John created a demo of this song in 1977 on a cassette tape. Yoko gave this and a few other songs to the surviving Beatles in 1994. In 1995 Paul, George, and Ringo did some preliminary work trying to create a new Beatles song with "Now and Then" as they had with "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love." They found Lennon's voice to be buried under a buzz and too enmeshed with the piano accompanying his singing. They ended up shelving the song. In 2022 Peter Jackson was able to use AI to separate John's voice from all the other noise on the cassette. Paul and Ringo added new music and drumming. They also incorporated some guitar work George laid down in 1995. Additionally they added some backing vocals from a couple classic Beatles songs. So it has all of their voices, all of them playing. It is supposed to be the last song ever released by the Beatles as new material. Peter Jackson created the music video that goes with the song. I appreciated your reaction.
I've watched this probably 100 times, and every time they sing the line, "I miss you," followed by the clip of George and John in concert, I tear up. I certainly do miss them. Great reaction, my brother. 👍👍
I'm surprised by the lack of reaction.. I'm your age I believe and The Beatles was my first band crush. Seeing this made me cry.. like seeing my own life passing by
Well, I mean, the fact that he's only now listening to it, plus his total lack of initiative to do even the smallest amount of research on it, tells me he's not all that big of a fan, so the lack of an emotional response shouldn't surprise you.
The Beatles were completing their massive multimedia project "The Beatles Anthology". Yoko gave them a cassette of unfinished songs for the other three to complete. There were three volumes of music to be released with one new recoding for each album. For part one, they finished John's "Free as a Bird" and for part 2 "Real Love". "Now and Then" was attempted for part 3 but was abandoned because they couldn't isolate John's voice from all the background noise on the cassette demo. George said "it was shit". When the Beatles "Get Back" project was handed to Peter Jackson, his team developed a method to isolate sounds through computer recognition. So 45 years after John recorded the demo, and nearly 30 years after Paul, George and Ringo first worked on the song, we have it complete. The clips of them in the Sgt. Pepper outfits, and John goofing around are from two different promo films for the song "Hello Goodbye".
If you go to The Beatles' official RUclips Channel, there is a short 12 minute video that explains the story of how this song came to be. I really recommend watching it! Stay safe 🤘 ✌️
I've been watching your vids for a week now. Keep it up. John wrote and recorded it on a tape in the the late 70's. Then George, Ringo and Paul took a stab at it in 90's, but technology wasn't up to snuff. With new technology they were able to extract John from the 70's tape and George from the 90's attempt and it worked. Thats what I recall from reading in comments about it. Someone else will probably say better later on, but I was first comment.
Everyone has already covered this , its definitely a real Beatles recording with all the members, and more than likely the last official recording together so its very special and moving for Beatles fans alike.
Btw, Peter Jackson who created the Lord of the Rings trilogy made this possible. When he produced the documentary “Get Back,” he used new technology that allowed voices and instruments to be isolated from old tapes. The 1977 demo of Now and Then was recorded by John at home and had a lot of background noise and when the surviving 3 Beatles tried to use it in the 1990s, they gave up because the audio of John’s voice was drowned out by noise. But they had tried, which is why we have George’s guitar playing here (supplemented by some of Paul playing in George’s slide style.) Thanks to Peter Jackson, we are able to hear John’s voice in the clear. That’s him and him alone for the opening of the song before Paul joins in.
I cried when I read about that. Knowing that John and Paul were tentatively repairing their friendship, it’s possible that “Now and then I miss you” was written by John to Paul. Paul has previously said that in their last phone call, John said, “Think of me now and then, old friend.”
