This Could Be The Beatles’ Final Song
The Beatles, a band that needs no introduction, has once again sent the music world into a frenzy with a cryptic post on their social media accounts. The post featured a clip of an orange and white cassette tape with the tape reel winding. On the bottom left corner of the tape, it reads “Type I (Normal) Position,” and intentionally blurred words can be seen on the bottom right corner. This post has left fans speculating about what might be in store.
The Beatles’ official website also included an email subscription box, where fans can sign up for the band’s mailing list to receive updates. This has only added fuel to the already burning rumours that something is on the way.
What makes this teaser even more exciting is its potential connection to a long-awaited release: Paul McCartney’s and Ringo Starr’s AI-developed “final” track featuring all four original members of The Beatles. Earlier this year, Sir Paul McCartney revealed in an interview that artificial intelligence had played a crucial role in creating this track, originally slated for release later in the year.
Image Courtesy: USA Today
The story behind this “new” song goes back to the ’90s when McCartney, Starr, and Harrison initially attempted to bring it to life using bits and pieces of songs they found that were written by John Lennon. So why revisit this project in 2023? As Ringo humourously puts it, “Paul must’ve had a slow day.” According to McCartney, the process used AI technology to separate the various elements of the recording, such as identifying John’s voice and isolating it from the rest of the track.
While it hasn’t been officially confirmed which song will be the “final” track, speculations are leaning towards ‘Now And Then,’ a track developed by John Lennon in 1978. McCartney’s revelation about the process used in the ‘Get Back’ documentary shed light on how they managed to work on ‘Now And Then’ and bring it to fruition. The ability to use AI to enhance John Lennon’s original recordings and mix the songs as they would with any other Beatles record gave the band creative freedom and a unique opportunity to revisit their past.
Image Courtesy: Los Angeles Times
Ringo Starr, ever the voice of reason, has reassured fans that this isn’t just an AI gimmick. In an interview, he emphasised that the recordings used in the upcoming song are authentic, with John’s voice, Paul’s vocals and bass playing, George Harrison on rhythm guitar, and Ringo himself on drums. While some elements like Paul’s bass and Ringo’s drum work were re-recorded recently, the heart and soul of the original recording remain untouched.
As Ringo reflects, having the four of them present in the recording studio again is a unique and moving experience, one that can never be replicated.
In other Beatles news, Mick Jagger claimed that The Beatles were just a blues band when they started. On the other hand, Paul McCartney called Yoko Ono’s presence during recording sessions an “interference.”
-Britney Jones
