Not ashamed to say that as a 64 year old man, I cried when I heard "Now and Then" knowing this was the last song. Then the video came out, I was amazed how well it was done. And when The Beatles took their last bow and the lights went out, I cried even more knowing THIS was the end. God blessed those men...and us.
As the expected birth of my son drew closer, I became anxious as it would be very close to December 8 /1990. I kept it to myself, but after I held my son, the sense of relief at both his safe arrival, but the date was December 7/90..I hadn't thought of that for a while...till now.
@7colliemac glad the men who were in the Beatles didn't agree with you. I'll never understand such a sad sack, negative take. Maybe for the guys whose friend was murdered and whose other friend died of cancer, it was a way to close the book on one of the most important events in their lives.
I remember when Saturday Night Live offered The Beatles $3.000 to reunite on the following Saturday's show. Paul and John were actually hanging out in John's apartment in the Dakota that night, saw the show, and actually thought about it for a minute or so. Man, that would have been the most surreal thing in rock history.
George Harrison made an appearance Nov., 20th, 1976 and tried to claim the prize. One of my favourite moments on SNL was Harrison and Paul Simon playing “Here Comes The Sun”.
What was crazy for me about that, I was in New York, to spend time and celebrate Thanksgiving with my New York family members. My cousins and I, we will watch it Saturday Night Live when that offer was made ( later finding out that Paul and John were together). We laughed and said " the freaking Beatles are not going to show up to Saturday Night Live to get $3,000", beautiful story accounts for correct on how Paul had talked John into showing up... but it was a call from Yoko, that all to that idea. ( her jealous untalented ass, probably was tuned into her to offer herself and deliberately distracted John so he wouldn't even attempt to show up at the studio), so this is why I never happened.
Oh, are we repeating stupid shit everybody already knows? Ok, how about.... I remember when one had to pay for porn and the broads were.... hairy and pretty mid, at best, Im talkin equal to any average middle aged women on the street. Not like today, only an idiot pays for porn, the whooo-ers are barely 18, model caliber, have never learned the word no, not hairy and such broken people that banging on camera is their only way to feel validated... I LOVE this country.... and all the terrible fathers of the smoking hot women getting smashed on camera!!!
The fact the cassette was labeled “For Paul” says everything about the song’s meaning and John’s intentions for it. And yes, I cried like it was December 8th, 1980 all over again.
I watched the documentary first, and gasped when I heard Lennon's voice separated from the piano. When I saw the music video, it did bring a tear to my eye knowing that we lost so much by John and George's early depatures. The Beatles were together again, one last time.
As a 58 year old man, I'm not at all ashamed to say I cried. I also cried heaps during this episode, thank you so much for this, it truly is special. I was born in '65 and even as a kid of three or four years old music had me hooked. I remember hearing on the radio the DJ announcing that The Beatles had broken up before launching into Hey Jude, and I deeply remember that heartbreaking day of hearing the news that John Lennon had been killed. Like the landing on the moon, I remember the exact spot I was standing in our kitchen when the news came on the radio. Music has always been my passion, and, while others come close, no one tops The Beatles for nurturing that passion. Thank you, John, Paul, George and Ringo.
I love "Now and Then". When I heard that The Beatles had officially released their last song, I wasn't expecting to be as emotionally touched by hearing that song and seeing the video as I was. It is a true testiment to the greatness and longevity for arguably the best band to ever hit the airwaves. Loved your vid!
I can't imagine the emotions experienced by Ringo and Paul as they sang with their old bandmates. We all know Paul and John had their good and bad times. But in that moment they were working together to finish the song. I'm glad Paul felt it was a sacred duty to complete his friend's composition. What the Beatles accomplished is extraordinary by any standard.
As many have said in various ways, I think the issues between John & Paul were like fights between brothers and that they still cared for each other. Pop-punk band Blink 182 recently reunited and put out a new album. They also had their two front men have a major falling out. One of them got a bad case of cancer and the other one (who not long before thought he would never do another music tour again) suddenly felt like all he wanted to do was play with his friends again. I wonder if the same kind of feelings were there between John & Paul. Check out Blink's new song One More Time, btw.
With the release of their last song "Now and Then" the Beatles Era officially came to a close. I was very fortunate to see them on Ed Sullivan on February 9th, 1964 and be able to enjoy their music since that time. IMO they truly are The Best Group in all of Rock and Roll History.
Actually, Now and Then debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 7. I definitely cried, especially when watching the video. Watching Paul and Ringo sing "now and then I miss you" while flashing over to John and George, says it all! There couldn't have been a better video to do the song justice. Then they bow at the end and disappear as if to say "our work is finished." A job well done, boys!
@johnrecords5709 It's funny, I've watched a lot of people reacting to that video and they stopped it as soon as the group disappears. They have no idea that the lights go out after that.
The Beatles are so much more than a "boy band" (I hate that term). They are far and away the most prolific and creative rock act in history. Musicians emulated them. Historians wrote about them and documented them. They were everything. Hearing every composition has been a treat. Losing John and George was like losing family members who always made you feel better no matter what was going on. Hearing new recordings made my heart soar. Listening to 'Now And Then' was the ultimate visit from those we lost and having a chance to say goodbye and share how much we loved them. The song was legendary. And yes, I was reduced to tears hearing them together one more time. There will never be anyone like them again. They were, for all their flaws and personality differences, still perfect when they came together. This is what rock music is all about. Much love to them all.
The Beatles are NOT a boy band. At all. They are so much more than that. The band that kicked open the door to a new era of rock and influenced thousands of musicians to come.
If the Beatles are a boy band then so are Slayer. Real bands write their own songs and play their own instruments. Boy bands just sing and do a dance routine.
The people who call them that are either ignorant or stupid. LOL For starters, they weren't assembled by producers. Also, they played their own instruments and wrote their own songs. They were a band. The most influential band in recorded history. If they aren't a band, then bands don't exist.
I don't know how may times I;ve said that as the younger set us that term describe what they did not live through based on their own era's terms and experience. All I can do is shake my head no, yawn and sigh. some of them actually think WWII was a movie, egad!!
@mypl510 I don't think it's the last. I am sure something may come in another decade. With all the technologies and all the shelved music they have, they might have something else up their sleeve. Until that day, lets hold on to the wonderful memories we have of their music. It internal. ❤
I have no doubt there are MANY unfinished songs on cassettes, somewhere. The bootlegs back in the '70s were jam-packed (pun intended) with them noodling around in the studio.@@ProfessorofRock
Free as a Bird and Real Love along with the rest of the Anthology was terrific! This new song sounds like it was written in the Double Fantasy days. The first time I heard Now and Then I shed a tear. I miss them alot!! Great memories whenever I hear a Beatles song. Thanks, Professor!! 😎👍
@@NickWebber-vp4pdpretty sure John wrote on the tape "for Paul". People look at Beatles songs like each person didn't bring their own style to their own songs. Lennon songs sound nothing like McCartney songs even in the Beatles. Harrison songs sound nothing like any of the other three guys songs.
What a gift. There are so many amazing songs...and this was the perfect finale. Thank you John, Paul, George, and Ringo. You were right all along..."All You Need Is Love".
I'm 67, and have loved The Beatles since that night on Ed Sullivan. I did have tears hearing Now and Then. It reminded me that great music can be made. The Beatles are the greatest band of all time!! Without them, many bands would have never existed.
Thank you Adam for such a great heartfelt tribute to a wonderful band. Your enthusiasm never ceases to amaze and inspire me. Now in my late 60`s I grew up with the Beatles here in the UK and as you say they were the inspiration to so many great bands that followed in both the US and UK. All music lovers owe them so much.
My Uncle has played Beatles music for 40 years on stage as part of his concerts. My father gave me his copy of the White Album as a kid... To be able to actually experience a Beatles song release with both of them still here to see it, was one of the most poignant music experiences of my life. The both taught me how to play guitar as a kid. Music runs strong in my family and this was completely surreal.
My sister was the original Beatles fan in our household. She had Beatles records, posters, pins, bubblegum cards, you name it, she had it. I liked them too and began to dial in when Rubber Soul was released. Like every other kid in the neighbourhood, I had a guitar and dreamed of being a rock star. In later years I gained a new appreciation for their music. I always loved the song, “And Your Bird Can Sing”. A seemingly simple song was really difficult to play. I never did get it quite right, but I still love the song.
@CnyAutofreakRacingVideo My mother was a huge Beatles fan. Unfortunately she passed away from cancer 2 years ago. I watched the video without listening to the song first. To say tears were flowing would be an understatement. I know she would have loved this song, and I wish she could have been here to enjoy it with me. At least I still have my father who was also a fan. The lyrics, as well as the footage in the video, hit deeper than anything has for me since my mom's passing. One of my all time favorite guitarists was murdered on the same day John was killed - only 24 years later + in the same manner, and she related with me on that
46 years old and been a fan of the Beatles as long as i can remember. This song reminded me how great these guys were and reintroduced to their music like i was hearing it for the first time
My 24 year old daughter and I are definitely having a moment with this. She told me she's so excited to be alive during "The Beatles Era." Now and Then officially extended it to 2023. She and I both enjoyed it together with the rest of the world and once again have a chance to celebrate the undisputed greatest band of all time.
I'm a Gen Xer and am a first generation Beatles fan. No one introduced me to them, my parents loved the same influences that the Beatles loved - my mom was 15 days younger then JWOL. I fell in love with them myself as a little kid. Real Love still makes me bawl like a baby. And Now and Then is just mind blowing!
This episode is so special. I love these tracks. Better music than 99% of music out there. Long live all the Beatles, beautiful geniuses. Viva peace. Ringo’s spirit is what we should all aspire to. Creative, accepting, loving, and importantly: allowing our loved ones to be their best.
