Decades after The Beatles officially disbanded, the iconic pop group’s final song ‘Now and Then’ will be officially released next week.

According to AP News, Now and Then will be available next Thursday (November 2nd) as part of a pairing with Love Me Do, the very first single that the Beatles came out with, in 1962. The media outlet reports that the song is from the same batch of unreleased demo songs written by John Lennon. The song was also taken by the bandmates to make songs Free As a Bird and Real Love. Both of those tracks were released in the mid-90s. 

Beatles bandmates Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison worked together on Now and Then in the same session. However, there were technological limitations that created an issue for the musicians. Thanks to artificial intelligence, Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson helped solve those problems by “separating” John Lennon’s original vocals, giving McCartney and Starr a chance to complete the track. Lennon’s voice will be crystal clear in the song.

McCartney and Starr are the only two Beatles bandmates currently alive. Lennon was assassinated on December 8, 1940, in New York City. Harrison died on November 29, 2001, while battling lung cancer. McCartney recruited Giles Martin, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin, to create a string arrangement for the song. Now and Then will also feature a slide guitar solo as a tribute to Harrison. Both he and Starr added backing vocals from the original Beatles recording of Here, There, and Everywhere, Eleanor Rigby, and Because.

Beatles Bandmate Paul McCartney Calls ‘Now and Then’ Quite Emotional 

While announcing the new song, Paul McCartney spoke about its creation and what it meant to him and Starr. “There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear,” McCartney recalled. “It’s quite emotional. And we all play on it, it’s a genuine Beatles recording.”

McCartney also said that to still be working on Beatles music and release a new song to the public in 2023 is exciting. One day before Now and Then’s release, a 12-minute film that shares details about the song will be available to Beatles fans everywhere. 

Next month, the Beatles’ compilations 1962-1966 and 1967-1970 will be released. Now and Then will be added to the collection, even though it was created decades later. Although not a part of the Beatles’ big news, the release of John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial is dropping next month. The three-part documentary will feature new matures that were obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests. It will have interviews with the lawyers of John Lennon’s murderer, Mark David Chapman. Chapman, who was a huge fan of the Beatles, eventually disliked Lennon due to religious conversion. Lennon also offended Chapman by saying that the Beatles were “more popular” than Jesus. Chapman is currently incarcerated at Green Haven Correctional Facility.