The Beatles’ ‘Now and Then’ Producer Says the Song Is Perfect for the ‘S***ty’ Time We Live In
The Beatles‘ “Now and Then” was produced by three incredible musicians — only one of whom was a member of The Beatles. A producer of “Now and Then” said the track is a good distraction from the world. He also said there’s nothing cynical about Paul McCartney’s decision to release the tune.
A producer said The Beatles’ ‘Now and Then’ epitomizes what music exists to do
George Martin produced most of The Beatles’ discography. His son, Giles Martin, is a classic rock hero in his own right, having worked on the soundtrack for the Elton John biopic Rocketman and the 2020 rerelease of The Rolling Stones’ Goats Head Soup. he is also one of the credited producers of The Beatles’ “Now and Then,” alongside Paul and the Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne.
During a 2023 interview with Variety, Giles discussed the impact of “Now and Then.” “You know, we live in such a s***ty time right now, in all honesty,” he said. “And it’s quite nice to think about something else. That’s what music should be there for.
Giles Martin said ‘Now and Then’ is no ‘marketing exercise’ to drive up sales
Giles revealed what his daughter had to say about music. “You know, I was with my daughter in the car the other day, and she’s 16, and she goes, ‘You know, Dad, literally, recently, I’ve really been getting into music. I really love music,'” he recalled. “I was like, well, that’s interesting! And what she meant is that ‘I’m suddenly hearing things, and listening.’
“And it’s not obligatory — you don’t have to do that,” he added. “Some of the greatest music ever is what you put on when you’re not thinking, or you’re with a loved one. But I hope this resonates with people, because it comes from the right place.”
Giles defended “Now and Then” from accusations of rampant commercialism. “It’s not some sort of cynical marketing exercise to try and push catalog sales,” he said. “I think he [Paul] just misses John and he wants to work on a song with him.”
Paul McCartney had some similar things to say about The Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’
Giles’ comments recall something Paul said. During a 2018 interview with GQ’s YouTube channel, Paul said he sometimes thinks about switching up his tour setlist and ditching “Hey Jude.” However, he decides not to do that because the song creates such a sense of community among audiences. In Paul’s opinion, that community is important during dark times when people are so divided politically. He loves watching people come together to sing the refrain of “Hey Jude.”
Will “Now and Then” become the next “Hey Jude?” Will fans passionately sing the song in unison at Paul’s future shows? Only time will tell. Regardless, “Now and Then” works perfectly as an escape from the real world into the lovely fantasyland the Fab Four created for fans.
Love or loath “Now and Then,” it might just be the song millions of people need to hear right now.