I was 9-years-old when The Beatles first appeared on The Ed Sullivan show, February 9, 1964 -- their first national exposure in the US. On that date, Ringo & John were 23, Paul, 21, & George, 20 (2 weeks shy of 21) - that's how VERY young they really were!!! I LOVED them immediately, feelings that never waned, & they have been the most prominent & beloved band on the soundtrack of my life ever since. Naturally, I was eagerly awaiting Now And Then, & I heard it on the radio the day it was released. I liked it, & fully appreciated it for what it is. The next day, I watched the video. WOW!!!!! I had goosebumps & tears all at once . . . what a powerful, heartfelt video, accentuating phenomenally poignant lyrics in the context they were used. Just beautifully done. Stunned by how emotional it is. And I absolutely LOVE the song!!! Everyone should watch the video & love it, too!!! Without a doubt, the absolute best music video I've ever seen in all the years of music videos!!!!! A true masterpiece!!! Facts everyone should know -- John Lennon, who wrote this song & is singing lead, was murdered in NYC on Dec 8, 1980, 10 years after The Beatles broke up. He was 40 years old. George Harrison laid down some guitar work to this song in 1995, which is used. Sadly, he died of cancer on Nov 29, 2001, age 58. Ringo Starr (now 83), the drummer, & Paul McCartney (81) playing his iconic Hofner bass, are alive & well & still delighting audiences with their wonderful music!!!!! The history of The Beatles, & how their empire was built, & why they are still so very popular, is a story every music fan should know!! Everyone in every generation should listen to their extensive & incredibly entertaining catalogue & learn their stories, & find out how 4 young lads from Liverpool, England changed the world!!! Then watch this video again & understand how truly stellar it is!!!
This short film perfectly explains how this new Beatles song came to be. Very interesting, & very enjoyable!!! ruclips.net/video/APJAQoSCwuA/видео.htmlo
I did the same. I heard it on the radio the day it came out, and I thought it was OK, but the next day, I watched the video, and teared up! I must have seen the video 50 times by now, and it still tugs at my heartstrings!
This is The Beatles final song, with all four contributing. John recorded the song on a cassette in 1977 before he died .Yoko gave the cassette to Paul. George played guitar tracks in 1995 before he passed in 2001. When new tech allowed John's vocal to be isolated Paul and Ringo finished the song with George Martin's son producing. So this is the end of new music from the four lads from Liverpool.
Just in case no-one in the comments below mentioned it, regarding the cassettes that included this song, that Yoko found among John's effects and handed over for the remaining Beatles to use for their Anthology project: John had written on them: 'For Paul' and Paul recalls that the last words John ever said to him in person, were: "Think of me now and then, my old friend." So, many beautiful and poignant layers of meaning are here intertwined, and all of us listening will no doubt add our own from our own lives and relationships, bringing us all together, all over the world, old and new fans alike, for one last Beatles experience.
The last time John spoke with Paul he told him Now and then remember me my friend. It was written by John in 77/78. Great song great tribute to John and George
WOW, John was gone, but George was still with us, for parts of this recording. Because of their death, it’s possible that Ringo and Paul put this together as a Tribute to what once was. This is a hidden treasure. Thank you for sharing.
My brother Joe & his wife Deb have three daughters, all professional ballet dancers. One day about 12 years ago, he was visiting his youngest in NYC while she was in their residential school. They were in an elevator together, when Paul McCartney walked in. My brother said he was delightful, and most kind, asking about my niece’s experience at the school (He was there to write a ballet). Then my brother asked him, joking, “So, are you a dancer, too?” which he went along with, joking. Solid gold human being.
Pretty interesting audio technology. Peter Jackson told Paul that with new AI tools he could extract John’s voice from the demo tape. With Giles Martin’s help they were able to piece together that cassette track, the studio recording attempt from the 90’s with George”s guitar and slide tracks and then add in recent Ringo’s drums recording and Paul’s redefinition of John’s piano part from the cassette as well as the string section. Then Peter Jackson did the magic of putting the video together. Another amazing thing I learned was that session with the classical musicians, none were told they were working on this Beatles song.
John recorded this song back in the 70s. It was given to Paul by Yoko Ono. Paul. Ringo and George worked on it then George died in the 90s. Paul and ringo and others finished it
Yoko found an old scratch demo tape in the basement that John recorded in the late 70s. It had three incomplete songs on it, and was marked "For Paul." Yoko handed it to him in the 1990s, and two of the songs from the tape became singles on the "One" album in the 90s, This song was also on the tape and Paul wanted to record it. They worked on parts for it then, while George was still living, but they were unable to separate John's vocal on the tape from the piano, and so every time they tried to bring up his vocals, the piano would come too and they were unable to do anything about it then. Modern day technology... Peter Jackson, who did the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, using AI technology, was able to finally separate the piano from John's vocal part and clean it up to get the quality you see here. He created the video you see using old footage, some of it never before released to the public, very old footage as well as 1990s footage and then, of course, footage of Paul and Ringo today as well as George Martin's son doing the string arrangement and conducting the orchestra. Peter did an incredible job of meshing video together to put young Beatles with old, and to put the band all together performing. I cried my eyes out the first time I saw this.