The Beatles were a huge part of my childhood. My sister Lee saw them perform live, we had Beatles wallpaper in one of the rooms of our house, we were excited with every new release, and, like most fans, we were heartbroken when they broke up. However, we followed their solo careers and always hoped that one day they might reunite. Those hopes were dashed with John's death and I still have the first edition of the London Evening Standard which reported on the tragedy. The epic Peter Jackson documentary was fascinating and when this latest song, "Now and Then", came out and I watched the pop video I was very moved. When John's "Plastic Ono Band" album came out (1970) one English rock magazine said something like, "John put his balls on the line and the train stopped out of sheer respect!" That was because of the honest emotion in the lyrics and singing. With "Now and Then" John's simple, relatable message, together with the gentleness of his voice, provoked an emotional response which is very rare in pop/rock music. Many young people who weren't even alive when the Fab Four broke up have been shedding a tear in their single reviews. Like you said, Adam, we live at a time when there is division everywhere and an unfortunate return of tribalism. We have never needed more a unifying force like the Beatles, a reminder of our shared humanity and frailty.
I'm one of those "young people" (although at 40 I certainly don't feel young!) that shed a tear too. Like a million others of his generation, my dad had every record and I bought every new release I could myself from the 90s onwards. You're spot on about John's voice. He could be so playful, aloof, sarcastic and sometimes plain scathing, but when he sang - particularly on those solo records - you heard his heart. Whether he meant it or not, we now have Now and Then crystallised as a piece of music that yearns for the days he would muck around with his mates in a band. We know he valued that time in his heart, even if his interviews in the 70s were mainly negative. It not only adds closure to the Beatles story, but to John's life. Unlike George, he never got a chance to grow (relatively) old and say goodbye.
I get tears in my eyes every time I listen to "Now and Then". The Beatles arrived in the US on February 7, 1964, my 12th birthday. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift! And now, all these years later, I still absolutely love their music. "Now and Then" is also a gift, and I am so grateful to be alive to hear it!
Yes, lots of tears. I love the quiet way it expresses that grief that has been around for years. No longer the constant anguish, but that constant companion in the background that comes forward “now and then.” My dad’s been gone for nearly ten years-and I still miss him. As I know Paul and Ringo miss their friends. Such a perfect song to close out 60 years of The Beatles.
In 1980, I was a senior in high school when John Lennon was assassinated. I lived in a small town in Maine. The radio station we had in town, WSME, contacted me knowing I had a complete collection of Beatles albums in which they requested to use to program a Beatles "A to Z" songs weekend. For that I was very grateful to be able to participate in helping the local community listen to Beatles music and reflected on the tragedy that just had happened. In my opinion, Now & Then is the best of the three Beatles post songs. The quality of this song does fit into this band's catalog of music while they played together. These musicians were consistantly at the forefront of the music world by working towards fresh sound though different musical instrumentation techniques and technology innovations; it is no surprise to me that the remaining Beatles were willing to employ AI to separate John's voice for this song to create this haunting and beautiful piece. I still have great emotion each time I hear this new song; I think about all the people in my life who have come and gone, and of course, the Beatles themselves.. Like Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach, the Beatles are a music icon that will be acknowledged by mankind for centuries to come. Thank you Professor for this presentation. -NS
This is the perfect final Bealles song. Everything about it. I was teary eyed when I heard it for the first time. I was crying when I saw the video. The video and editing have not received enough credit. It is awesome.
Respectfully, I feel like "The Long and Winding Road" was the perfect swan song for the lads. A huge part of it being that it was getting all the air play while band was breaking up.
I was 13 in 1963. They changed my life. I started playing music. Traded in my shotgun for an old set of drums and began a long and fruitful career playing music. I have jammed with some pretty big names and look back satisfied. It was all started when I first heard Love Me Do. They have been a constant I could lean on. I still lean on their music.
Musical instruments are a lot less dangerous than guns, thank you! Former music teacher here....reminds me of that old saying "Don't Shoot me, I'm just the piano player."
I was a sophomore in high school on February 1964 when the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. I became a fan and started teaching myself guitar to their songs. I collected and still have all of their original vinyl LPs and most of the 45s released in the U.S. Hearing Now and Then brought back many emotions and memories. I also cried a bit. Bittersweet.
Fab video, Professor! I shared a birthday with John, October 9th, and when he was shot it was like someone had shot me. I lost about a week in complete incoherent grief. I still mourn every December 8th. So I definitely cried when I first heard this song, and not just because John's voice was so melancholically clear. No, it was because of everything the Beatles have meant to me over my lifetime, how much they have meant to all of us...and how perfect this swansong really is. It's really tears of gratitude. So I bow to you as well. Thank you for this.
I choke back tears every time I hear "Now and Then" because of the chords.... they just resonate in my soul, it seems. I love how the focus of the song was John; he was the only lead vocal. I love the subtle references to other Beatles songs and styles, from the strings to the "Because" harmonies. There is just so much depth to this song. And yes, I cried the first time I heard it. I have loved The Beatles for over 50 years, Paul in particular. I have seen him in concert 6 times since 1990. The last time I saw him was in 2022 in Orlando as a retirement gift to myself. Tears then just like every other time. Thank you for covering this! I was hoping you would!
Did the same thing , a retirement gift to ourselves! It was expensive but my husband and I both agree it was money well spent. We still are in awe of the videos we took. Feel very blessed to have been able to do that.
Great tribute Adam...would love to see deeper dives into the Anthologies. I am also guilty of shedding tears for Now and Then and couldn't be happier to see them reclaim the top spot, as you said, with impeccable timing...Without The Beatles, life would be a mistake!!!
I have gotten very emotional with this "new" song. It's like a Rollercoaster of my return to that time of my life and a wistful longing for what could have been. Thanks, Adam, for this breakdown. Yours has been the best I've seen. Keep up the great work, brother.
I’m Beatles obsessed! Beatlemania still exists at my house lol I’ve seen Paul 4 times and the last one was just surreal. Hands down the best concert I’ve been to in my life. I love Now And Then, good to hear John’s voice. ❤ Thanks for this video!
Only saw Paul once, At Knebworth in 1990. He was awesome. Hey Jude with 140000 fans is one of my greatest concert moments. He also did a Lennon medley that he only ever performed there and the week before in Liverpool. Not a Beatles one but a Lennon solo medley!
@@ProfessorofRock Lexington KY 1990, Memphis TN 1993, Memphis TN 2013, Knoxville Tn 2022. The Flowers In The Dirt tour in 90 was special because Linda was on stage. And the Got Back tour, his current tour, was so amazing with John on the big screen. The light show was stunning. he rose up on a platform with the screen underneath him showing a blackbird flying as he sang that song. It is amazing being in the same place as a Beatle. There is a different feel as his fans adore him and you can actually feel this love and he returns it! Tom Petty concerts had that feel too.
I am Beatles obsessed as well I think now and then is a really great song and what a great band they were and still are not just the best rock band in the world but the best band in pompano genres of music. I have been obsessed with a beetle since I was 11 years old.
Hi Adam, I'll try to be brief - though my friends would tell you that I never am! LOL I joined your channel earlier this year, because quite frankly - I was impressed. I'm 56 yrs old, born in '68, a child of the 70's, a teen in the 80's. Music's always been a part of my life. My brother was a musician, and I made it as far as being a wannabe! LOL However, throughout my teens, and 20's, I devoured BIOS on all my fav Rockers, as well as magazines, album purchases, hours spent watching the original MTV (when they still played music - gasp!), and attending dozens of concerts, and somewhere along the way, (much like yourself) I became (according to friends) an expert. Music has always been in my life - my earliest memories, and it is everything to me. My fav band of all-time is the mighty Zeppelin, my fav movement is Prog-Rock, and my fav decade is the 70's, because the 70's had it all, and it's quite simply the best of the best. I know alot, about what I love, but when I began to watch you - which I happened on by chance, I was impressed. I was already aware of many of the stories you had, but equally unaware of others. I'm not just impressed by your knowledge, but touched by your love of music, as well as of your family - Your late Father in particular. You're great at what you do, and I Thank You - Salute You for it. I'd been wanting to drop you a line for sometime, but life gets in the way... however I just saw your video now for the Beatles tracks, and although the song 'Now, and Then' never brought a tear to my eyes - the video for the song did. I got very emotional when I first saw the video... what an amazing job they did, bringing all the members from all the different eras together again, as if they REALLY were there. Amazing, and it makes me tear up every single time. Anyway, I hope you see this post of mine, and enjoy it, as I have enjoyed your many great videos I wish You, and Your family all the very best of Holiday seasons, and the very best for the new year. As Ringo would say - "Peace, and Love". CHEERS, PAUL. 😁
I've listen to it once I'm afraid of it.. when it started and I heard John's voice I felt like someone threw me into a wall I'm going through one of the worst times of my life right now and to hear John's voice caused all this worry all this fear and all this hurt to explode.. hard to explain it was like being free for a moment all the chains to all the weights that were holding me down broke for a moment now there's a spark 👍
The Beatles still mean so much. The greatest musical group in history. Their influence moved then transcended popular culture in the 20th century. And possibly beyond.
I haven’t heard this song yet, but this episode brought me to tears. I was only a few months old when the Beatles came to America, so I actually grew up hearing their music all the time. I just turned 60 and it’s so sad to think it’s absolutely over. There will be no more possibility of new Beatles music. Thank you Adam for such a beautiful and touching story about the making of this song.
I'm a 70 year old woman, the Beatles were my lads, my first loves if you will. I was quite skeptical about the integrity of the song, fearing it would be totally manipulative. I did finally watch it, and definitely cried. Well done and full of heart and love.
I ordered a 7 inch single of Now and Then on November 1st after viewing the short documentary. After learning about the long history of trying to record the track and hearing Sean Lennon say my father would have wanted this, I decided to get the single. It's a nice tribute to John and George and the last song for the Beatles legacy.
