I previously wrote about what might have happened in 1971 if The Beatles had squeezed one more album out. It’s an interesting topic that many fans of the band have pondered over the years.

With the recent release of ‘Now & Then’, a song dubbed as the final Beatles song, I started to think about the Anthology era of the band and whether things could have taken a different path. What if the trio decided that including some reworked John Lennon songs in an LP warranted enough of a representation to not tarnish his (or the band’s) legacy? Could they really have put out a full album? What other songs would have made the cut?

In this alternative reality, nothing changes up to the point they start working on the Anthology series, with Jeff Lynne joining the group as a full member to complete the sessions. With a backdrop of Britpop, will the Fab Three And A Bit hold their own and avoid tarnishing their legacy?

I’ve included all the “new” Beatles songs from the era, then filled the album with prominent collaborations from the time between the trio. I have made some omissions, mainly ditching collaborations from Ringo’s album ‘Vertical Man’, preferring to keep the album under 50 minutes in length.

1. The Song We Were Singing

Paul opened his Flaming Pie album with this beautifully reminiscent song. In the liner notes, he noted: “I was remembering the sixties, sitting around late at night, dossing, smoking pipes, drinking wine… jawing, talking about the cosmic solution… It’s that time in your life when you’ve got a chance to do all that.”

It’s reflective and a perfect opener for a Fab Four reunion album.

2. Free As A Bird

The first single from the Anthology project obviously has to be included here. It was criticised on its original release but it’s perhaps the truest collaboration of all the songs on this album. The soaring line “Whatever happened to the life that we once knew?” sung by Paul is the perfect partner for John’s slightly fragile verse lyric.

If you want to hear the best mix, you’ll need to pick up the deluxe re-release of 1, which came out in 2015. This mix, which accompanies the video, cleans up Lennon’s vocals and thus makes for a much easier listen.

3. Young Boy

Recorded by Paul McCartney and Steve Miller in the immediate aftermath of the completion of the song ‘Real Love’, there’s an excitement and urgency to ‘Young Boy’. It reflects McCartney’s ability to tap into his youthful innocence and create a fun pop-rock song in a way few mature musicians can. A belter of a tune.

4. Any Road

No Beatles record would be complete without a George Harrison track and this one, the lead single from his posthumous album Brainwashed, sits nicely amongst the other songs. George had been working on this song from its inception in 1988 and throughout the 1990s, so it’s perfectly reasonable to think he’d have brought it to the table if there was a Beatles album being created.

5. Calico Skies

A simple and beautiful song that features just Paul on vocals and guitar, supplemented by a subtle orchestration from George Martin.

6. Really Love You

‘The day after Ringo and Paul recorded Beautiful Night, the pair returned to the studio and began a jam session, Paul plucking his Hofner violin bass, Ringo beating the drums and Jeff Lynne playing guitar.’ – Flaming Pie liner notes.

This has the same feel as the ‘Looking For You’, featured later in the album. It isn’t particularly inspiring, with a generic drum beat paired with a groovy bass line and some underbaked guitar licks from Lynne. But, it’s playfully fun and easy on the ears. It may not have made the cut if the trio were given more time to develop their ideas into an album.

7. Real Love

Arguably the only John Lennon song here that stands up to the best of his solo output. The first time you hear Lennon singing “I need to be alone” over the delicate minor chord will send shivers down your spine, no matter what version of the song you hear. Simply stunning.

8. What In The World

Ringo collaborated with both Paul and George on his album Vertical Man, released in 1998. Upon hearing a playback of ‘What In The World’, McCartney remarked “Whoo Rich! Sounds kinda Beatle-ish!” There are other songs on that album that feature George and Paul, which probably never would have happened if the Anthology sessions hadn’t existed, but this is the standout.

9. Looking For You

This was a b-side for Paul McCartney’s single Young Boy. Featuring pounding drums from Ringo and an off-beat guitar riff from Jeff Lynne, this track has a blues rock feel that is a bit of a departure for the band. It’s missing any input from George Harrison and thus falls a little flat, not really going anywhere in its 4 minutes and 42 seconds of meandering around, never really going beyond what we hear in the first 20 seconds.

10. Beautiful Night

“A wonderful sight for lovers of love to behold.”Paul McCartney’s saccharine lyric combines with a power pop chord progression to create a true highlight of this reunion album. The big guns are all here: Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne and George Martin feature on the original recording, with Linda McCartney also involved. This is absolutely sumptuous.

11. Now & Then

The version released in 2023 was recorded with a 45 year gap between its first and last contributions, which tells the story of its unique path to coming into fruition. “Now and then I miss you” is a perfect line for Paul and John to sing to each other from across the life-death divide, and certainly resonates with fans around the world who rejoiced at this final Beatles track.

12. Grow Old With Me

The John Lennon demo for this was recorded in 1980 and orchestrated for the posthumous album Milk & Honey, released in 1984. If you want to imagine what the reunion version would have sounded like, you might have to do some mental gymnastics and merge two versions together.

The orchestrated version with Lennon’s vocals – the most superior version being released on his Gimme Some Truth compilation in 2020 – is a stunning take on a beautiful song.

Ringo Starr also recorded a version of the song for his album What’s My Name in 2019, which featured vocals and bass from Paul McCartney. This is a lovely interpretation that is probably a fairer reflection of what The Beatles would have done with the track. I’m sure the AI technology available now could merge the two versions, but who am I to say what someone should do with their free time?

Conclusion

Well, there you have it. A fan’s best guess at what might have happened if they’d opted to pull an album together. It’s a product of its time and of circumstance, lacking in coherence and with a few songs that wouldn’t stand up to the best of the band in their prime. It wouldn’t have tarnished their legacy, but probably would have been a misstep – hence why it never saw the light of day.