John wrote ''Now and Then'' and recorded himself while playing his piano, But, the sound quality wasn't good, and his TV set could be heard. SO, he wrote on the tape cover ''For Paul''.it was put away in a Cupboard, for 20 years, until Yoko sent it to paul, in the mid 1990's as the Three remaining member's were making a video about the Beatles , and needed more new material. BUT, they couldn't seperate Johns voice from the Piano and other noises, and gave up, until Peter Jackson contacted Paul, in early 2023, and said , We should have another go at Johns Tape of ''Now and Then'' as we now have new technology , called AI. which can seperate Johns voice. By now, George had died, so Paul , Ringo, Miles Martin ( George Martins Son ) and Film Maker Peter Jackson Got together again, and finished the job; And what a fantastic pastiche, of Beatle memorabilia , it is. Great Song too, Everyone is tryingto guess, who Johns sentiments are aimed at. I thinks PAUL. Over.
Although I also believe in 1977 John wrote this song as a thank-you to Paul, most of the finished song appears to be a thank-you from Paul & Ringo to both John & George. Except the last 30 seconds, where it changes to be a thank-you, and a goodbye, from The Beatles to us - their fans.
This song should have been on Anthology 3, but they couldn't separate John's voice from the piano. And they had to abandon it until they technology caught up.
The only AI was the voice of John Lennon being separated from the piano off the original cassette. The video is actual footage. Old footage is used from song You Say Goodbye I Say Hello.
Same time as Free As A Bird and Real Love came out- 1995- this song was worked on. That's why George is on it. Unreleasable due to the lousy recording, AI pulled out John's vocal. The John version has been bootlegged for years, it on youtube somewhere
Nice guitar, btw. I was born on the precipice of the 1970s and if it wasn't for my Australian mum's Irish self liking and a song and dance I might have missed the fab Four completely. A true reaction, if I must say.
Mate. i think one of the former contributors summed it up. It was a gift from John that found its way via Yoko to the remaining Beatles in the 90s but it could not be salvaged. Until that genius New Zealand film maker Peter Jackson found a way to incorporate it without unnecessary background humn and fuzz.
Others have answered your questions …. But, even without seeing or listening to it, with minimal effort you could have researched the extraordinary background of the song and the heroic efforts to finish it. I am sure you are a nice man, but this is a waste of time to watch.
In them good old innocent glory days of basic computer animation it was probably called CGI. Nowadays is Artificial intelligence (AI), which I hope is only used for good. Like this!
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
John created a demo of this song in 1977 on a cassette tape. Yoko gave this and a few other songs to the surviving Beatles in 1994. In 1995 Paul, George, and Ringo did some preliminary work trying to create a new Beatles song with "Now and Then" as they had with "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love." They found Lennon's voice to be buried under a buzz and too enmeshed with the piano accompanying his singing. They ended up shelving the song. In 2022 Peter Jackson was able to use AI to separate John's voice from all the other noise on the cassette. Paul and Ringo added new music and drumming. They also incorporated some guitar work George laid down in 1995. Additionally they added some backing vocals from a couple classic Beatles songs. So it has all of their voices, all of them playing. It is supposed to be the last song ever released by the Beatles as new material. Peter Jackson created the music video that goes with the song.
I appreciated your reaction.
What this guy said 👆😎
Being a 73 yr old Beatles fan I can’t listen to this song without crying.
Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱.
I've watched this probably 100 times, and every time they sing the line, "I miss you," followed by the clip of George and John in concert, I tear up. I certainly do miss them. Great reaction, my brother. 👍👍
Thank you
I've almost surpassed that number from watching people's reactions to it 😎👍
All four Beatles perform on this 2023 record. It gives me so many different emotions. ❤
I'm surprised by the lack of reaction.. I'm your age I believe and The Beatles was my first band crush. Seeing this made me cry.. like seeing my own life passing by
Well, I mean, the fact that he's only now listening to it, plus his total lack of initiative to do even the smallest amount of research on it, tells me he's not all that big of a fan, so the lack of an emotional response shouldn't surprise you.