I am a 45 year old man in the UK and I’m an avid Beatle fan. Like you I cried the first time I heard this… and the second and third. There is so much to take from Now and then in particular. It’s a wonderful song with a great video. It stirs up that nostalgia we have of The Beatles and how the made us feel through different times in our lives. Like you it also brought to mind past love ones- those lyrics are truly wonderful. I’ve only recently discovered you on UA-cam and I have to say I’m impressed- you speak very clearly and with such a passion about music. You really know your stuff- keep up the good work *Subscribed*
The video of Now and Then certainly invokes a lot of emotions. Also, on Paul's most recent tour, I've Got a Feeling with John actually singing his part (from the rooftop performance) on the large video screen and actually participating in the live performance brought chills.
The Monkees did some creative stuff onstage with older videos showing their departed bandmates, especially right after Davy Jones died. Only Micky Dolenz left now.
I loved the song from the first hearing, but when the video for Now and Then was released, that’s when the tears came for me. So much emotion! The video was flawless, and as you said Adam, “perfect timing.” It was a perfect ending to who, for me, will always be the greatest band of all time!
I was 9 years old when Lennon was killed. I cried my eyes out. I knew it was the end of the Beatles. Yes, even at that yound of an ago I was a Beatles fans. My mother and uncle played a lot of Beatles records around me while I was growing. I was very in tune with the world of music at that age. So now when this song was release. I was on edge about hearing it. I was afraid that todays tech would take away the magic they once had. But it didn't. It sent chills all over me. Hearing Lennon's voice saying other words I never heard before was strange. A voice from beyond the grave.
The thing about that song if that if you are a fan, and know the history about the band, the things they went trough the anthology 1 to 3, and the meaning of that particular last song, it just hits you hard...directly into your empathy, your moments shared with those songs..maybe your childhood. it's just almost impossible not to fall into that waterfall of feelings .
I didn't cry, I heard it as I was driving, but it totally filled me up. I just heard and orchestral version with full strings. It was gorgeous. Just proving that Beatles' music is right up there with classical music. Glad that I've had the ability to enjoy them and spread the musical wealth to my kids.
Among everything else it is, this episode is a great tribute to the greatest of the great. Nice work, Professor. I have to say, when that illuminated sign switches off at the end of the video for Now and Then, it's difficult to keep a tear from my eye.
Watching this video for the first time gave me the same vibe as visiting Strawberry Fields in New York ...It made me reflect on what we've lost but also the gift they've left this world , much like Johnny Cash's version of Hurt ....it ultimately left me with a sense of peace that they are never really gone
I just cannot express IN WORDS how great this segment is - Beatles continue to work miracles - Honestly, yes - I also kinda teared up (especially after seein the N&Then documentary) - My mom introduced me to them, just as your dad did - *U speak the truth about watching R&R 'disappear' - New culture taking over, etc etc
I fell in love with the music of the Beatles in 1980, when I was 15, and as I was really getting into them, John Lennon was murdered. I was devastated. Throughout the years I've collected a good amount of their music. I loved when Michael and Paul worked together, when George worked with Jeff and Tom in theTraveling Wilburys and when Ringo would join his former band members for his projects. When my sons were born, they were raised listening to a very good, eclectic variety of music that I have in my huge collection. Being a musician, I listened and appreciated many artists from many genres, which included a great positioning of the Beatles' music. In their discovery of their own tastes, I was proud to see that they loved the Beatles as much, if not more,. than I did. My two sons, Andres (the older one by 15 months) and Alex (both musicians in their own right) truly appreciated the plethora of artists, styles and genres I exposed them to while they grew up. Five years ago, when Alex was 20 years old, he was killed suddenly from a freak accident at a construction site. Our family was devastated. I was a mess, and didn't want to do anything for months. I was just shutting down and didn't care if I continued on or not. Of course, I had Andres still, and I knew I couldn't leave him like that or continue in that state of mind. Over the years, I slowly came around and when I was back to myself, in November of '22, I had a series of three Ischemic Strokes back-to-back. It affected my memory, both short and long term. When "Now & Then" was released, it was a complete surprise to me when Andres was visiting and played it for me. Later, we watched the video together, and seeing John and George with Paul and Ringo, and how they are playing with their younger selves, and realizing Alex would have loved to be sitting with us here, enjoying this reunion of sorts, I lost it all over again. The Beatles had become something we all enjoyed together, and we'd go on discussing their phrasing, production, lyrics ... everything, and it came to Andres and I that that would never happen again. I cried for John and George ... and then really cried for Alex even more. A couple days later, Andres and I talked about that moment, stating we both felt Alex's presence in the room with us during the song. And we both cried a little more. Thank you, Paul, George and Ringo for doing this, and Jeff for producing it. What a wonderful gift you gave to the world. Thank you, John, for writing and recording the song when you did. And, thank you, Yoko, for giving Paul the cassette. If it weren't for your kind gift, this wouldn't have happened at all. Thanks also to Adam Reader and crew for featuring it here for all of us. I know this comment wasn't in line with your poll question, but, I felt compelled to put this here, 'lest I forget it. And finally, thank you Andres, for sharing with me a moment with Alex ... and the Beatles. I love you, son. - tgr
Just sounds better each time I play it again, and yes, I tear up, because it is a beautifully poignant song with fantastic instrumentation. Sounds so deceptively fresh and simple but profound like all their songs. The Beatles always make me happy when I hear one of their songs, but this time it clutches my heart as well. Brilliant song to say goodbye.
Prof, I love your channel. I’m English and was 13 when I first heard The Beatles Live Me Do. I know ‘64 was the big break through in the US and the world, in ‘63 the lads became huge in the UK. Four singles three of which were number ones, two LP’s which pretty much were at number one for almost the entire year and numerous EP’s. What a great year! So I was 13 when the lads arrived and I was 20 when they stopped. 7 amazing musical years and I loved everything the Beatles did. I lived Free as a Bird and Real Love but I am entranced by Now and Then. It is beautiful and yes, I cried! Keep rockin’ my friend!
You promised this episode recently I am so happy you found the time to do it!! It still hurts to listen to Now and Then. I recently went to NYC for my daughter's wedding and the first day there I visited the Dakota, Strawberry Fields and the Imagine Mosaic. There was a young lady playing an acoustic guitar and singing Imagine. Not too proud to say I got teary eyed. I hope one day they add a memorial for George there too. Imagine if John had lived for that reunion it would have been the biggest musical event of my lifetime. Thanks for this episode professor you did a fantastic job on it. ❤
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 strawberry field isn't much too see but the city has so much to see and do, if you get the chance to go there is no place like it
I didn't tear up over Now and Then. I did tear up a few years ago when Paul was doing I've Got a Feeling live, and the John part from the rooftop played on the big screens. I didn't believe it. (Real Love. The BEST of the three!)
The Beatles churned out 211 songs in 8 years. 186 of those were written by them. That's not counting the songs they wrote and gave to other artists. In that 8 years, they had 49 top 40 hits, 20 of which were #1. They could've easily had 120+ top 40 hits, but just not enough time in that 8 year window. That catalog could easily spread out over 30 years with multiple genre versatility.. So I NEVER cry over their break up. I can't ask for more. The Beatles' catalog is beyond extraordinary. Be thankful for that, don't sit crying for more, more, more.
I was living in La Verne, CA when my mom took me and my sister, along with our aunt and went to see A Hard Day's Night when that movie was released. My sister couldn't wait to see George and I was arguing with her that Paul was the handsomest! We we're six and seven years-old! Years later my heart simply stopped beating when John Lennon was killed. We still had George, Paul and Ringo and I still listened to their music. Then George was taken by cancer, and I cried inconsolably for days. Thank you for bringing the nostalgia of my screaming youth-filled days at a drive-in and the soul-searching and the fun music of a never-to-be-forgotten group of 4 handsome and talented men from across the pond, known as the Beatles!
Carl Perkins said that when he wrote the song "My Old Friend" for Paul in the early 1980s, he came up the line "my old friend, won't you think about me every now and then?" and he played the song for Paul, and Paul just fell apart. He asked Linda if he had done something wrong, and that's when she told him John's last words to Paul.
The first listen to just the song left me nostalgic but fairly unmoved. Watching the video the next day broke me. I haven’t been moved to tears like that in decades. The best final bow imaginable.
@@ProfessorofRock Absolutely. Spent weeks combing through all of them. Real Love just hooked me though. That piano walk to the chorus for that hook only the Beatles could deliver, and all of those lil pieces of guitar work to flesh it out.... Just too good.
I'm 62 (not 64). Liverpool born and bred. Love the song and this video. Going through a hard time with my elderly parents, this is bringing me relief and comfort particularly when things are so horrible in the world. Beatles for peace and love. They're our boys and always will be, no.matter what our backgrounds. So glad this has come out.
Nice breakdown. The Beatles have been my favorite band since I was 5 and my mom and older brothers would play their music. I tear up everytime I hear Now and Then. When I first heard it, I thought it was so-so. But everytime I listened afterwards, the more Iiked it. I think it is the best of the 3 songs, IMHO. Love it. Beatles will always be the #1 with nobody else close.
6 year old white guy from Kansas here, grow up the Beatles and was a senior in high school when John Lennon got assassinated and I was literally playing Double Fantasy on my turntable when my mom leaned in the door and gave me the news. This is one of the most well said and unbiased and comprehensive description of all this that I've heard on a reaction channel. I'm quite impressed
The first time I heard Now and Then it hit such a deep note of nostalgia in my core. I felt as if I was both hearing a song from memory and, at the same moment, discovering The Beatles for the first time.
Professor, that was a great Beatles tribute. Back in the 90's, I bought the Beatles Anthology. Both "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" are terrific songs. I was very excited when I heard the news that another Beatles song called "Now And Then" was going to be released this year. Once it was released to be accessed on the internet, I immediately played the new song. "Now And Then" is a great song and it's wonderful hearing The Beatles at their best one more time.
This 57 y.o. got all teary-eyed when listening to and watching Now and Then. I love the harmony, and especially hearing Ringo's voice come through. The slide guitar. George smiling back in '95. And the strings! The strings make this such a truly Beatles tune. Love it.
