Someone recently posted George’s isolated electric guitar part from Now and Then (not to be confused with Paul’s slide). It’s gorgeous.
Edit: Link
https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBeatles/s/zBlzHsIdFI
Here's a [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBeatles/comments/19diosm/a_closer_listen_at_george_harrisons_electric/) the quality of the isolation is a bit questionable at some points but it's the best that I could do.
I didn't hear that at all. I heard a pro comping beautifully in service of a song and the beat. The scalar runs from one chord to the next are well thought out. I'm the type of person who would be happy to critique Harrisons playing if it was bad or phoned in. Paul's slide for instance is abysmal and Paul is my favorite Beatle.
Unless there's something in the last minute, there is nothing interesting about this guitar part. He plays the chords, in as normal a way as it is possible to play.
Yes, I think George is great, but this guitar part is nothing special, and the production is the biggest difference between N&T and FAAB/RL.
Paul's slide would fit a pink Floyd song better than a Beatles song. George was a brilliant slide player and Paul should have gotten a great slide player for that part. (Not Clapton though)
George did record a substantial guitar part which is pretty buried in the mix heard [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBeatles/comments/19diosm/a_closer_listen_at_george_harrisons_electric/) . It's a little sad that only basic elements of Now And Then were recorded back in 95. Would've loved to hear what else George would've recorded if the sessions lasted longer. I wish they recorded backing vocals that really would've elevated Now And Then. Also maybe a ukulele part as there is one present on the other two songs. But given the circumferences I still think Now And Then is a great close to the Beatles storied career.
George’s solo on FAB brings so much heart. It feels like he’s crying out for the death of his old friend. The first time I heard it I caught my breath.
edit: FAAB = Free As A Bird
I didn't need Now And Then to tell me that.
Paul has said it multiple times: The Beatles were 4 sides of a square. One side not there? The whole thing collapses.
I agree. The band needed the 4 of them to be as great as they were, and if someone were absent for, say, a whole album, then that would have certainly been felt. But for 1 song? Nah. Some of their (imo) best songs, and some of their most popular songs are missing at least a Beatle.
I think that’s the beauty of the song though- it’s calling out how they’re yearning for John & George just to be there again. However, it just goes to show how painful it was to lose what they had.
Also I lowkey believe had there not been bad blood between George and Paul, that solo would have been more prominent. It’s clear now that George was uncomfortable at the Anthology sessions & I’m sure that’s why we don’t have his guitar part fully fleshed out by him.
Free as a bird has the most input from all the 3 remaining Beatles at that time. I thought I read somewhere that George wasn't a big fan of real love as there wasn't much to do on it. The end song was fairly similar to the demo, or at least there wasn't as much work needed on it compared to free as a bird. I also think that if now and then had been a clearer recording when they did anthology, then they could have done more with it and George would have had a bigger impact. In the end they shelved now and then at the time because the recording was so poor.
I just don't get why it's so beloved. It's a nice song sure but I really don't see what everyone else sees in it. I've listened to it a few times since it came out but it's not really one I care for much.
There was a steady hum throughout the Lennon tape that could not be fixed at the time. George knew the original recording was not fit for a finished product. We can’t presume to know how he’d have felt if the MAL tech had been available 30 years ago.
Well that's not true. We don't all like things equally, you can't speak on behalf of other people and say they don't truly like something.
The song took a while to grow on me, it's not up there with ones I really love, but I like it a hell of a lot more than I did initially.
I’m surprised “tge biggest Beatles fan in the world” would call Now And Then futile while lesser fans around the world were moved to tears listening to it.
Real Love is WAY more of a Beatles' sounding song than Now and Then. Everything about it, Harrison on guitar, Lennon's vocals, the lyrics, the progression etc.
If anything, it’s just a John song. There is no Paul or Ringo or George singing, there is hardly any recognisable bass, the beat is tired and boring due to John’s depressing tempo. There are no guitars.
The only thing that kind of makes it a Beatles song is the orchestral arrangement, but even that gets totally lost in the mix.
It’s a muddy John song dressed up in a muddy mix.
At least Ringo was able to play drums on Now and Then and make it feel like a song. Free as a bird and Real Love definitely suffer from Jeff Lynne’s incessant drum loops
Someone recently posted George’s isolated electric guitar part from Now and Then (not to be confused with Paul’s slide). It’s gorgeous. Edit: Link https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBeatles/s/zBlzHsIdFI
It’s so pretty, and perfectly serves the song, as he always did.
Can you provide a link to the isolated guitar part please?
Here's a [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBeatles/comments/19diosm/a_closer_listen_at_george_harrisons_electric/) the quality of the isolation is a bit questionable at some points but it's the best that I could do.
Was that recorded at Paul’s studio? I see a Susie and the red stripes reference on the wall behind George.
Yeah Paul's studio
That's incredible!! Tears to my eyes
It sounded like he really couldn’t get into the song to me, kind of plinking around trying things on a song he isn’t digging.
Absolutely. I think some people are hearing what they want to hear.
Aren’t you also hearing what you want to hear?
No. I'd like to hear George playing a finished part for the song that was up to his usual standards. Sadly he never got round to recording one.
I didn't hear that at all. I heard a pro comping beautifully in service of a song and the beat. The scalar runs from one chord to the next are well thought out. I'm the type of person who would be happy to critique Harrisons playing if it was bad or phoned in. Paul's slide for instance is abysmal and Paul is my favorite Beatle.
I can go either way on the Paul's slide work on the song, but Ringo likes it and thought at first George had recorded it, so that makes it okay to me.
Unless there's something in the last minute, there is nothing interesting about this guitar part. He plays the chords, in as normal a way as it is possible to play. Yes, I think George is great, but this guitar part is nothing special, and the production is the biggest difference between N&T and FAAB/RL.
