The Beatles Now and Then

jricc · #1 11-02-2023, 11:38 AM

Beautifully done, it took about 45 years from John's demo to Paul and Ringo finishing...I love it. John's voice sounds pretty amazing considering it came off a 45 year old cassette with the piano and voice locked in, and with tape hiss and buzzing.

Starts off pretty dark, but winds up majestic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW55J2zE3N4

John's original demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml3n25OzpYM

If you are curious on how it was made, here's a short video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APJAQoSCwuA

mr. beaumont · #2 11-02-2023, 12:42 PM

I love Jeff Lynne and ELO, but his fingerprints have just been too heavy on the "lost" Beatles tunes. They sound like Wilburys tunes to me. Which isn't bad...it just...doesn't sound like the Beatles to me.

upsidedown · #3 11-02-2023, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I love Jeff Lynne and ELO, but his fingerprints have just been too heavy on the "lost" Beatles tunes. They sound like Wilburys tunes to me. Which isn't bad...it just...doesn't sound like the Beatles to me.

Agreed. The chorus of this one has Jeff Lynne Studio Sauce poured all over it.

jricc · #4 11-02-2023, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upsidedown

Agreed. The chorus of this one has Jeff Lynne Studio Sauce poured all over it.

It may sound like Jeff Lynne, but this 2023 version is produced by Paul and Giles Martin.

upsidedown · #5 11-02-2023, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jricc

It may sound like Jeff Lynne, but this 2023 version is produced by Paul and Giles Martin.

Yes, but if I'm not mistaken, Lynne put his (indelible) prints on the song in the earlier iteration.

kurth · #6 11-03-2023, 09:05 AM

Well you can always tell when an artist is getting too old, they start releasing stuff that shoulda stayed in the closet. It's not even close to Beatle territory. Are Paul and Ringo having financial difficulty? A gofundme page would've been a better solution imho. When the Beatles broke up, out of the 3 songwriters, John was definitely the weakest. Not to say post-beatle he didn't write some good songs...but they were already recorded. This looks more like AI making Beatles music. I'd prefer not to tarnish my beautiful memories.

nitram · #7 11-03-2023, 09:22 AM

If this hadn't been the Beatles I think it would have met a short, unnoticed demise.

rokdog49 · #8 11-03-2023, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upsidedown

Agreed. The chorus of this one has Jeff Lynne Studio Sauce poured all over it.

Loved your comment “Jeff Lynn Studio Sauce”

My feelings about Lynn are sort of like/hate.
I like a lot of the his songs but hate the formulaic,over-produced,synthetic, made-for-radio techniques he employs at times. (most times).

As far as the song itself, I found the theme and the music especially in the opening verse, incongruous. I don’t like the production and I’m not sure John would’ve either. It comes across as a kind of a hodgepodge. ”Real Love” and “Free as a Bird”are much better, even if McCartney finished the melodies.

It’s ok. On a scale of 1-10, my wife and I gave it a six.
YMMV.

Borderdon · #9 11-03-2023, 09:39 AM

Having followed the Beatles since ‘63, of course I welcome any release under their banner, Bravo !
- and thanks for your (any) music !

Caneman · #10 11-03-2023, 10:14 AM

Things to consider;

- History/background/technology of how this came about (video was really interesting)
- The fact that its truly the Beatles last song (amazing considering the time gap)
- The unintentional double meaning of the title and lyrics
- Whether its a "real" Beatles tune, musically it feels just as relevant as what current artists are producing today

With all of the above, I can see this becoming a huge hit. (Grammy maybe?)

Heard a guy on the radio this morning play the song. He literally started crying, as it reminded him of his father who passed, and who loved the Beatles.

No doubt, this one is going to provoke strong emotions across the generations.

rockabilly69 · #11 11-03-2023, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caneman

Things to consider;

- History/background/technology of how this came about (video was really interesting)
- The fact that its truly the Beatles last song (amazing considering the time gap)
- The unintentional double meaning of the title and lyrics
- Whether its a "real" Beatles tune, musically it feels just as relevant as what current artists are producing today

With all of the above, I can see this becoming a huge hit. (Grammy maybe?)

Heard a guy on the radio this morning play the song. He literally started crying, as it reminded him of his father who passed, and who loved the Beatles.

No doubt, this one is going to provoke strong emotions across the generations.

I felt the tears coming, I can't believe the negative reviews I'm seeing here. Ringo's drumming is perfect, the subtle George slide work is there, and the harmony of Paul And John, well, I love it.

Inyo · #12 11-03-2023, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

I felt the tears coming, I can't believe the negative reviews I'm seeing here. Ringo's drumming is perfect, the subtle George slide work is there, and the harmony of Paul And John, well, I love it.

George didn't play the slide guitar solo in the newly released version, by the way. That was Paul, played as a tribute to George.

AcousticDreams · #13 11-03-2023, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I love Jeff Lynne and ELO, but his fingerprints have just been too heavy on the "lost" Beatles tunes. They sound like Wilburys tunes to me. Which isn't bad...it just...doesn't sound like the Beatles to me.

"Lennon wrote and recorded it around 1977 as a solo piano home demo, but left it unfinished."

If you listen to the Records John was putting out 70's, It is very much sounds in the vein of his other music.

So yes, it doesn't sound so much like a Beatles song. I don't think it is suppose to. It sounds Like a John Lennon solo song with a little bit of Paul, Ringo & what George might have added.

Paul and Ringo have simply helped finalize it as a tribute to what they all had together. I don't think they wanted to make it a Beatles tune, they wanted to help complete John's Idea.

And I think they did a wonderful job. When My friend and I heard it for the first time yesterday...it produced chills and a tiny tear for him.

Beatles music is...forever. And so is their Brotherhood. Maybe above their music...I got into music seriously, cause I wanted that same kind of brotherhood.

Bob from Brooklyn · #14 11-03-2023, 03:01 PM

Truthfully I like it better than the two they did for Anthology.

Here is the 12 minute vid on it.

rockabilly69 · #15 11-23-2023, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob from Brooklyn

Truthfully I like it better than the two they did for Anthology.

Here is the 12 minute vid on it.

Me too Bob, I wish they would do the vocal parts over on the Anthology versions but keep George's parts intact!

Daniel "from Queens"