I found the video very emotional for me. The CGI Beatles felt like spirits that always surround Paul and Ringo. And I was glad they chose funny moments of them to balance the heavy heart feelings of the obvious fact that a true reunion was impossible. I did hear a wonderful interview with George with an American radio station. He was being very candid and relaxed. They had handed him a gretsch guitar before the interview and he was playing with it all during the callers questions. He was promoting cloud 9. Fans were calling in and asking him questions. The last fan that called in asked him... What do you see when you look in the mirror George? He said very sadly... Oh please don't ask me that. Please just don't ask me that. He said that he sees some good things and some bad things. And that the goal of a buddhist is to live your life so you don't have to come back to fix the sins of the prior life. He said unfortunately, he's going to have to come back again. He said one thing he definitely didn't want to be in his next life was famous lol.
I cried just as I cried when I heard "Free as a Bird" for the first time. What really made me emotional was the fact that my mother wasn't here to share it with me. She introduced my brother and I to The Beatles when I was around 9 years old, back in the mid-1970s. The Beatles music is in my DNA, and I have my mother to thank for that may she R.I.P.
Im 42 and I was raised on the Beatles this song made me cry because I lost my husband recently and the i miss you made me think of all the people i loved and lost.
It's impossible for me to wrap my head around the idea of a "final" Beatles song. I've been listening ever since the first Ed Sullivan Show, and they have been the soundtrack of my life, my friends and companions, ever since. You'd better believe there were tears when I first heard this one. I know I'm not alone in my hope that Peter Jackson will work his magic with Free as a Bird and Real Love too.
The moment in the video where they close in on a wry smile from the matured face of John, that's where I lost it. I couldn't hold the tears back any longer. It reminded me of just how much this band had given me. Given us. Given the world. No other band has touched so many people in so many ways for so long. The sheer breadth and weight of the emotional influence the Beatles music has created is incalculable. In 7 short years they went from the lovable MopTops to the four genius musicians that were the voices of a generation. In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make. And for all his faults, John certainly loved the people of the world. He expressed that through his music and his words. His last to Paul were, "Th ink about me now and then old friend." I'm 58 years old now. I was born in 1966 at the height of the Beatles popularity. I was only 4 years old when they broke up, but I absolutely remember the ubiquitous Beatles. All through the 70's they made solo albums and the question, "Will they ever get back together" was a constant one that all we music lovers pinned our hopes on. Yes, Of course, that all became a sad impossibility on the 8th of December on that cold New York night.
As a Beatles fan from the beginning, I can honestly say I cried like a 13 year old girl at Shea stadium. The song is a fitting end to a career that had highs and lows, but it expresses the love and emotion that exists between best friends that changed the world. When they bowed at the end and faded away, I lost it knowing this was truly the end. Thank you Adam for your truly inspireing outlook on all Rock and Roll. Love Ya Brother....Semper Fi...Tim Smith.
Such a shame , John was back on the scene and so excited about the 80's. Alot of what I hear listening to my favorite group the Beatles is the spirit of John Lennon all over that music. Like George Martin said, "He's one of the great originals of the 20th century." There is nobody like him.
Just sat there and sobbed. Im a 65 year old man. My wife and I traveled to Liverpool to see their homes. Walk the streets. Take the magical mystery tour. Meet the very nice and proud residents. There is more Beatles songs in my Spotify than anything else mixed in with other songs. The Beatles are the part of our souls. I still cry when certain songs play and i think of my family who are now all dead. If you don't understand you're not really human and dont understand true love.
I was only 11 months of age when John Lennon was shot dead in New York City. I didn't even learn his name until I was seven years old and became a postmodern Beatlemaniac. For me, it was the reversal of how most people learned who Julian Lennon was; to me, John was Julian's father, since Julian's *Vallotte* album was atill new in '87. (I also needed to be clued in that Paul McCartney was one of the Beatles.) I always enjoyed "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love" when I heard each of them. What I noticed was that Jeff Lynne seemed to indecently magnify John's absence by processing his vocals on both songs as he did. I didn’t know the details of how those tracks were produced. That wasn't the case with "Now and Then". That track sounds as if Giles Martin and Macca were trying harder to fully integrate John's parts into the mix and make the whole thing sound unfettered. Ironically, the finished product also reminds me of the *Valotte* deep cut "Well I Don't Know", which Julian had written about his father's absence.
I love how you had such a great relationship with your dad and how he influenced your life, and it makes a difference in all of our lives, that you bring all of these great videos to us
I never heard about that planned 1980 reunion before! That settles it. If I invent a time machine, I will go back to 1980 and stop Lennon's murder. Also (and this is totally selfish) I will order every Empire Strikes Back toy from the Sears Christmas catalog and store them in a safe place for future retrieval. Thanks for the excellent video, Professor!
Professor- I’m the biggest Beatle fan ever. My wife and I are in Liverpool right now as I write this. We took a tour yesterday and saw all of their childhood homes. It’s just a crazy coincidence that I’m here as you make this!! RIP John RIP George Love you Paul and Ringo
What a band. They were the first boy band. They turned into rock icons. Sir Paul is my favorite, followed by George. I admired John's songwriting prowess.
I cried more than one the day the song was released (NOW & THEN). It was very emotional for me as i have been a Beatles fan since i was 11 in 1975. I still moss John Lennon and find his memory very inspiring Thank you for covering this. They really were the best rick n roll bamd ever They really were all about love. ☮️💟
I grew up on wings and paul mccartney. The Beatles was always before my time (I was born in 1976). However what made me appreciate that Beatles was the the 2000's movie, "Accross The Universe" That movie blew my fucking mind. Still does. The soundtrack is fucking amazing and a true Eargasm of sound.
"Whatever Gets You Through the Night" was the only Lennon solo single to hit number one in Lennon's lifetime. And I suspect it was only because Elton JOhn - then the biggest rock star on the planet - sang on it.
I find myself singing this song”Now and Then” over and over to myself. I hear John singing to Yoko, Paul singing to John and George, and I hear us, remembering the magic and missing it.
Adam, your commentary is the absolute best. I'm turning 70 tomorrow, so I was still just nine when i first heard the Beatles. I still remember exactly where I was when that first encounter came on the radio. Their music has been with me every day since. The passion with which you deliver your message is inspiring. I fear the Gen-x, Gen-y, (or whatever letter we're up to now) people with their auto-tune, rubber-stamped music will never understand what a truely wonderful gift the Beatles gave to this world.
I would have to agree as well there will never be another band like the Beatles simply the greatest band of all time they will always be my number one favorite rock band.
I cried my eyes out when I heard this. I lost my mum last year who was a huge Beatles fan and she would of adored this, its a stunning song & video. Thank you for this video and allowing us to share.
Poll: What is your pick for the GREATEST Beatles song of all time?
My answer to the most difficult question that you have asked is : Eleanor Rigby
Blackbird.
"Not a Second Time"
Nowhere Man
Fool On The Hill
I'll Follow The Sun
Helter Skelter... I've Got Blisters On My Fingers!
Probably, I am the walrus.
Followed by, strawberry fields and Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Not ashamed to say that as a 64 year old man, I cried when I heard "Now and Then" knowing this was the last song. Then the video came out, I was amazed how well it was done. And when The Beatles took their last bow and the lights went out, I cried even more knowing THIS was the end. God blessed those men...and us.
Same here❤
One of the best videos I have ever seen. Seriously, it was amazing.
As the expected birth of my son drew closer, I became anxious as it would be very close to December 8 /1990. I kept it to myself, but after I held my son, the sense of relief at both his safe arrival, but the date was December 7/90..I hadn't thought of that for a while...till now.
The only thing that made me cry was calling it a Beatle song, which it ain’t.
@7colliemac glad the men who were in the Beatles didn't agree with you. I'll never understand such a sad sack, negative take. Maybe for the guys whose friend was murdered and whose other friend died of cancer, it was a way to close the book on one of the most important events in their lives.
I can’t imagine Paul’s emotional reaction upon first hearing John’s voice free and clear on this one.
I remember when Saturday Night Live offered The Beatles $3.000 to reunite on the following Saturday's show. Paul and John were actually hanging out in John's apartment in the Dakota that night, saw the show, and actually thought about it for a minute or so. Man, that would have been the most surreal thing in rock history.
That was hilarious! I know the story well! My dad told me!
George Harrison made an appearance Nov., 20th, 1976 and tried to claim the prize. One of my favourite moments on SNL was Harrison and Paul Simon playing “Here Comes The Sun”.
And Homeward Bound. They became good friends that night, Paul has said.@@Sherwoody
What was crazy for me about that, I was in New York, to spend time and celebrate Thanksgiving with my New York family members. My cousins and I, we will watch it Saturday Night Live when that offer was made ( later finding out that Paul and John were together).
We laughed and said " the freaking Beatles are not going to show up to Saturday Night Live to get $3,000", beautiful story accounts for correct on how Paul had talked John into showing up... but it was a call from Yoko, that all to that idea. ( her jealous untalented ass, probably was tuned into her to offer herself and deliberately distracted John so he wouldn't even attempt to show up at the studio), so this is why I never happened.
Oh, are we repeating stupid shit everybody already knows? Ok, how about.... I remember when one had to pay for porn and the broads were.... hairy and pretty mid, at best, Im talkin equal to any average middle aged women on the street. Not like today, only an idiot pays for porn, the whooo-ers are barely 18, model caliber, have never learned the word no, not hairy and such broken people that banging on camera is their only way to feel validated... I LOVE this country.... and all the terrible fathers of the smoking hot women getting smashed on camera!!!
The fact the cassette was labeled “For Paul” says everything about the song’s meaning and John’s intentions for it. And yes, I cried like it was December 8th, 1980 all over again.
Yoko wrote "for Paul", not John.
@@iriemon1796Right, she did.
Darnit! Another reality check I wish I hadn't had.@@iriemon1796
Maybe he thought it was rubbish so he'd give it away?
@@andrewpower5416 Could be. John's 'rubbish' would be so much better than anything Paul could come up with.