Underwhelming reaction..no emotions😮I cry every time..loved them for over 50 years..and I miss them😢
The Beatles were completing their massive multimedia project "The Beatles Anthology". Yoko gave them a cassette of unfinished songs for the other three to complete. There were three volumes of music to be released with one new recoding for each album. For part one, they finished John's "Free as a Bird" and for part 2 "Real Love". "Now and Then" was attempted for part 3 but was abandoned because they couldn't isolate John's voice from all the background noise on the cassette demo. George said "it was shit". When the Beatles "Get Back" project was handed to Peter Jackson, his team developed a method to isolate sounds through computer recognition. So 45 years after John recorded the demo, and nearly 30 years after Paul, George and Ringo first worked on the song, we have it complete.
The clips of them in the Sgt. Pepper outfits, and John goofing around are from two different promo films for the song "Hello Goodbye".
All from a scratchy cassette John did in 1977. He would have no idea that it became this 😎👍
If you go to The Beatles' official RUclips Channel, there is a short 12 minute video that explains the story of how this song came to be. I really recommend watching it! Stay safe 🤘 ✌️
I'm just an old softie. It's not the greatest song, but it doesn't need to be, but it gets me in the feels every time I see/hear it.
I've been watching your vids for a week now. Keep it up. John wrote and recorded it on a tape in the the late 70's. Then George, Ringo and Paul took a stab at it in 90's, but technology wasn't up to snuff. With new technology they were able to extract John from the 70's tape and George from the 90's attempt and it worked. Thats what I recall from reading in comments about it. Someone else will probably say better later on, but I was first comment.
Right. An unfinished demo that didn’t have a middle eight. Paul also lifted a harmony of the four of them from Because in Abbey Road.
You beat me to it, i should have read your comment first.
It did have a middle eight, but Paul, Ringo & Giles Martin ( producer) chose not to use it.
@@dannygriffith6185 You referring to the part “I don’t want to lose you…”?
Thanks for watching, much appreciated
The Beatles....inovators Then and Now.....
Everyone has already covered this , its definitely a real Beatles recording with all the members, and more than likely the last official recording together so its very special and moving for Beatles fans alike.
Btw, Peter Jackson who created the Lord of the Rings trilogy made this possible. When he produced the documentary “Get Back,” he used new technology that allowed voices and instruments to be isolated from old tapes. The 1977 demo of Now and Then was recorded by John at home and had a lot of background noise and when the surviving 3 Beatles tried to use it in the 1990s, they gave up because the audio of John’s voice was drowned out by noise. But they had tried, which is why we have George’s guitar playing here (supplemented by some of Paul playing in George’s slide style.)
Thanks to Peter Jackson, we are able to hear John’s voice in the clear. That’s him and him alone for the opening of the song before Paul joins in.
JOHN'S ORIGIONAL CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS WAS LABELED "FOR PAUL"
I cried when I read about that. Knowing that John and Paul were tentatively repairing their friendship, it’s possible that “Now and then I miss you” was written by John to Paul. Paul has previously said that in their last phone call, John said, “Think of me now and then, old friend.”
I was 9-years-old when The Beatles first appeared on The Ed Sullivan show, February 9, 1964 -- their first national exposure in the US. On that date, Ringo & John were 23, Paul, 21, & George, 20 (2 weeks shy of 21) - that's how VERY young they really were!!! I LOVED them immediately, feelings that never waned, & they have been the most prominent & beloved band on the soundtrack of my life ever since. Naturally, I was eagerly awaiting Now And Then, & I heard it on the radio the day it was released. I liked it, & fully appreciated it for what it is. The next day, I watched the video. WOW!!!!! I had goosebumps & tears all at once . . . what a powerful, heartfelt video, accentuating phenomenally poignant lyrics in the context they were used. Just beautifully done. Stunned by how emotional it is. And I absolutely LOVE the song!!! Everyone should watch the video & love it, too!!!
Without a doubt, the absolute best music video I've ever seen in all the years of music videos!!!!! A true masterpiece!!!
