When someone asks “What’s your Beatles favorite song?” it’s my go-to. There are so many I could choose, but this one always rises to the top. It’s such a memorable chorus, and it came at such a pivotal time in my young pre-teen life. It’s a natural. Of course it’s Hey Jude!
The Beatles and Hey Jude. The biggest band ever and their biggest song ever. 57 years ago this week, Hey Jude was released to much acclaim and commentary. It put to rest any notion the Beatles were finished, coming on the heels of the song Lady Madonna, which reached number 4.
There was plenty of speculation. It was a 3 minute song with a 4 minute coda. Radio just didn’t do that. The record label and others close to the Fabs advised against it. Paul even wondered if it should be edited. John finally said no. “They’ll like it because it’s us.”
He was right.
Still, Paul took no chances and played it for everybody he could think of to get input. The consensus was undeniable. This was a special song. It was different than anything released heretofore. So much so that many ensuing songs by other artists took to it’s lengthy format. Once again the Beatles set the tone.
There were great lengths taken to get the song right. Over the 25 studio takes Paul argued with George about the lead guitar part. George wanted to add short riffs after each phrase. Paul said no thanks. Ringo had just quit for 2 weeks prior to the release of Hey Jude after several rows with Paul.
Ironic and fitting that Hey Jude takes on such a feeling of positivity of taking a bad situation and looking at the bright side (“Take a sad song and make it better”) amid the bickering and scrutiny the Beatles had endured in recent months, particularly considering the chaotic near decade of Beatlemania.
Paul wrote it as a letter to John’s 5 year son Julian. Originally called “Hey Jules,” McCartney changed it to Jude because it “sounded cooler.” The message was one of encouragement to young Lennon as his parents were splitting, and Paul knew the child was in for a rough road.
Julian and his mother Cynthia were forever grateful to Paul for his thoughtfulness. Paul had actually been closer to Julian than the boy was to his father. John’s fame and foibles had begun to get the best of him as he strayed from his family, choosing Yoko Ono as his future partner for the remainder of his life.
Hey Jude has become a mega-anthem for Paul in the decades since. It was number 1 for a record 9 weeks, as well as number 1 in multiple countries. He plays it as a finale for his live shows to this day. It has become, among so many others, one of his signature songs.
Sing it with me. Na na na nanana na, nanana na, Hey Jude…
Kinda catchy!