WCTE is excited to present "The Beatles - Now And Then - The Last Beatles Song," a short film that documents the creation and release of "Now and Then," a song by the English rock band. Released in Nov. 2023, the song is considered "the last Beatles song" and was unfinished at the time of John Lennon's death. The song was completed by the surviving bandmates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, including overdubs and guitar tracks by George Harrison (who died in 2001).

The final version features additional lyrics by McCartney, and Lennon's voice extracted from the demo using the AI-backed audio restoration technology. The short film was released on November 12th and made available to stream with the PBS Video App. WCTE Passport members can enjoy access for a limited time (through Dec. 11th). 

Now and Then's eventful journey to fruition took place over five decades and is the product of conversations and collaborations between the four Beatles that go on to this day. The long mythologized John Lennon demo was first worked on in February 1995 by Paul, George and Ringo as part of The Beatles Anthology project but it remained unfinished, partly because of the impossible technological challenges involved in working with the vocal John had recorded on tape in the 1970s. For years it looked like the song could never be completed. 

But in 2022 there was a stroke of serendipity. A software system developed by Peter Jackson and his team, used throughout the production of the documentary series Get Back, finally opened the way for the uncoupling of John’s vocal from his piano part. As a result, the original recording could be brought to life and worked on anew with contributions from all four Beatles. This remarkable story of musical archaeology reflects The Beatles’ endless creative curiosity and shared fascination with technology. It marks the completion of the last recording that John, Paul and George and Ringo will get to make together and celebrates the legacy of the foremost and most influential band in popular music history. Video Director: Oliver Murray Producers: Jonathan Clyde and Sophie Hilton Original score: Paul Englishby Sound Designer: Alastair Sirkett Audio Restoration: Park Road Post Production