Facts everyone should know -- John Lennon, who wrote this song & is singing lead, was murdered in NYC on Dec 8, 1980, 10 years after The Beatles broke up. He was 40 years old. George Harrison laid down some guitar work to this song in 1995, which is used. Sadly, he died of cancer on Nov 29, 2001, age 58. Ringo Starr (now 83), the drummer, & Paul McCartney (81) playing his iconic Hofner bass, are alive & well & still delighting audiences with their wonderful music!!!!!
The history of The Beatles, & how their empire was built, & why they are still so very popular, is a story every music fan should know!! Everyone in every generation should listen to their extensive & incredibly entertaining catalogue & learn their stories, & find out how 4 young lads from Liverpool, England changed the world!!! Then watch this video again & understand how truly stellar it is!!!
This short film perfectly explains how this new Beatles song came to be. Very interesting, & very enjoyable!!! ruclips.net/video/APJAQoSCwuA/видео.htmlo
I did the same. I heard it on the radio the day it came out, and I thought it was OK, but the next day, I watched the video, and teared up! I must have seen the video 50 times by now, and it still tugs at my heartstrings!
I was 3 when I remember "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" came out. 60 years. Fitting & melancholy.
First viewing is shocking. Made me cry. Hard. The next 200 times are better and you can't get it outa your head. Beatles magic 2023! 😮
This is The Beatles final song, with all four contributing. John recorded the song on a cassette in 1977 before he died .Yoko gave the cassette to Paul. George played guitar tracks in 1995 before he passed in 2001. When new tech allowed John's vocal to be isolated Paul and Ringo finished the song with George Martin's son producing. So this is the end of new music from the four lads from Liverpool.
John Lennon was shot in 1980 RIP
George harrisson had lung cancer and passed away in 2001 RIP
@@lucysheppard John Lennon was murdered in 1980 RIP
Just in case no-one in the comments below mentioned it, regarding the cassettes that included this song, that Yoko found among John's effects and handed over for the remaining Beatles to use for their Anthology project:
John had written on them: 'For Paul'
and Paul recalls that the last words John ever said to him in person, were:
"Think of me now and then, my old friend."
So, many beautiful and poignant layers of meaning are here intertwined, and all of us listening will no doubt add our own from our own lives and relationships, bringing us all together, all over the world, old and new fans alike, for one last Beatles experience.
The last time John spoke with Paul he told him Now and then remember me my friend. It was written by John in 77/78. Great song great tribute to John and George
Agnes is a Beauty... :-) Good Reaktion, my friend...
The Beatles were the first modern Pop/Rock band. Then came EVERYONE ELSE!
Great Reaction And Merry Christmas 👍🙏💯
Merry Christmas to you as well and, Thanks for watching, much appreciated
Go to the Beatles RUclips channel and watch the documentary about the making of the song, its about 12 something minutes long.
WOW, John was gone, but George was still with us, for parts of this recording. Because of their death, it’s possible that Ringo and Paul put this together as a Tribute to what once was. This is a hidden treasure. Thank you for sharing.
,
Greatest band ever! 11 albums in 7 yrs 🍻🎶
My brother Joe & his wife Deb have three daughters, all professional ballet dancers.
One day about 12 years ago, he was visiting his youngest in NYC while she was in their residential school. They were in an elevator together, when Paul McCartney walked in. My brother said he was delightful, and most kind, asking about my niece’s experience at the school (He was there to write a ballet). Then my brother asked him, joking, “So, are you a dancer, too?” which he went along with, joking. Solid gold human being.
John wrote it years ago, but it was unfinished due to technology
Pretty interesting audio technology. Peter Jackson told Paul that with new AI tools he could extract John’s voice from the demo tape. With Giles Martin’s help they were able to piece together that cassette track, the studio recording attempt from the 90’s with George”s guitar and slide tracks and then add in recent Ringo’s drums recording and Paul’s redefinition of John’s piano part from the cassette as well as the string section. Then Peter Jackson did the magic of putting the video together. Another amazing thing I learned was that session with the classical musicians, none were told they were working on this Beatles song.
G'day mate. A certain poster behind you immediately caught my eye.
