i’m just supposed to go on with my life? when John Winston Ono Lennon yearned so much to be with Paul McCartney again that he wrote the line “Now and then / I want you to return to me,”… And Sir James Paul McCartney after 43 years of mourning his partner, a person that knew him better that anyone, change this line to: “Now and then / I want you to be there for me”. In a sort of long distance conversation separated by time. Showing how John wanted Paul to return to him and Paul now only wishes for John to be here with him, by his side, now and during those past 43 years. This also explains why Paul decided to leave out the 2nd verse - the demo is from John’s perspective, the single is from Paul’s.
It is known that Paul and John communicated through songs, even during their beatles days, but mainly during their solo careers. This song feels like the one last conversation. John’s plea to Paul to come back to him is finally answered by 40+ years of grief and love for the man that was his partner since they were teenagers.
"I never saw them so happy - no drinks, no drugs, no girls, just them painting." Robert Whitaker. ㅡ From the book "The Unseen Beatles Photographs" by Robert Whitaker.