The Beatles: "Now and Then" and Forever

Switched on Pop

Vox Media Podcast Network

Music Interviews, Music History, Music, Music Commentary

4.6 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 7 November 2023

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When Paul McCartney announced that he and Ringo Starr had produced a new Beatles song with the aid of AI, many music pundits were skeptical. Was this new song be another gimmick like the fake Drake hit "Heart on My Sleeve"? No. Instead, the Beatles simply used AI voice separation technology to repair a well-worn John Lennon demo tape. Back in the '90s, Yoko Ono gave shared a collection of unfinished John Lennon demos with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison (who died in 2001) as part of a final recording session that resulted in the singles "Free As a Bird" and "Real Love." However, the third song, “Now And Then" was marred by hissing and humming, and the piano was overly loud. Harrison called it rubbish, and after a few hours of tracking a rough song they left it on the cutting room floor. But now in 2023, using film maker Peter Jackson’s latest restoration technology created for his "Get Back" documentary, the Beatles were able to create one last song together, though in three different eras. Lennon tracked his vocals in the '70s, Harrison's parts were lifted from the '90s sessions, and McCartney and Starr added their parts in 2022. The band is filled out by a string arrangement by Giles Martin (Beatles cataloger and son of the late Beatles producer George Martin) and Ben Foster, in addition to reused backing vocals from earlier Beatles tracks. So, did the Beatles successfully bring this worn-out recording back to life? Does this AI song sound like Beatles, let alone human? Find out on Switched On Pop. SONGS DISCUSSED The Beatles - Now And Then The Beatles - Free As A Bird The Beatles - Real Love The Beatles - Taxman The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps The Beatles - Two Of Us The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby The Beatles - Because The Beatles - Here, There And Everywhere The Beatles - The End The Beatles - Penny Lane The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows The Beatles - In My Life The Beatles - You Won't See Me The Beatles - When I'm Sixty Four The Beatles - Hello, Goodbye The Beatles - Blackbird The Beatles - I Want You (She's So Heavy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for this show comes from Intel.
0:04.0	Where do world-changing ideas get their start?
0:06.8	At Intel, it starts with real solutions,
0:09.5	and real solutions start with exceptional engineering. The quantum computing revolution, the next
0:16.2	generation of AI experts, the renewable energy grid, early diagnosis for cancer. The examples are countless. The impacts are endless, but the
0:27.0	foundation is always the same. It starts with Intel. Learn more at Intel.com slash stories. Switch
0:45.0	on pop.
0:50.0	Welcome to Switched on Pop. I'm songwriter Charlie Harding.
0:52.8	And I am musicologist Late Sloane.
0:55.2	Where are you reporting from?
0:57.0	From Liverpool.
0:58.5	Appropriately.
0:59.5	So?
1:00.5	My Liverpool, my Liverpool, my Liverpool,
1:00.7	in accent, Charlie.
1:02.4	I feel like Nate, we've gotten into a habit of making spontaneous last minute recordings.
1:08.0	Just today, as of this recording, the Beatles have released their final song. Mmm, the Beatles have released their final song.
1:13.0	The Beatles.
1:15.0	I'm going to challenge you to keep that going the rest of this episode.
1:17.0	I like doing it because it keeps you on your toes, Charlie.
1:20.0	I like seeing you get flustered. Okay a lot of people got flustered when this
1:26.2	song was announced by Paul McCartney a few months back because...
	...

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