John recorded this song back in the 70s. It was given to Paul by Yoko Ono. Paul. Ringo and George worked on it then George died in the 90s. Paul and ringo and others finished it
Yoko found an old scratch demo tape in the basement that John recorded in the late 70s. It had three incomplete songs on it, and was marked "For Paul." Yoko handed it to him in the 1990s, and two of the songs from the tape became singles on the "One" album in the 90s,
This song was also on the tape and Paul wanted to record it. They worked on parts for it then, while George was still living, but they were unable to separate John's vocal on the tape from the piano, and so every time they tried to bring up his vocals, the piano would come too and they were unable to do anything about it then. Modern day technology... Peter Jackson, who did the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, using AI technology, was able to finally separate the piano from John's vocal part and clean it up to get the quality you see here.
He created the video you see using old footage, some of it never before released to the public, very old footage as well as 1990s footage and then, of course, footage of Paul and Ringo today as well as George Martin's son doing the string arrangement and conducting the orchestra. Peter did an incredible job of meshing video together to put young Beatles with old, and to put the band all together performing. I cried my eyes out the first time I saw this.
paul finished this song it was only written with 1 verse and a bridge but Paul wrote the rest of the verses and the chorus with the music this year
John wrote ''Now and Then'' and recorded himself while playing his piano, But, the sound quality wasn't good, and his TV set could be heard. SO, he wrote on the tape cover ''For Paul''.it was put away in a Cupboard, for 20 years, until Yoko sent it to paul, in the mid 1990's as the Three remaining member's were making a video about the Beatles , and needed more new material. BUT, they couldn't seperate Johns voice from the Piano and other noises, and gave up, until Peter Jackson contacted Paul, in early 2023, and said , We should have another go at Johns Tape of ''Now and Then'' as we now have new technology , called AI. which can seperate Johns voice. By now, George had died, so Paul , Ringo, Miles Martin ( George Martins Son ) and Film Maker Peter Jackson Got together again, and finished the job; And what a fantastic pastiche, of Beatle memorabilia , it is. Great Song too, Everyone is tryingto guess, who Johns sentiments are aimed at. I thinks PAUL. Over.
Although I also believe in 1977 John wrote this song as a thank-you to Paul, most of the finished song appears to be a thank-you from Paul & Ringo to both John & George. Except the last 30 seconds, where it changes to be a thank-you, and a goodbye, from The Beatles to us - their fans.
There is a RUclips video “The Making of Now & Then”. It’s short & answers many of your questions.
This song should have been on Anthology 3, but they couldn't separate John's voice from the piano. And they had to abandon it until they technology caught up.
My new favourite Beatles song 😎
They went 100% with the bells and whistles on this 😎😎😎
You have to see the "making of" video. I'd like to see you react to that!
I'll take a look, Thanks for watching, much appreciated
The only AI was the voice of John Lennon being separated from the piano off the original cassette. The video is actual footage. Old footage is used from song You Say Goodbye I Say Hello.
Curious why most of the people comment on the technology vs what a GREAT song this is ?
Same time as Free As A Bird and Real Love came out- 1995- this song was worked on. That's why George is on it. Unreleasable due to the lousy recording, AI pulled out John's vocal.
The John version has been bootlegged for years, it on youtube somewhere
Nice guitar, btw. I was born on the precipice of the 1970s and if it wasn't for my Australian mum's Irish self liking and a song and dance I might have missed the fab Four completely. A true reaction, if I must say.
Hola desde España!!
Mate. i think one of the former contributors summed it up. It was a gift from John that found its way via Yoko to the remaining Beatles in the 90s but it could not be salvaged.
Until that genius New Zealand film maker Peter Jackson found a way to incorporate it without unnecessary background humn and fuzz.
Others have answered your questions …. But, even without seeing or listening to it, with minimal effort you could have researched the extraordinary background of the song and the heroic efforts to finish it. I am sure you are a nice man, but this is a waste of time to watch.
Not a beatles fan...outside of the white album...i realize that's blasphemous in the comments...but I like this....
watch the short story.. tells you everything the hows the whys the when..
Do the research, It's fasinating.
In them good old innocent glory days of basic computer animation it was probably called CGI. Nowadays is Artificial intelligence (AI), which I hope is only used for good. Like this!
Watch Peter Jackson’s 12 minute video explanation and how it was done.
Well that was different the no reaction at all reaction
AI
Your not living in the present or the past.
Do your homework first.