I watched the documentary first, and gasped when I heard Lennon's voice separated from the piano. When I saw the music video, it did bring a tear to my eye knowing that we lost so much by John and George's early depatures. The Beatles were together again, one last time.
It was lovely to see.
As a 58 year old man, I'm not at all ashamed to say I cried. I also cried heaps during this episode, thank you so much for this, it truly is special. I was born in '65 and even as a kid of three or four years old music had me hooked.
I remember hearing on the radio the DJ announcing that The Beatles had broken up before launching into Hey Jude, and I deeply remember that heartbreaking day of hearing the news that John Lennon had been killed. Like the landing on the moon, I remember the exact spot I was standing in our kitchen when the news came on the radio. Music has always been my passion, and, while others come close, no one tops The Beatles for nurturing that passion. Thank you, John, Paul, George and Ringo.
I love "Now and Then". When I heard that The Beatles had officially released their last song, I wasn't expecting to be as emotionally touched by hearing that song and seeing the video as I was. It is a true testiment to the greatness and longevity for arguably the best band to ever hit the airwaves. Loved your vid!
The song was great, but the video put it in another dimension.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980I hate the bloody song I only heard a quarter of it and that was too too much
Agree.@@alfching2499
I can't imagine the emotions experienced by Ringo and Paul as they sang with their old bandmates. We all know Paul and John had their good and bad times. But in that moment they were working together to finish the song. I'm glad Paul felt it was a sacred duty to complete his friend's composition. What the Beatles accomplished is extraordinary by any standard.
It’s like John came back from the dead to sing with them.
As many have said in various ways, I think the issues between John & Paul were like fights between brothers and that they still cared for each other.
Pop-punk band Blink 182 recently reunited and put out a new album. They also had their two front men have a major falling out. One of them got a bad case of cancer and the other one (who not long before thought he would never do another music tour again) suddenly felt like all he wanted to do was play with his friends again. I wonder if the same kind of feelings were there between John & Paul. Check out Blink's new song One More Time, btw.
Life is too short, so always remember what’s important.
☮️Peace & Love💟
Ringo and Billy as Paul
With the release of their last song "Now and Then" the Beatles Era officially came to a close. I was very fortunate to see them on Ed Sullivan on February 9th, 1964 and be able to enjoy their music since that time. IMO they truly are The Best Group in all of Rock and Roll History.
Actually, Now and Then debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 7. I definitely cried, especially when watching the video. Watching Paul and Ringo sing "now and then I miss you" while flashing over to John and George, says it all! There couldn't have been a better video to do the song justice. Then they bow at the end and disappear as if to say "our work is finished." A job well done, boys!
Definitely an emotional ending.
…and the lights go out.
@johnrecords5709 It's funny, I've watched a lot of people reacting to that video and they stopped it as soon as the group disappears. They have no idea that the lights go out after that.
The Beatles are so much more than a "boy band" (I hate that term). They are far and away the most prolific and creative rock act in history. Musicians emulated them. Historians wrote about them and documented them. They were everything. Hearing every composition has been a treat. Losing John and George was like losing family members who always made you feel better no matter what was going on. Hearing new recordings made my heart soar. Listening to 'Now And Then' was the ultimate visit from those we lost and having a chance to say goodbye and share how much we loved them. The song was legendary. And yes, I was reduced to tears hearing them together one more time. There will never be anyone like them again. They were, for all their flaws and personality differences, still perfect when they came together. This is what rock music is all about. Much love to them all.
The Beatles are NOT a boy band. At all. They are so much more than that. The band that kicked open the door to a new era of rock and influenced thousands of musicians to come.
If the Beatles are a boy band then so are Slayer.
Real bands write their own songs and play their own instruments.
Boy bands just sing and do a dance routine.
The people who call them that are either ignorant or stupid. LOL For starters, they weren't assembled by producers. Also, they played their own instruments and wrote their own songs. They were a band. The most influential band in recorded history. If they aren't a band, then bands don't exist.
I don't know how may times I;ve said that as the younger set us that term describe what they did not live through based on their own era's terms and experience. All I can do is shake my head no, yawn and sigh. some of them actually think WWII was a movie, egad!!
What an absolutely brilliant comment 👍
I am grateful that we got this song, but yet sad that it is truly the last. Thank you, Beatles. Love.
Thanks!
Me too.
@mypl510 I don't think it's the last. I am sure something may come in another decade. With all the technologies and all the shelved music they have, they might have something else up their sleeve. Until that day, lets hold on to the wonderful memories we have of their music. It internal. ❤
This is absurd this is not the last we’ve heard from those Beatles!(even after ALL THINGS MUST pass
I have no doubt there are MANY unfinished songs on cassettes, somewhere. The bootlegs back in the '70s were jam-packed (pun intended) with them noodling around in the studio.@@ProfessorofRock
This 71 year old grandma cried like a 12 year old. That’s how old I was when I saw them . Beautiful. How I miss those lads❤
Free as a Bird and Real Love along with the rest of the Anthology was terrific! This new song sounds like it was written in the Double Fantasy days. The first time I heard Now and Then I shed a tear. I miss them alot!! Great memories whenever I hear a Beatles song.
Thanks, Professor!!
😎👍
I agree! Thanks!
There couldn’t have been a better sendoff.
@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980
Hey Lilly! I agree 100%
😎👍
That’s exactly what i told my son…this song could’ve been on Lennons “Double Fantasy”…nothing Beatles about it…it’s all Lennon.
@@NickWebber-vp4pdpretty sure John wrote on the tape "for Paul". People look at Beatles songs like each person didn't bring their own style to their own songs. Lennon songs sound nothing like McCartney songs even in the Beatles. Harrison songs sound nothing like any of the other three guys songs.
What a gift. There are so many amazing songs...and this was the perfect finale. Thank you John, Paul, George, and Ringo. You were right all along..."All You Need Is Love".
I'm 67, and have loved The Beatles since that night on Ed Sullivan. I did have tears hearing Now and Then. It reminded me that great music can be made. The Beatles are the greatest band of all time!! Without them, many bands would have never existed.
Yes that's the night I got to Dump the Princeton haircut. They changed so many young lives. God Bless those Boys😊
Thank you Adam for such a great heartfelt tribute to a wonderful band.
Your enthusiasm never ceases to amaze and inspire me.
Now in my late 60`s I grew up with the Beatles here in the UK and as you say they were the inspiration to so many great bands that followed in both the US and UK.
All music lovers owe them so much.
My Uncle has played Beatles music for 40 years on stage as part of his concerts. My father gave me his copy of the White Album as a kid... To be able to actually experience a Beatles song release with both of them still here to see it, was one of the most poignant music experiences of my life. The both taught me how to play guitar as a kid. Music runs strong in my family and this was completely surreal.
My sister was the original Beatles fan in our household. She had Beatles records, posters, pins, bubblegum cards, you name it, she had it. I liked them too and began to dial in when Rubber Soul was released. Like every other kid in the neighbourhood, I had a guitar and dreamed of being a rock star. In later years I gained a new appreciation for their music. I always loved the song, “And Your Bird Can Sing”. A seemingly simple song was really difficult to play. I never did get it quite right, but I still love the song.
I love that!
@CnyAutofreakRacingVideo My mother was a huge Beatles fan. Unfortunately she passed away from cancer 2 years ago. I watched the video without listening to the song first. To say tears were flowing would be an understatement. I know she would have loved this song, and I wish she could have been here to enjoy it with me. At least I still have my father who was also a fan. The lyrics, as well as the footage in the video, hit deeper than anything has for me since my mom's passing. One of my all time favorite guitarists was murdered on the same day John was killed - only 24 years later + in the same manner, and she related with me on that
46 years old and been a fan of the Beatles as long as i can remember. This song reminded me how great these guys were and reintroduced to their music like i was hearing it for the first time
Another great episode. Can't go wrong with the Beatles. Hope there are more Beatles episodes coming our way soon.
For sure. What would you like to see next Ted?
@@ProfessorofRockCould you rank all the Beatles albums from worst to best please?
My 24 year old daughter and I are definitely having a moment with this. She told me she's so excited to be alive during "The Beatles Era." Now and Then officially extended it to 2023. She and I both enjoyed it together with the rest of the world and once again have a chance to celebrate the undisputed greatest band of all time.
I'm a Gen Xer and am a first generation Beatles fan. No one introduced me to them, my parents loved the same influences that the Beatles loved - my mom was 15 days younger then JWOL. I fell in love with them myself as a little kid. Real Love still makes me bawl like a baby. And Now and Then is just mind blowing!
I was a Beatles listener from day one. No matter what you think of them, their music and influence will always be iconic.
This episode is so special. I love these tracks. Better music than 99% of music out there. Long live all the Beatles, beautiful geniuses. Viva peace. Ringo’s spirit is what we should all aspire to. Creative, accepting, loving, and importantly: allowing our loved ones to be their best.
“Better than 99% of music” - You live in a vacuum or don’t get out much. There are thousands of songs better than this shite.
The Beatles were a huge part of my childhood. My sister Lee saw them perform live, we had Beatles wallpaper in one of the rooms of our house, we were excited with every new release, and, like most fans, we were heartbroken when they broke up. However, we followed their solo careers and always hoped that one day they might reunite. Those hopes were dashed with John's death and I still have the first edition of the London Evening Standard which reported on the tragedy. The epic Peter Jackson documentary was fascinating and when this latest song, "Now and Then", came out and I watched the pop video I was very moved. When John's "Plastic Ono Band" album came out (1970) one English rock magazine said something like, "John put his balls on the line and the train stopped out of sheer respect!" That was because of the honest emotion in the lyrics and singing. With "Now and Then" John's simple, relatable message, together with the gentleness of his voice, provoked an emotional response which is very rare in pop/rock music. Many young people who weren't even alive when the Fab Four broke up have been shedding a tear in their single reviews. Like you said, Adam, we live at a time when there is division everywhere and an unfortunate return of tribalism. We have never needed more a unifying force like the Beatles, a reminder of our shared humanity and frailty.
