In 1964, the Beatles earned their first Grammy with Best Performance By A Vocal Group for the song “A Hard Day’s Night,” along with a Best New Artist Grammy, the first of seven wins and 25 nominations with the Academy. Almost fifty years later, they’re competing for a Grammy in 2025: Record of the Year.
It’s up against some steep competition, with Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso,” which Trent Reznor said was his song of the year at this year’s Golden Globes, and other hit songs by Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, and Chappell Roan. But there’s a chance!
The song, "Now and Then," which was originally written in ballad form by John Lennon around 1977 as a solo home recording, was considered for release as a single on 1980’s Anthology, after Lennon’s death. But that never materialized.
With new technology, the Beatles were able to bring an old song to life
In the late 1990s, the remaining Beatles gathered again to try and make the single a reality, but they were not happy with how much background sound there was on Lennon’s vocal track. (The sound of his television playing was purportedly gumming up the works.)
Almost three decades later, after George had also died, the remaining Beatles were able to figure it out. After Peter Jackson’s 2021 documentary The Beatles: Get Back, which used “machine-learning assisted audio restoration technology” to isolate tracks, they had the proper technology to give the single a fighting chance.
With George’s old guitar recording from the ‘90s session, Paul filling in on bass, a Harrison-like slide guitar, background vocals, string arrangements, and Ringo’s drumming, the Beatles finally released “Now and Then” in October of 2023.
Written on one of two tapes that Yoko Ono gave to McCartney, that said “For Paul” is an emotional message from one estranged friend to another. “Now and then/I miss you/Oh, now and then/I want you to be there for me/Always return to me.”
Paul and Ringo’s sentiments to their departed band members orchestrate the beautifully rendered message, a fitting sentiment to the friendship of old. It was released as a single record, with their debut single, "Love Me Do," on the other side, bookmarking their long tenure as one of rock and roll's most beloved bands.
Whether or not it wins the Grammy for Record of the Year, it is a testament to the power and longevity of the pioneers of modern music, their enduring love for each other, and our enduring love for the Beatles.