A new Beatles track dropped this morning Australia time. Quite a feat for a band that broke up 49 years ago, has two deceased members, and the two remaining members are both Octogenarians.
With a little help from filmmaker Peter Jackson and his Machine Audio Learning software, they were able to isolate out the John Lennon vocals from a previously unreleased demo record he made called For Paul. They then layered in guitar recordings from George Harrison from the 90s, and add a fresh baseline, drumming and vocals from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
The song is both beautiful, and desperately sad. For those of us who grew up with the Beatles in the background – this song is yet another triumph of jaw dropping AI technology. The demo recording was discovered and is project had been considered back in the 90s while George was still alive, but it was impossible with the tech of the time to isolate John’s vocals from the piano parts, so the whole thing fizzled out. But with these new tools in place suddenly possible. The song is clearly a Beatles song – and listening to it feels like finding $20 in your coat pocket from the winter before.
But it’s also so desperately sad. Because listening to it reminds you of what we’ve lost. The song’s newness can’t help but make one reflect on the band’s demise following interpersonal conflict, the shooting death of John Lennon, the cancer death of George Harrison and the slow march of age on Paul and Ringo. While the song feels like a collaboration, it’s, at best, an homage, like having a deep conversation with ChatGPT.
Even the words direct your thoughts that way:
Now and then
I miss you
Oh, now and then
I want you to be there for me
Always to return to me
It's an unmet desire.
All this has got me thinking about the experience of music as a Christian. One day we’ll be gathered around the great throne. All of us in Christ. Billions upon billions. People separated by death will reunited in diatonic harmony. No more will our collaborations be spoilt by avoidable conflict, violence, sickness or distance. On that day we’ll be returned, never to experience the pangs of missing one another ever again, never having to worry that our best moments won’t last, or are behind us.
grace and Peace,
Steve