In the years following The Beatles’ breakup in 1970, a slew of their past material would be periodically reissued as proper singles to varying formats, in varying regions and countries, to varying degrees of success. Even as the individual members became solo superstars in their own rights, the presence of their band work wasn’t just lingering over the heads artistically, but on the charts as well. This trend would continue sporadically through the early eighties. We’re not going to cover all of the releases, as I feel that’d be excessive, especially given that many of these instances were re-releases of previously charting songs. However, here is a selected sampling of what I feel were the group’s most significant “posthumous” chart hits, along with the hat-trick of “new” recordings that would emerge as formal releases under the group’s name in the mid-90s, and most recently in 2023.
“Got To Get You Into My Life” (b/w “Helter Skelter”), Capitol, 1976
Songwriters: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Producer: George Martin
#1 (Canada)
Originally appearing on their stylistic breakthrough, Revolver, this track was given a new lease on life as a feature single off Capitol’s latest cash-grab compilation, Rock n’ Roll Music, which to its credit boasts some awesome cover art. As for the track itself, this is definitely a sparkling and rather underrated gem that was very much worthy of some belated spotlight. It offers one of the brassier arrangements in the group’s catalog, featuring a soulful Stax-styled horn section, and Paul McCartney matches it vocally with a smooth, rocking confidence.
“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” (b/w Julia), Capitol, 1976
Songwriters: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Producer: George Martin
#49 (US)
This track, a ska indulgence at the hands of McCartney, has always lived as a sort of cult-classic in the Beatles canon, and an often-maligned one at that. It was never released in their homeland, and it never rose higher than the top fifty in the United States during this delayed release in ’76, but it’s chart-topping status success in several miscellaneous countries at the time of The White Album’s release allowed it to be immortalized on the second half of their 1973 Greatest Hits campaign. It’s merely a goofy earworm, nothing more and nothing less, but it is the kind of cheesy camp that McCartney always had a knack for elevating, all while his bandmates and the critics groaned. Clearly, he’s not the only who enjoys it; it remains a popular staple in his live setlist to this day.
“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (b/w “With A Little Help From My Friends)”, Capitol, 1978
Songwriters: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Producer: George Martin
#71 (US), #63 (UK)
It’s easy to forget, and question, the fact that this and none of its supporting tracks saw release as proper singles during its source album’s run as arguably the most pivotal and groundbreaking rock release ever in the summer of 1967. Of course, this did nothing to halter the song’s destiny as one of the most beloved Beatles or music performances of all time. By the time it was given this trivial radio release 11 years later, it was already a staple of AOR stations and modern rock playlists. Bar none: one of the most colorful, charismatic, and flat-out entertaining moments in music history.
“The Beatles Movie Medley” (b/w “I’m Happy Just to Dance With You”), Capitol, 1982
Songwriters: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Producers: George Martin, Phil Spector
#12 (US), #10(UK)
An absolutely superfluous and unnecessary release, this was nothing more than a run of snippets from tracks that had appeared on the group’s run of films. My only reason for including it here is that it was significant in the fact that it gave the Fab Four a top twenty and top ten hit in the US and UK respectively a full dozen years after their split. Other than that, just go and listen to the full versions of these songs instead. The cover art is fun though.
“Baby It’s You (Live at the BBC)”, Apple, 1994
Songwriters: Burt Bacharach
Producer: George Martin
#67 (US), #7 (UK)
A tender cover of The Shirelles’ classic, culled from the live BBC sessions that were given wide release in late-1994, the nostalgic vibes rendered from hearing John Lennon’s young rasps and his bandmates’ 50s-tinged backing was enough to send this into the UK’s top ten, a full three decades after the performance was recorded.
“Free As A Bird”, Apple, 1995
Songwriter: John Lennon
Producers: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne
#6 (US), #2 (UK)
Released as part of the expansive Anthology series, “Free As A Bird” was originally written and demoed by John Lennon in 1977, and now eighteen years later found itself resurrected and finished by his surviving comrades as the first official Beatles recording in a quarter century. The expectations on this moment were understandably lofty, but “Bird” thankfully and gracefully managed to clear the near-impossible bar. The rough sound quality of Lennon’s vocals (it was just a demo after all) may be jarring upon initial listens, but it eventually takes on a ghost-like quality that seems to fit the circumstances, and it takes magical flight against the sublime vocal harmony of McCartney, Harrison, and Starr. Harrison’s Traveling Wilburys companion, Jeff Lynne assists with production, and provides one of the 90s’ definitive guitar riffs with his electric axe solo. A special rock moment in a decade chock full of them.
“Real Love”, Apple, 1996
Songwriter: John Lennon
Producers: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne
#11 (US), #4 (UK)
The second Anthology’s offering to follow up “Free As A Bird”, was another unearthed Lennon demo that followed the same premise and approach as its predecessor. It’s an intriguing moment that strikes a hypnotic balance between sweet and haunting, but it doesn’t quite capture the lightning-in-a-bottle effect of “Bird”. Lennon’s vocals feel extra tinny, and the biggest highlight belongs to another fiery guitar showcase from Lynne, making it feel less like a pure Beatles benchmark. This one reaches the finish line more on nostalgia than substance, whereas “Bird” offered generous helpings of both.
“Now And Then”, Apple, 2023
Songwriters: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr
Producers: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne
#7 (US), #1 (UK), #10 (Canada)
Nearly thirty years after the Anthology creations, McCartney, Starr and Lynne returned once again to the well of unfinished Lennon demos and revisited “Now And Then”, a track they had initially approached prior with Harrison as well, in an attempt to score another “Free As A Bird”. As I stated upon my initial review in 2023, these are always difficult songs to review. And the fact that I’ve rarely revisited it since its original release tells you that it, like “Real Love” before it, certainly doesn’t recapture the “Bird” it-factor. With that said, advanced technology over the past three decades allows Lennon’s demo vocals to come to life like they couldn’t before, and it’s both special and fitting that Harrison’s previously tracked guitar solo takes the spotlight that Lynne was afforded in the two earlier releases. But while the song ultimately feels a bit incomplete, if you hear Lennon’s emotive profession of loneliness in the precise moment, it will still gut you. And the fact that this track competed for Record of the Year, and snared the Best Rock Performance Award, at last week’s Grammy Awards in the year 2023 can’t help but feel like a poetic finale to the greatest popular music story ever told.
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