The Unreleased Beatles Anthology 3 Single: 'Now and Then'

In the final moments leading up to the release of Anthology 3, the question of a dedicated single loomed large. A number of candidate songs were considered, but for various reasons, none were chosen. This article delves into the details of the song lsquo;Now and Thenrsquo; and why it ultimately did not make it to the final single list.

Initial Planning and Challenges

The surviving members of The Beatles, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, had initially considered ldquo;Now and Thenrdquo; as a potential single for Anthology 3. However, the production of the song faced significant challenges. According to sources, the quality of the demo recordings was not ideal, and the enthusiasm of the band members waned as the project progressed.

George Harrison, in particular, was not fully supportive of the anthology project. He described the song as lacking substance, calling it ldquo;rubbish.rdquo; Furthermore, the demo recording had an excessive hum, comparable in quality to the demo for the song ldquo;Real Love.rdquo; Attempting to remove the hum would have been nearly impossible, even for professional sound engineers such as Jeff Lynne.

Behind the Scenes and Reactions

Despite the initial optimism, the song ldquo;Now and Thenrdquo; remained unfinished. Paul McCartney has stated in interviews that he, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr listened to the demos but ultimately found the song wanting. In a particularly candid moment, Paul mentioned that maybe someday he and Ringo might go back and finish the song, indicating a lingering sense of potential.

Another sentence from a reporter who consulted unnamed sources for the Daily Express further solidifies this idea. The unnamed sources reportedly claimed that George Harrison was not inclined to rework the song because it was not just a matter of adding vocals; the core composition was fundamentally flawed.

Other Considerations

In the midst of the single selection process, the band also thought about releasing other songs that were in the pipeline but also met similar fate. These included George Harrison's composition ldquo;Grow Old With Merdquo; and a collaborative effort between Paul and George titled ldquo;All For Love.rdquo;

-grow old with me would have rounded out the anthology projects as a third single, but it too, faced the same challenges as ldquo;Now and Thenrdquo;. Similarly, ldquo;All For Loverdquo; had promise but didn't progress far enough to be considered for the final single.

Conclusion and Legacy

The decision to not release ldquo;Now and Thenrdquo; as the third single for Anthology 3 marks a departure from the previous two anthology releases, which did feature new songs. Instead, the focus of Anthology 3 shifted to previously unreleased material and alternate takes.

While the untold story of ldquo;Now and Thenrdquo; showcases the complex decision-making process behind the release of Beatles material, it also highlights the dissatisfaction within the band with certain recordings. Ultimately, this decision reflects the band's desire to release material that they were truly proud of, even if it meant dealing with the disappointment of unfinished projects.