Real Love

Album: Anthology 2

Written by: John and completed by Paul, George, and Ringo

Depending on how you look at it, this may in fact be the last Beatles song anyone ever heard. While it is actually sewn together from a 1979 Lennon demo and a 1995 reunion of the surviving members, it still came together to create something far greater than the sum of its parts.

John’s chords and melody are dreamy and heartfelt and tinged with sadness. The harmonies are modest but lovely; just to hear those voices in unison once more is a blessing. Above all, George’s signature lead lines and pristine solo are really what bring it into Beatles territory for me. True, pure Harrison only six years before lung cancer would claim his life and effectively lay to rest any other plans of refurbishing old demos into brand new Beatles tracks.

Perhaps overshadowed by the other Anthology original, “Free as a Bird”, which included some nice original lyrics and vocals from Paul making it more of a true Lennon-McCartney collaboration, “Real Love” is still a damn fine tune. The original demo is worthwhile on its own, but the color and flavor and feeling that the other lads bring to the track are what really make it special. It stands as a wonderful testament to the aforementioned unusual synchronicity that these four men had with one another and with us all, really. Nearly 40 years later and an afterlife apart, they still had it, baby.

If you ask me, they always will.