Paul McCartney’s performance of Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End during Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special was a breathtaking, career-spanning moment that blended nostalgia with raw energy. Taking the stage at Studio 8H—the same hallowed ground where The Beatles once famously refused to play in 1969—McCartney launched into the medley from Abbey Road with a mix of tenderness and power, his weathered yet still vibrant voice soaring through Golden Slumbers as the piano swelled behind him.
The transition into Carry That Weight was seamless, the crowd erupting as the horns punched in and McCartney, grinning, shared the mic with the band for the triumphant chorus. Then came The End, where history truly unfolded: as the iconic “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make” refrain echoed, McCartney strapped on a sunburst Les Paul and traded blistering guitar licks with SNL bandleader Lenny Pickett, recreating the song’s legendary three-way solo battle—except this time, instead of Clapton, Harrison, and Lennon, it was McCartney, Pickett, and saxophonist Alex Foster, tearing through the riff with joyous ferocity.
The camera caught Paul’s playful smirk as he leaned into the jam, his fingers flying across the fretboard, proving that even at 72, he could still summon the fiery spirit of The Beatles’ final recorded jam. The performance closed with a thunderous drum flourish, McCartney raising his arms in triumph as the audience roared—a perfect, full-circle moment for a man who had helped define music history, now celebrating it on the very stage that had once been too small for The Beatles, but was now just big enough for a legend.
The Beatles’ “Now and Then” (Official Music Video) is more than just a song—it’s a time-traveling farewell from the world’s most iconic band. Released in 2023, the track is built around a hauntingly beautiful demo recorded by John Lennon in the late 1970s. Thanks to advanced AI audio technology, Lennon’s vocals were isolated and enhanced, allowing Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to add new parts, with George Harrison’s guitar work from the 1995 sessions also included.
Directed by The Lord of the Rings filmmaker Peter Jackson, the video is a moving blend of archival footage, home videos, behind-the-scenes moments, and newly filmed scenes of Paul and Ringo playing together.
It stitches past and present into a seamless, emotional narrative—watching the four Beatles reunited through clever editing is both heartwarming and surreal. As “Now and Then” unfolds, it becomes clear: this is not just a new single, but a tender goodbye—one final gift from The Beatles to the world.