So many thoughts. So much emotion.

I’m not going to go into the whole backstory of this, the Beatles’ final number[footnote]But never say never, right?[/footnote], because I have nothing to add. It’s all over the Web. Go look it up if you don’t know. It’s not a boring story; I just don’t feel like going through it because ultimately, it doesn’t much matter. We have a new Beatles song, with an asterisk, like Free As A Bird and Real Love were. That’s enough.

I do want to answer a few critical points which keep coming up again and again in the reviews. They piss me off because they’re mostly bogus arguments for not liking the song, which of course is everyone’s right. Just don’t like it for the right reasons.

It’s not really the Beatles.

Sure it is. It’s John’s voice backed by Paul, George and Ringo. There are Beatles songs with only one Beatle on them.[footnote]Julia for John, Within You Without You for George, and a ton for Paul.[/footnote] You don’t fuss over those.

It doesn’t sound like the Beatles.

Which Beatles songs do you mean? Love Me Do? I Feel Fine? I’m Only Sleeping? The Fool on the Hill? The Inner Light? Hey Jude? Revolution 9? Here Comes The Sun? You Know My Name (Look Up My Number)? Give me a fucking break. They could sound like almost ANYTHING.

It’s unfinished.

Well, duh. We knew that going in. But the final result is still worthy despite that.

It’s dirgey.

OK, now that I’ll accept as legitimate. But I suggest listening a few more times. Then you may hear the rhythm in the guitars[footnote]An old joke, but true.[/footnote] which pull the song along, courtesy of George. Paul was right to insist that the additions not drown him out.

I love the song, let’s get that clear. I think John’s voice is stunningly beautiful, and the arrangement supports the piano without being cloying. The backing vocals, flown in (to quote Giles’ father’s phrase) don’t stand out as “Hey, listen! This is from Eleanor Rigby!!” as I feared they might. Paul’s tribute to George’s slide guitar performances is beautifully understated, as are the strings. (Wonder if those musicians know now that they played on a Beatles song.)

I only have two regrets, apart from feeling sad that John couldn’t help finish the song, which is unavoidable. The first is that Paul’s voice is no longer the voice he had in 1965, or even in 1995. It doesn’t sound as beautiful as it did on FAAB and Real Love. But I’m still thankful that they didn’t try to deage it.

The second is the ending. The guitars, drums and piano have been gliding us right along, soaring towards the end as free as a bird. And then we hit a wall. It kind of jerks downward to land with an abrupt thump. I would much rather have had a fadeout.

Well, nothing is perfect. I’m glad that Now And Then got finished, and released. But just one more thing, as Columbo says….

There is a very significant omission in all of the news stories about this single, and in Apple’s PR kit. It’s Yoko. She provides the tape and then vanishes from the story. I haven’t heard any comments from her about what she thinks of the song (and the other two, either!); there’s just radio silence. Which is a shame. Because as much as the press may spin this as John’s rumination on missing Paul, that’s bullshit. This is a love song for Yoko.

I know it’s true; it’s all because of you; and if we make it through, it’s all because of you.

I don’t think John was thinking of the Beatles for a second when he sang that at the Dakota with the TV in the background. He was thanking Yoko for giving him another chance.

Anyway, Yoko, thanks for making the last Beatles song possible. And thanks to MAL, the AI which extracted John’s voice. Who knew that Mal would be co-producing a Beatles song in 2023.[footnote]A joke about Mal Evans, the Beatles’ beloved roadie. RIP.[/footnote] And thanks to Peter Jackson. I forgive you all the things I hated about your LOTR films. Another story for another time….