, timeless rather than dated.
Lyrically, the song is disarmingly simple. Lennon doesn’t hide behind metaphor; he speaks directly of longing, of absence, of the human need to hold on to love even when it slips away. That simplicity is what makes the track so moving. For fans, the words felt like Lennon addressing not just his bandmates, but all of us who have carried the Beatles in our lives: a reminder that love never really leaves, it lingers, now and then.
What makes “Now and Then” extraordinary is not only the music, but the context. The Beatles, whose story seemed to have ended over half a century ago, found a way to speak once more in a united voice. It’s not a resurrection of the past, but a closing of the circle — the four of them together, one last time, reminding the world why their songs endure.
For Paul and Ringo, finishing the song was more than just completing a recording. It was a chance to honor John and George, to stand side by side once more in music, and to leave behind something that could only exist with all of them. For listeners, it was bittersweet — a final hello wrapped in a final goodbye.
In the end, “Now and Then” is not about innovation or spectacle. It is about memory, love, and closure. It is the sound of the Beatles looking back, and yet still reaching forward, reminding us that even when chapters close, the music — and the love that inspired it — remains eternal.
The Beatles – Now And Then