In a world of craziness, this song is the type of friend we need.
I'm one of those "young people" (although at 40 I certainly don't feel young!) that shed a tear too. Like a million others of his generation, my dad had every record and I bought every new release I could myself from the 90s onwards. You're spot on about John's voice. He could be so playful, aloof, sarcastic and sometimes plain scathing, but when he sang - particularly on those solo records - you heard his heart. Whether he meant it or not, we now have Now and Then crystallised as a piece of music that yearns for the days he would muck around with his mates in a band. We know he valued that time in his heart, even if his interviews in the 70s were mainly negative. It not only adds closure to the Beatles story, but to John's life. Unlike George, he never got a chance to grow (relatively) old and say goodbye.
Perfectly said my good sir!
I get tears in my eyes every time I listen to "Now and Then". The Beatles arrived in the US on February 7, 1964, my 12th birthday. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift! And now, all these years later, I still absolutely love their music. "Now and Then" is also a gift, and I am so grateful to be alive to hear it!
Yes, lots of tears.
I love the quiet way it expresses that grief that has been around for years. No longer the constant anguish, but that constant companion in the background that comes forward “now and then.”
My dad’s been gone for nearly ten years-and I still miss him. As I know Paul and Ringo miss their friends.
Such a perfect song to close out 60 years of The Beatles.
In 1980, I was a senior in high school when John Lennon was assassinated. I lived in a small town in Maine. The radio station we had in town, WSME, contacted me knowing I had a complete collection of Beatles albums in which they requested to use to program a Beatles "A to Z" songs weekend. For that I was very grateful to be able to participate in helping the local community listen to Beatles music and reflected on the tragedy that just had happened.
In my opinion, Now & Then is the best of the three Beatles post songs. The quality of this song does fit into this band's catalog of music while they played together. These musicians were consistantly at the forefront of the music world by working towards fresh sound though different musical instrumentation techniques and technology innovations; it is no surprise to me that the remaining Beatles were willing to employ AI to separate John's voice for this song to create this haunting and beautiful piece. I still have great emotion each time I hear this new song; I think about all the people in my life who have come and gone, and of course, the Beatles themselves..
Like Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach, the Beatles are a music icon that will be acknowledged by mankind for centuries to come.
Thank you Professor for this presentation.
-NS
This is the perfect final Bealles song. Everything about it. I was teary eyed when I heard it for the first time. I was crying when I saw the video. The video and editing have not received enough credit. It is awesome.
Awesome comment. I agree.
It’s a perfect video.
Respectfully, I feel like "The Long and Winding Road" was the perfect swan song for the lads. A huge part of it being that it was getting all the air play while band was breaking up.
I am thrilled I've lived through all of it ..the early days, Ed Sullivan and everything at 71. So grateful
I was 13 in 1963. They changed my life. I started playing music. Traded in my shotgun for an old set of drums and began a long and fruitful career playing music. I have jammed with some pretty big names and look back satisfied. It was all started when I first heard Love Me Do. They have been a constant I could lean on. I still lean on their music.
Musical instruments are a lot less dangerous than guns, thank you! Former music teacher here....reminds me of that old saying "Don't Shoot me, I'm just the piano player."
I was a sophomore in high school on February 1964 when the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. I became a fan and started teaching myself guitar to their songs. I collected and still have all of their original vinyl LPs and most of the 45s released in the U.S. Hearing Now and Then brought back many emotions and memories. I also cried a bit. Bittersweet.
Fab video, Professor! I shared a birthday with John, October 9th, and when he was shot it was like someone had shot me. I lost about a week in complete incoherent grief. I still mourn every December 8th. So I definitely cried when I first heard this song, and not just because John's voice was so melancholically clear. No, it was because of everything the Beatles have meant to me over my lifetime, how much they have meant to all of us...and how perfect this swansong really is. It's really tears of gratitude. So I bow to you as well. Thank you for this.
I am glad you said about tears, when I heard Now and Then with the video I couldn't help but cry and I didn't know why but it cut me deep!!!
Same! What did you think of the lyrics?
@@ProfessorofRock I think that is what struck me the lyrics thoughts of loss hit me hard.
Same.
I choke back tears every time I hear "Now and Then" because of the chords.... they just resonate in my soul, it seems. I love how the focus of the song was John; he was the only lead vocal. I love the subtle references to other Beatles songs and styles, from the strings to the "Because" harmonies. There is just so much depth to this song. And yes, I cried the first time I heard it. I have loved The Beatles for over 50 years, Paul in particular. I have seen him in concert 6 times since 1990. The last time I saw him was in 2022 in Orlando as a retirement gift to myself. Tears then just like every other time.
Thank you for covering this! I was hoping you would!
Thanks for watching!
Did the same thing , a retirement gift to ourselves! It was expensive but my husband and I both agree it was money well spent. We still are in awe of the videos we took. Feel very blessed to have been able to do that.
Have you seen any of the other three?
@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 unfortunately no. I was hoping to see Ringo on his most recent tour but was unable. How about you?
@Leftylow totally with you on that! So glad you and your husband got to share that experience!
Great tribute Adam...would love to see deeper dives into the Anthologies. I am also guilty of shedding tears for Now and Then and couldn't be happier to see them reclaim the top spot, as you said, with impeccable timing...Without The Beatles, life would be a mistake!!!
Amen!!
Great suggestion! Which one should I start with?
@@ProfessorofRock The 3rd, and go backwards...
Me too. When I saw the song debut on the Hot 100 this week I was elated!
@@ProfessorofRock Go in chronological order.
I have gotten very emotional with this "new" song. It's like a Rollercoaster of my return to that time of my life and a wistful longing for what could have been. Thanks, Adam, for this breakdown. Yours has been the best I've seen. Keep up the great work, brother.
I’m Beatles obsessed! Beatlemania still exists at my house lol I’ve seen Paul 4 times and the last one was just surreal. Hands down the best concert I’ve been to in my life. I love Now And Then, good to hear John’s voice. ❤ Thanks for this video!
Awesome! What years did you see him?
Only saw Paul once, At Knebworth in 1990. He was awesome. Hey Jude with 140000 fans is one of my greatest concert moments. He also did a Lennon medley that he only ever performed there and the week before in Liverpool. Not a Beatles one but a Lennon solo medley!
@@ProfessorofRock Lexington KY 1990, Memphis TN 1993, Memphis TN 2013, Knoxville Tn 2022. The Flowers In The Dirt tour in 90 was special because Linda was on stage. And the Got Back tour, his current tour, was so amazing with John on the big screen. The light show was stunning. he rose up on a platform with the screen underneath him showing a blackbird flying as he sang that song. It is amazing being in the same place as a Beatle. There is a different feel as his fans adore him and you can actually feel this love and he returns it! Tom Petty concerts had that feel too.
I am Beatles obsessed as well I think now and then is a really great song and what a great band they were and still are not just the best rock band in the world but the best band in pompano genres of music. I have been obsessed with a beetle since I was 11 years old.
I Saw sir Paul in 1990 in Frankfurt Germany when I was 17. He played Staaberry Fields on the Piano❤️I still
Have the ticket stubs
Hi Adam, I'll try to be brief - though my friends would tell you that I never am! LOL
I joined your channel earlier this year, because quite frankly - I was impressed. I'm 56 yrs old, born in '68, a child of the 70's, a teen in the 80's.
Music's always been a part of my life. My brother was a musician, and I made it as far as being a wannabe! LOL However, throughout my teens, and 20's, I devoured BIOS on all my fav Rockers, as well as magazines, album purchases, hours spent watching the original MTV (when they still played music - gasp!), and attending dozens of concerts, and somewhere along the way, (much like yourself) I became (according to friends) an expert.
Music has always been in my life - my earliest memories, and it is everything to me. My fav band of all-time is the mighty Zeppelin, my fav movement is Prog-Rock, and my fav decade is the 70's, because the 70's had it all, and it's quite simply the best of the best.
I know alot, about what I love, but when I began to watch you - which I happened on by chance, I was impressed. I was already aware of many of the stories you had, but equally unaware of others. I'm not just impressed by your knowledge, but touched by your love of music, as well as of your family - Your late Father in particular.
You're great at what you do, and I Thank You - Salute You for it.
I'd been wanting to drop you a line for sometime, but life gets in the way... however I just saw your video now for the Beatles tracks, and although the song 'Now, and Then' never brought a tear to my eyes - the video for the song did.
I got very emotional when I first saw the video... what an amazing job they did, bringing all the members from all the different eras together again, as if they REALLY were there. Amazing, and it makes me tear up every single time.
Anyway, I hope you see this post of mine, and enjoy it, as I have enjoyed your many great videos
I wish You, and Your family all the very best of Holiday seasons, and the very best for the new year.
As Ringo would say - "Peace, and Love".
CHEERS, PAUL. 😁
I've listen to it once I'm afraid of it.. when it started and I heard John's voice I felt like someone threw me into a wall I'm going through one of the worst times of my life right now and to hear John's voice caused all this worry all this fear and all this hurt to explode.. hard to explain it was like being free for a moment all the chains to all the weights that were holding me down broke for a moment now there's a spark 👍
The Beatles still mean so much. The greatest musical group in history. Their influence moved then transcended popular culture in the 20th century. And possibly beyond.
I haven’t heard this song yet, but this episode brought me to tears. I was only a few months old when the Beatles came to America, so I actually grew up hearing their music all the time. I just turned 60 and it’s so sad to think it’s absolutely over. There will be no more possibility of new Beatles music. Thank you Adam for such a beautiful and touching story about the making of this song.
I think there might be a lot of unreleased material that will be released you never know.
Happy belated!
I'm a 70 year old woman, the Beatles were my lads, my first loves if you will. I was quite skeptical about the integrity of the song, fearing it would be totally manipulative. I did finally watch it, and definitely cried. Well done and full of heart and love.