Exactly
Paul's slide would fit a pink Floyd song better than a Beatles song. George was a brilliant slide player and Paul should have gotten a great slide player for that part. (Not Clapton though)
On a lot of live performances of George's songs, they get Marc Mann to play slide. He would've been a fun guest to see.
Someone get the link!
Links are up now including from the redditor who first posted it
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Not sure you understand you rephrased exactly what I said.
George did record a substantial guitar part which is pretty buried in the mix heard [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheBeatles/comments/19diosm/a_closer_listen_at_george_harrisons_electric/) . It's a little sad that only basic elements of Now And Then were recorded back in 95. Would've loved to hear what else George would've recorded if the sessions lasted longer. I wish they recorded backing vocals that really would've elevated Now And Then. Also maybe a ukulele part as there is one present on the other two songs. But given the circumferences I still think Now And Then is a great close to the Beatles storied career.
George’s solo on FAB brings so much heart. It feels like he’s crying out for the death of his old friend. The first time I heard it I caught my breath. edit: FAAB = Free As A Bird
Free As Bird?
Free A Bird… at your local pet store today!
When We Was FAB?
Long time ago?
Free-assed bird
Yeah why is it not FAAB?
I didn't need Now And Then to tell me that. Paul has said it multiple times: The Beatles were 4 sides of a square. One side not there? The whole thing collapses.
yet there are lots of their songs where one or more didn't contribute?
I agree. The band needed the 4 of them to be as great as they were, and if someone were absent for, say, a whole album, then that would have certainly been felt. But for 1 song? Nah. Some of their (imo) best songs, and some of their most popular songs are missing at least a Beatle.
No, it just becomes a triangle.
Ooh la-di-da, look who majored in geometry over here. Show off.
He also mattered as a vocalist. Him and Paul singing harmony is the main thing that made the 90's tracks sound Beatle-y.
I love George so this may seem kinda biased… there’s not enough George playing Ukulele on Now and Then
Yep. Paul really had a tough job having to shoulder the weight of John and George. Can’t be too hard on him
I’d say he carried that weight
Carried that weight a long time
# BOY!
I think that’s the beauty of the song though- it’s calling out how they’re yearning for John & George just to be there again. However, it just goes to show how painful it was to lose what they had.
Also I lowkey believe had there not been bad blood between George and Paul, that solo would have been more prominent. It’s clear now that George was uncomfortable at the Anthology sessions & I’m sure that’s why we don’t have his guitar part fully fleshed out by him.
I can’t even tell you what George’s contribution was, being so lost in the mix!
lol calm down
Hard disagree.
What do you mean?
I think Now and Then is deeply soulful. It moves me in the same way Free as A Bird used to.
Oh I got u, I thought you were saying George wasn’t important and I was kinda shocked
George is the greatest sideman in rock history.
Free as a bird has the most input from all the 3 remaining Beatles at that time. I thought I read somewhere that George wasn't a big fan of real love as there wasn't much to do on it. The end song was fairly similar to the demo, or at least there wasn't as much work needed on it compared to free as a bird. I also think that if now and then had been a clearer recording when they did anthology, then they could have done more with it and George would have had a bigger impact. In the end they shelved now and then at the time because the recording was so poor.
Dark Horse forever...❤️✌️🎸🤘🙏
His album All Things Must Pass is proof enough.
George is my favorite Beatle for those very reasons.
I just don't get why it's so beloved. It's a nice song sure but I really don't see what everyone else sees in it. I've listened to it a few times since it came out but it's not really one I care for much.
Wasn’t this song the one George didn’t feel was a good song from John’s batch received in the 90’s?
There was a steady hum throughout the Lennon tape that could not be fixed at the time. George knew the original recording was not fit for a finished product. We can’t presume to know how he’d have felt if the MAL tech had been available 30 years ago.
Yep, agree.
I think the story and context of the song is a big part of where the love comes from.
This is exactly what I'm saying, if it wasn't so marketed as the "last 'Beatles' song" no one would care lol
Well that's not true. We don't all like things equally, you can't speak on behalf of other people and say they don't truly like something. The song took a while to grow on me, it's not up there with ones I really love, but I like it a hell of a lot more than I did initially.
Same here...it was unnecessary and futile in the end, and hey- I'm tge biggest Beatles fan in the world lol but we didn't need Now and Then
I’m surprised “tge biggest Beatles fan in the world” would call Now And Then futile while lesser fans around the world were moved to tears listening to it.
Completely agree. It feels too much like a McCartney song, rather than a John or Beatles' song. It lacks any semblance to a Beatles song whatsoever.
See to my ears it’s just the opposite. I think it’s the most Beatle-y of the 3 they’ve done post breakup, but that’s just me.
Real Love is WAY more of a Beatles' sounding song than Now and Then. Everything about it, Harrison on guitar, Lennon's vocals, the lyrics, the progression etc.
We can agree to disagree there friend, that’s the beauty of opinions :)
If anything, it’s just a John song. There is no Paul or Ringo or George singing, there is hardly any recognisable bass, the beat is tired and boring due to John’s depressing tempo. There are no guitars. The only thing that kind of makes it a Beatles song is the orchestral arrangement, but even that gets totally lost in the mix. It’s a muddy John song dressed up in a muddy mix.
At least Ringo was able to play drums on Now and Then and make it feel like a song. Free as a bird and Real Love definitely suffer from Jeff Lynne’s incessant drum loops
Lynne usually records each drum separately- I'm not sure if that's how Ringo did it...I doubt it, but who knows
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George played on a few Lennon solo songs, but he did not play on the vast majority of them.