Single with the new mixes
A new edition of the single “Free As A Bird” / “Real Love” has been released, with both songs in their new 2025 mixes and on milky white transparent vinyl. It is a limited edition, only available from the official Beatles online store and limited to 4 copies per customer.
Originally these were two separate singles in 1995 and 1996, but were combined into one single with the two A-sides in 2019 when a box set of Beatles singles was released, then with the old mixes of the two songs.
On the new mixes, they have made use of Peter Jackson’s team’s proprietary MAL software to better separate John Lennon’s voice from his original cassette demos. In addition, on the 2025 edition of “Real Love” they have now taken Lennon’s voice from two different cassette demos, not just the one that Yoko gave Paul, George and Ringo to work with.
Someone like Peter Jackson – a Beatles fan – would be aware of the fact that there were a number of demo versions to choose from. Obviously, Paul and Ringo didn’t pay any attention to the “Lost Lennon Tapes” radio series, and neither did George when he was alive. Yoko probably also didn’t think that there might be other versions of the songs on the cassette tape she gave them, which could have been better starting points for the songs in question.
Amateur music mixers have been playing around with the various mixes to create a better sounding version, here is one attempt.
I find it a bit amusing the other Beatles likely didn’t listen to the Lost Lennon Tapes. It was mandatory listening for me back in the day. Paul did do radio later with Oobuu Juubu. I wonder if he had heard about the series by then.
I’m sure Peter Jackson also knew Real Love had been issued on the Imagine late 80s soundtrack too.
……unfortunately John and George are dead, if they were alive they would never have agreed to these miracles with mixes……”supposedly” new songs etc………..