The Threetles (partially found unreleased recordings from Beatles reunion sessions; 1990s)

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Thesunthreetles.jpg

The first photo taken of The Beatles reunion (1994).

Status: Lost

The Threetles was a name given by the press when the three surviving members of The Beatles reunited for The Beatles Anthology. The Anthology was a multimedia project that consisted of a documentary series, a book and three albums containing unreleased recording spanning the group's career and three planned new recordings from the surviving members of the group.

History

In 1989, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr announced plans to produce an extensive Anthology formally accounting for their 10-year careers in The Beatles. Rumors began circulating of the remaining Beatles reuniting to make new music; the rumor was denied by the members and any associates. It wasn't until 1994 that the three began discussing new material; they felt uncomfortable working without Lennon (who was murdered in 1980).

Paul McCartney soon approached Yoko Ono, Lennon's widow, believing she would have some of his unused recordings. Ono gave McCartney three cassette tapes, one of which was found in Lennon's New York apartment with the words "For Paul" written in Lennon's handwriting. The tapes contained songs titled Free as a Bird, Real Love, Grow Old With Me, and Now and Then, featuring Lennon on piano and vocals. The three remaining Beatles soon began work on all demos with Jeff Lynne producing.

The recording sessions began in February 1994 at Paul's recording studio The Mill Studio in Sussex England and George's at his Friar Park mansion and would continue sporadically until May 1995. During these sessions, The Beatles worked on the Lennon cassette songs, live-in-studio renditions of previously unrecorded Beatles songs, rock n roll standards and a new McCartney/Harrison composition "All For Love". It is generally believed that no attempt was made to overdub the "Grow Old With Me" demo.

When the The Beatles Anthology premiered on television November 1995 the songs "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" were officially debuted to the public. These were released sequentially on the Anthology 1 & 2 compilation albums. The TV special also featured some of the live-in-studio performances.

However, the planned third reunion song was never released for Anthology 3. Attempts at completing the Lennon demos, the McCartney/Harrison song "All For Love" and further live and the studio performances are still to see the light of day.

Unreleased/Lost Recordings

Friar Park Live-in-Studio Session

During the live-in-studio section of the documentary, The Beatles performed a set of songs they'd written and performed in the group's early days. Out of the performances didn't make the final cut of the documentary were "Love Me Do", "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Roll Over Beethoven". Some short footage of Ringo playing the ending of "Love Me Do" over The Beatles 1962 recording is featured on the documentary.[1]

Now And Then

See main article: "Now and Then" (lost overdub session of Beatles song; 1995)

The most likely contender for the third Beatles singles, attempts at "Now And Then" occurred all throughout the Threetles sessions. One major issue with the cassette recording was a 60 cycle hum, that was embedded in the mono cassette recording. Since this was pre-DAW recording, it would have required an extensive amount of work to remove the loud hum. The song was largely shelved because Harrison disliked it. He reportedly called the song "fucking rubbish." In 1997, the song was shelved, incomplete and an unreleased instrumental opening to Ringo's Don't Pass Me By title A Beginning opened Anthology 3 instead.[1]

Since 1997, the song has leaked in the demo with the hum. In the late 2000s, a version without the hum was released on the bootleg At Home. It is believed this copy was originally stolen from Lennon's home after his death. The Beatles version is still unreleased. Paul McCartney has stated in interviews that he would like to finish the song one day.

All For Love

It was reported in the press, during recording sessions that a McCartney/Harrison original titled "All For Love" was a consideration for the next Beatles single. However, there are no further reports about this song or if it was ever recorded.[1][2][3]

References