Philip Norman:Relations with Yoko continued to be excellent, so much so that at the time of the 'Real Love' sessions she paid a visit to Peasmarsh with her son Sean, now aged 19. She and Paul even recorded a track together at Hog Hill Mill, something that neither of them could ever have imagined. That August, it would be 50 years since the dropping of the atom bomb on Yoko's homeland. 'Hiroshima Sky is Always Blue' somewhat recalled that emblematic John-and-Yoko anthem 'Give Peace a Chance', with Sean, Linda and the McCartney children joining in; there was also a touch of the seance in Yoko's introductory words, 'John, we're here now, together. Bless you, peace on earth and Strawberry Fields Forever.'
She took the lead vocal-simply a repetition of the title segueing into her characteristic sound effects- with Paul on string bass, audibly respectful. The piece would be broadcast by Japanese public radio on the anniversary of Hiroshima's incineration. Sean Lennon had grown up feeling that the father he'd lost at the age of five belonged more to the world than to him, and that his only private time with John came through playing the piano. Among Hog Hill Mill's collection of historic musical instruments was the Baldwin spinet John had used on the Abbey Road track 'Because'. When Paul invited Sean to play it, he didn't stop for hours.
Christopher Sandford:Sean Lennon told Rolling Stone that the song was the fruit of 'our reconciliation after twenty years of bitterness and feuding bullshit.' But the feud wasn't quite over yet. The McCartneys and Onos were at it again just six months later, arguing about old song credits. Paul complained that 'the widow' was earning as much, or more, from Yesterday as he was.
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May 1995: McCartney, Harrison and Starr finally wrapped Free As A Bird and Real Love, two slight songs with a baroque. Electric Light Orchestra production. Paul and George then attempted to combine on a track they called All For Love. This brought a fresh round of debate and muttered asides, until somebody again mentioned Now And Then. At that there was the noise of slammed doors, and soon Lynne found himself sitting alone with the Beatles' rhythm section. 'I think John would have liked Free As A Bird,' George later commented. 'In fact, I hope someone does this to all my crap demos when I'm dead, making them into hit songs.' On that note, the whole reunion limped to its close.
Howard Sounes:So the three-quarters Beatles reunion was over. But now that the grave had been exhumed, the ghosts of the past were not easily put back to rest. James McCartney had reached an age when he was asking his father about the Sixties. A discussion about the song 'My Dark Hour', which Paul had made with Steve Miller during the rancorous end days of the Beatles, led McCartney to hook up with Miller again, at his home studio in Sun Valley, Idaho, to record a song titled 'Young Boy', the lyrics of which express the sort of conversation Paul and Lin may have had about their son as he approached adulthood.