I ordered a 7 inch single of Now and Then on November 1st after viewing the short documentary. After learning about the long history of trying to record the track and hearing Sean Lennon say my father would have wanted this, I decided to get the single. It's a nice tribute to John and George and the last song for the Beatles legacy.
Very cool. What did you think of the other songs?
@@ProfessorofRockThey are all a blessing for Beatles fans ❤️
@@catherine6653 yes!
It’s the Beatles’ final reunion, and a heart-melting farewell.
I am a 45 year old man in the UK and I’m an avid Beatle fan. Like you I cried the first time I heard this… and the second and third. There is so much to take from Now and then in particular. It’s a wonderful song with a great video. It stirs up that nostalgia we have of The Beatles and how the made us feel through different times in our lives.
Like you it also brought to mind past love ones- those lyrics are truly wonderful.
I’ve only recently discovered you on UA-cam and I have to say I’m impressed- you speak very clearly and with such a passion about music. You really know your stuff- keep up the good work *Subscribed*
The video of Now and Then certainly invokes a lot of emotions. Also, on Paul's most recent tour, I've Got a Feeling with John actually singing his part (from the rooftop performance) on the large video screen and actually participating in the live performance brought chills.
Love that!
I saw that, and it was so touching.
I cried, Now&Then touched my memories of my parents, my girls, my youth.
The Monkees did some creative stuff onstage with older videos showing their departed bandmates, especially right after Davy Jones died. Only Micky Dolenz left now.
I loved the song from the first hearing, but when the video for Now and Then was released, that’s when the tears came for me. So much emotion! The video was flawless, and as you said Adam, “perfect timing.” It was a perfect ending to who, for me, will always be the greatest band of all time!
I was 9 years old when Lennon was killed. I cried my eyes out. I knew it was the end of the Beatles. Yes, even at that yound of an ago I was a Beatles fans. My mother and uncle played a lot of Beatles records around me while I was growing. I was very in tune with the world of music at that age. So now when this song was release. I was on edge about hearing it. I was afraid that todays tech would take away the magic they once had. But it didn't. It sent chills all over me. Hearing Lennon's voice saying other words I never heard before was strange. A voice from beyond the grave.
Thank you, Adam. I'm almost 75 and yeah, I got teary eyed.
The thing about that song if that if you are a fan, and know the history about the band, the things they went trough the anthology 1 to 3, and the meaning of that particular last song, it just hits you hard...directly into your empathy, your moments shared with those songs..maybe your childhood. it's just almost impossible not to fall into that waterfall of feelings .
I didn't cry, I heard it as I was driving, but it totally filled me up. I just heard and orchestral version with full strings. It was gorgeous. Just proving that Beatles' music is right up there with classical music. Glad that I've had the ability to enjoy them and spread the musical wealth to my kids.
Among everything else it is, this episode is a great tribute to the greatest of the great. Nice work, Professor. I have to say, when that illuminated sign switches off at the end of the video for Now and Then, it's difficult to keep a tear from my eye.
I know.
Watching this video for the first time gave me the same vibe as visiting Strawberry Fields in New York ...It made me reflect on what we've lost but also the gift they've left this world , much like Johnny Cash's version of Hurt ....it ultimately left me with a sense of peace that they are never really gone
It hits just as hard as Hurt does.
I just cannot express IN WORDS how great this segment is - Beatles continue to work miracles - Honestly, yes - I also kinda teared up (especially after seein the N&Then documentary) - My mom introduced me to them, just as your dad did - *U speak the truth about watching R&R 'disappear' - New culture taking over, etc etc
I fell in love with the music of the Beatles in 1980, when I was 15, and as I was really getting into them, John Lennon was murdered. I was devastated. Throughout the years I've collected a good amount of their music. I loved when Michael and Paul worked together, when George worked with Jeff and Tom in theTraveling Wilburys and when Ringo would join his former band members for his projects.
When my sons were born, they were raised listening to a very good, eclectic variety of music that I have in my huge collection. Being a musician, I listened and appreciated many artists from many genres, which included a great positioning of the Beatles' music. In their discovery of their own tastes, I was proud to see that they loved the Beatles as much, if not more,. than I did. My two sons, Andres (the older one by 15 months) and Alex (both musicians in their own right) truly appreciated the plethora of artists, styles and genres I exposed them to while they grew up.
Five years ago, when Alex was 20 years old, he was killed suddenly from a freak accident at a construction site. Our family was devastated. I was a mess, and didn't want to do anything for months. I was just shutting down and didn't care if I continued on or not. Of course, I had Andres still, and I knew I couldn't leave him like that or continue in that state of mind. Over the years, I slowly came around and when I was back to myself, in November of '22, I had a series of three Ischemic Strokes back-to-back. It affected my memory, both short and long term.
When "Now & Then" was released, it was a complete surprise to me when Andres was visiting and played it for me. Later, we watched the video together, and seeing John and George with Paul and Ringo, and how they are playing with their younger selves, and realizing Alex would have loved to be sitting with us here, enjoying this reunion of sorts, I lost it all over again. The Beatles had become something we all enjoyed together, and we'd go on discussing their phrasing, production, lyrics ... everything, and it came to Andres and I that that would never happen again. I cried for John and George ... and then really cried for Alex even more.
A couple days later, Andres and I talked about that moment, stating we both felt Alex's presence in the room with us during the song. And we both cried a little more.
Thank you, Paul, George and Ringo for doing this, and Jeff for producing it. What a wonderful gift you gave to the world.
Thank you, John, for writing and recording the song when you did.
And, thank you, Yoko, for giving Paul the cassette. If it weren't for your kind gift, this wouldn't have happened at all.
Thanks also to Adam Reader and crew for featuring it here for all of us. I know this comment wasn't in line with your poll question, but, I felt compelled to put this here, 'lest I forget it.
And finally, thank you Andres, for sharing with me a moment with Alex ... and the Beatles. I love you, son. - tgr
Just sounds better each time I play it again, and yes, I tear up, because it is a beautifully poignant song with fantastic instrumentation. Sounds so deceptively fresh and simple but profound like all their songs. The Beatles always make me happy when I hear one of their songs, but this time it clutches my heart as well. Brilliant song to say goodbye.
Well said!
It sounds like gold. The production work is incredible.
Prof, I love your channel. I’m English and was 13 when I first heard The Beatles Live Me Do. I know ‘64 was the big break through in the US and the world, in ‘63 the lads became huge in the UK. Four singles three of which were number ones, two LP’s which pretty much were at number one for almost the entire year and numerous EP’s. What a great year! So I was 13 when the lads arrived and I was 20 when they stopped. 7 amazing musical years and I loved everything the Beatles did. I lived Free as a Bird and Real Love but I am entranced by Now and Then. It is beautiful and yes, I cried! Keep rockin’ my friend!
You promised this episode recently I am so happy you found the time to do it!! It still hurts to listen to Now and Then. I recently went to NYC for my daughter's wedding and the first day there I visited the Dakota, Strawberry Fields and the Imagine Mosaic. There was a young lady playing an acoustic guitar and singing Imagine. Not too proud to say I got teary eyed. I hope one day they add a memorial for George there too. Imagine if John had lived for that reunion it would have been the biggest musical event of my lifetime. Thanks for this episode professor you did a fantastic job on it. ❤
Thanks My Name!
Never been to NY but plan to go before I graduate! I have to see Strawberry Fields.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 strawberry field isn't much too see but the city has so much to see and do, if you get the chance to go there is no place like it
@@MyName-pl7zn I will have to put that on my bucket list!
I didn't tear up over Now and Then. I did tear up a few years ago when Paul was doing I've Got a Feeling live, and the John part from the rooftop played on the big screens. I didn't believe it. (Real Love. The BEST of the three!)
I love your Springsteen shirt, Adam, you have a fantastic taste in music, between him and the Beatles!
I've said it before, redo Free As A Bird and Real Love with the new technology. I, as a Beatles fan since 1964, would buy them in a heartbeat.❤
You never fail to bring great content!
Ah... Thank you!
The Beatles churned out 211 songs in 8 years. 186 of those were written by them. That's not counting the songs they wrote and gave to other artists. In that 8 years, they had 49 top 40 hits, 20 of which were #1. They could've easily had 120+ top 40 hits, but just not enough time in that 8 year window. That catalog could easily spread out over 30 years with multiple genre versatility.. So I NEVER cry over their break up. I can't ask for more. The Beatles' catalog is beyond extraordinary. Be thankful for that, don't sit crying for more, more, more.
❤
Free As A Bird was great! The reunion that never was.
Thanks Professor. Thanks for the Sears catalog reference.
It hits harder knowing that it’s not possible for them to come back together.
I was living in La Verne, CA when my mom took me and my sister, along with our aunt and went to see A Hard Day's Night when that movie was released. My sister couldn't wait to see George and I was arguing with her that Paul was the handsomest! We we're six and seven years-old! Years later my heart simply stopped beating when John Lennon was killed. We still had George, Paul and Ringo and I still listened to their music. Then George was taken by cancer, and I cried inconsolably for days. Thank you for bringing the nostalgia of my screaming youth-filled days at a drive-in and the soul-searching and the fun music of a never-to-be-forgotten group of 4 handsome and talented men from across the pond, known as the Beatles!
Carl Perkins said that when he wrote the song "My Old Friend" for Paul in the early 1980s, he came up the line "my old friend, won't you think about me every now and then?" and he played the song for Paul, and Paul just fell apart. He asked Linda if he had done something wrong, and that's when she told him John's last words to Paul.
The first listen to just the song left me nostalgic but fairly unmoved. Watching the video the next day broke me. I haven’t been moved to tears like that in decades. The best final bow imaginable.
Real Love is such a great song. The melodies are perfect.
I agree. Did you get the anthologies when they came out?
@@ProfessorofRock Absolutely. Spent weeks combing through all of them. Real Love just hooked me though. That piano walk to the chorus for that hook only the Beatles could deliver, and all of those lil pieces of guitar work to flesh it out.... Just too good.
Superb melody writing.
