John Lennon - Now & Then (demo 1977)

 

This was the John Lennon demo that the "Threatles" & Jeff Lynne failed to finish satisfactory for the third Anthology back in the mid 1990s, but apparently Paul has had another crack at it, with it rumoured to be preceding the release of The Beatles back catalogue to digital downloads on I-Tunes and a rumoured Beatles "2" compilation album in late 2007.

 

What do you think of the track & its potential, do you think it is better than Free As A Bird or Real Love?

Is this the song that after the first two, George decided enough was enough and left before finishing it. I thought Yoko handed over 4 songs in total.

 

As to this one i'm not sure its all that commercial, haunting tune though.

Is this the song that after the first two, George decided enough was enough and left before finishing it. I thought Yoko handed over 4 songs in total.

 

As to this one i'm not sure its all that commercial, haunting tune though.

 

Yes, although it was more of a case (according to Ringo) of them not being able to satisfactory nail the track as you can here from the demo there is (was) quite a bit of work to be done as the tune is not as properly sketched out as the demo of 'Real Love' was.

 

You are correct Yoko handed to Paul four of John's demos at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in January 1994.

 

They were Free As A Bird, Real Love, Now & Then and Grow Old With Me (which the Threatles rejected as it had already appeared on the 1984 John & Yoko album Milk & Honey).

 

A fifth "Beatle comeback" song was recorded for the Anthology project "All For Love" which was a new McCartney/Harrison composition, but it was vetoed by George as he did not feel it fitted the Anthology project. Something that Paul later agreed with.