I'm 62 (not 64). Liverpool born and bred. Love the song and this video. Going through a hard time with my elderly parents, this is bringing me relief and comfort particularly when things are so horrible in the world. Beatles for peace and love. They're our boys and always will be, no.matter what our backgrounds. So glad this has come out.
Nice breakdown. The Beatles have been my favorite band since I was 5 and my mom and older brothers would play their music. I tear up everytime I hear Now and Then. When I first heard it, I thought it was so-so. But everytime I listened afterwards, the more Iiked it. I think it is the best of the 3 songs, IMHO. Love it. Beatles will always be the #1 with nobody else close.
Definitely the best by a large margin.
6 year old white guy from Kansas here, grow up the Beatles and was a senior in high school when John Lennon got assassinated and I was literally playing Double Fantasy on my turntable when my mom leaned in the door and gave me the news.
This is one of the most well said and unbiased and comprehensive description of all this that I've heard on a reaction channel. I'm quite impressed
The first time I heard Now and Then it hit such a deep note of nostalgia in my core. I felt as if I was both hearing a song from memory and, at the same moment, discovering The Beatles for the first time.
Great analysis Linda!
It’s like reuniting with and saying farewell to a loved one.
Not only the song made me tear up but the video was so heartfelt and touching. Beautiful memories for this 71 yr old Beatle fan.
Professor, that was a great Beatles tribute. Back in the 90's, I bought the Beatles Anthology. Both "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" are terrific songs. I was very excited when I heard the news that another Beatles song called "Now And Then" was going to be released this year. Once it was released to be accessed on the internet, I immediately played the new song. "Now And Then" is a great song and it's wonderful hearing The Beatles at their best one more time.
Proud to have a soul: I din't only cry the first time I listened to this song, but the second, the third, the fourth...
This 57 y.o. got all teary-eyed when listening to and watching Now and Then. I love the harmony, and especially hearing Ringo's voice come through. The slide guitar. George smiling back in '95. And the strings! The strings make this such a truly Beatles tune. Love it.
I found the video very emotional for me. The CGI Beatles felt like spirits that always surround Paul and Ringo. And I was glad they chose funny moments of them to balance the heavy heart feelings of the obvious fact that a true reunion was impossible.
I did hear a wonderful interview with George with an American radio station. He was being very candid and relaxed. They had handed him a gretsch guitar before the interview and he was playing with it all during the callers questions. He was promoting cloud 9. Fans were calling in and asking him questions. The last fan that called in asked him... What do you see when you look in the mirror George? He said very sadly... Oh please don't ask me that. Please just don't ask me that. He said that he sees some good things and some bad things. And that the goal of a buddhist is to live your life so you don't have to come back to fix the sins of the prior life. He said unfortunately, he's going to have to come back again. He said one thing he definitely didn't want to be in his next life was famous lol.
I cried just as I cried when I heard "Free as a Bird" for the first time. What really made me emotional was the fact that my mother wasn't here to share it with me. She introduced my brother and I to The Beatles when I was around 9 years old, back in the mid-1970s. The Beatles music is in my DNA, and I have my mother to thank for that may she R.I.P.
The Beatles were and are the best. I think the song is great and the video is amazing!
So do I.
Im 42 and I was raised on the Beatles this song made me cry because I lost my husband recently and the i miss you made me think of all the people i loved and lost.
It's impossible for me to wrap my head around the idea of a "final" Beatles song. I've been listening ever since the first Ed Sullivan Show, and they have been the soundtrack of my life, my friends and companions, ever since. You'd better believe there were tears when I first heard this one. I know I'm not alone in my hope that Peter Jackson will work his magic with Free as a Bird and Real Love too.
The moment in the video where they close in on a wry smile from the matured face of John, that's where I lost it. I couldn't hold the tears back any longer.
It reminded me of just how much this band had given me. Given us. Given the world.
No other band has touched so many people in so many ways for so long.
The sheer breadth and weight of the emotional influence the Beatles music has created is incalculable.
In 7 short years they went from the lovable MopTops to the four genius musicians that were the voices of a generation.
In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make. And for all his faults, John certainly loved the people of the world. He expressed that through his music and his words.
His last to Paul were, "Th ink about me now and then old friend."
I'm 58 years old now. I was born in 1966 at the height of the Beatles popularity.
I was only 4 years old when they broke up, but I absolutely remember the ubiquitous Beatles.
All through the 70's they made solo albums and the question, "Will they ever get back together" was a constant one that all we music lovers pinned our hopes on.
Yes,
Of course, that all became a sad impossibility on the 8th of December on that cold New York night.
Nice one, Adam.
I was hoping you would cover this.🙌
Thanks for watching!
@@ProfessorofRock And yes, I cried too after listening to, and watching the video.
As a Beatles fan from the beginning, I can honestly say I cried like a 13 year old girl at Shea stadium. The song is a fitting end to a career that had highs and lows, but it expresses the love and emotion that exists between best friends that changed the world. When they bowed at the end and faded away, I lost it knowing this was truly the end. Thank you Adam for your truly inspireing outlook on all Rock and Roll. Love Ya Brother....Semper Fi...Tim Smith.
Such a shame , John was back on the scene and so excited about the 80's. Alot of what I hear listening to my favorite group the Beatles is the spirit of John Lennon all over that music. Like George Martin said, "He's one of the great originals of the 20th century." There is nobody like him.
I know! It would've bee something special.
He had an overall positive impact on us music fans.
Just sat there and sobbed. Im a 65 year old man. My wife and I traveled to Liverpool to see their homes. Walk the streets. Take the magical mystery tour. Meet the very nice and proud residents.
There is more Beatles songs in my Spotify than anything else mixed in with other songs.
The Beatles are the part of our souls. I still cry when certain songs play and i think of my family who are now all dead.
If you don't understand you're not really human and dont understand true love.
I was only 11 months of age when John Lennon was shot dead in New York City. I didn't even learn his name until I was seven years old and became a postmodern Beatlemaniac. For me, it was the reversal of how most people learned who Julian Lennon was; to me, John was Julian's father, since Julian's *Vallotte* album was atill new in '87. (I also needed to be clued in that Paul McCartney was one of the Beatles.)
I always enjoyed "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love" when I heard each of them. What I noticed was that Jeff Lynne seemed to indecently magnify John's absence by processing his vocals on both songs as he did. I didn’t know the details of how those tracks were produced.
That wasn't the case with "Now and Then". That track sounds as if Giles Martin and Macca were trying harder to fully integrate John's parts into the mix and make the whole thing sound unfettered. Ironically, the finished product also reminds me of the *Valotte* deep cut "Well I Don't Know", which Julian had written about his father's absence.
So you were born in January of 1980? January baby, just like me!
I love how you had such a great relationship with your dad and how he influenced your life, and it makes a difference in all of our lives, that you bring all of these great videos to us
I never heard about that planned 1980 reunion before! That settles it. If I invent a time machine, I will go back to 1980 and stop Lennon's murder. Also (and this is totally selfish) I will order every Empire Strikes Back toy from the Sears Christmas catalog and store them in a safe place for future retrieval. Thanks for the excellent video, Professor!
Thanks!
I’ll help you do it!
Professor- I’m the biggest Beatle fan ever. My wife and I are in Liverpool right now as I write this. We took a tour yesterday and saw all of their childhood homes. It’s just a crazy coincidence that I’m here as you make this!!
RIP John
RIP George
Love you Paul and Ringo
The most beautiful lyrics from John and emotion...truly spiritually transcendent swan song.
John was a prophet. This song is all the proof I need.
Thanks!
Totally agree!
Rock n Roll will never die, it's in our soul as a freedom of expression. Long live The Beatles! Peace and Love is all we need now
What a band. They were the first boy band. They turned into rock icons. Sir Paul is my favorite, followed by George. I admired John's songwriting prowess.
Amen!
Paul was definitely the best.
The Beatles were never a boy band.
I cried more than one the day the song was released (NOW & THEN).
It was very emotional for me as i have been a Beatles fan since i was 11 in 1975.
I still moss John Lennon and find his memory very inspiring Thank you for covering this. They really were the best rick n roll bamd ever They really were all about love.
☮️💟
I grew up on wings and paul mccartney. The Beatles was always before my time (I was born in 1976). However what made me appreciate that Beatles was the the 2000's movie, "Accross The Universe" That movie blew my fucking mind. Still does. The soundtrack is fucking amazing and a true Eargasm of sound.
Thanks!
I cry every time I hear this song, all my adult life is bound to the Beatles, the greatest of all bands...
Hard to believe Ringo and George each had more top 40 hits in the 70s than John... I would've lost that bet for sure!
Collectively or individually?
NO kidding. Who would've thought?
Probably down to his “Lost Weekend” and Yoko’s control
"Whatever Gets You Through the Night" was the only Lennon solo single to hit number one in Lennon's lifetime. And I suspect it was only because Elton JOhn - then the biggest rock star on the planet - sang on it.
@@Ganja-jh6iyindividually, according to the PoR...
I find myself singing this song”Now and Then” over and over to myself. I hear John singing to Yoko, Paul singing to John and George, and I hear us, remembering the magic and missing it.
No soul confirmed. I can’t even make it through the whole song
Adam, your commentary is the absolute best. I'm turning 70 tomorrow, so I was still just nine when i first heard the Beatles. I still remember exactly where I was when that first encounter came on the radio. Their music has been with me every day since.
The passion with which you deliver your message is inspiring. I fear the Gen-x, Gen-y, (or whatever letter we're up to now) people with their auto-tune, rubber-stamped music will never understand what a truely wonderful gift the Beatles gave to this world.
There is no denying that The Beatles are the greatest band ever!!!
What they acomplished will never be replicated.
I have to agree!
I would have to agree as well there will never be another band like the Beatles simply the greatest band of all time they will always be my number one favorite rock band.
The most important band of all time.
I cried my eyes out when I heard this. I lost my mum last year who was a huge Beatles fan and she would of adored this, its a stunning song & video.
Thank you for this video and allowing us to share.