The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” is undoubtedly one of the most iconic songs in modern music history. The hopeful song is credited to the iconic Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership, despite being entirely written by Paul McCartney. Nevertheless, John Lennon played a significant role in the song’s creation, as his tumultuous personal life was the inspiration behind the legendary song. In this article, we will explore the story, meaning, and legacy behind the song!
The Story Behind the Song
The inspiration behind “Hey Jude” was Paul McCartney’s desire to comfort John Lennon’s son, Julian, during his parents’ divorce. Lennon and his first wife Cynthia married in 1962, but their marriage fell apart as a result of Lennon’s involvement with Yoko Ono. In 1968, Lennon and Cynthia divorced. McCartney, who had a close uncle-like relationship with Julian, was moved by the tragic events the boy had to endure.
In an attempt to provide Julian comfort, McCartney decided to visit him. As he drove to visit Julian, he began composing the song in his head. He originally titled the song “Hey Jules” before changing it to “Hey Jude”.
“I started with the idea ‘Hey Jules’, which was Julian, don’t make it bad, take a sad song and make it better”, McCartney said in his biography Many Years from Now. “Hey, try and deal with this terrible thing. I knew it was not going to be easy for him. I always feel sorry for kids in divorces.”
McCartney eventually changed “Hey Jules” into “Hey Jude” because it sounded better. the name Jude reportedly derived from a character in the musical Oklahoma!
The Meaning of the Song
The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” is a song about having hope in difficult times. The lyrics are filled with words of comfort, wisdom, and advice.
On personal terms, the song reflects McCartney’s heartfelt feelings for Lennon’s son Julian after the divorce of his parents. Although it’s often rumored “Hey Jude” also refers to John Lennon and McCartney himself.
John Lennon in particular thought “Hey Jude” was about him. He believed the song was McCartney’s way of approving Lennon’s relationship with Yoko Ono.
Others believed the song referred to Paul McCartney himself. In 1968, McCartney went through something similar to Lennon, as his engagement with Jane Asher was falling apart. But McCartney has never confirmed these rumors.
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The song famously ends with a four-minute long ‘na-na-na-na’ sing-along coda. The simple phrase invites the listener to join in and creates a hopeful sense of togetherness, strengthening the song’s message.
The Recording of the Song
“Hey Jude” was recorded during the sessions of the band’s 1968 self-titled album, commonly known as the white album.
During the rehearsals, a heated argument arose between Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Harrison’s lead guitar suggestions did not align with McCartney’s vision for the song’s arrangement, and were overruled by McCartney. It showcased Harrison’s limited ability to contribute creative ideas to McCartney’s songs, which would eventually be a contributing factor to the disbandment of The Beatles.
In addition to the incident between McCartney and Harrison, the rehearsals showed the first rift between the band members of The Beatles. Yoko Ono’s presence by John Lennon’s side played a significant role in the emerging tensions.
Read more: The Story Behind “I Want To Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles
The Beatles recorded the master track of “Hey Jude” at Trident Studios on July 31, 1968. The band recorded 4 takes, with the first one being selected as the master. A day later overdubs were added, including a 36-piece orchestra, who played and sang along during the song’s coda.
Watch footage of the rehearsal session of “Hey Jude” on July 30, 1968, which was filmed for a short documentary titled Music!
The Song’s Legacy
“Hey Jude” was eventually released as a single on 26 August 1968. It was the first The Beatles single by the band’s self-founded label Apple Records. As a result of the extended coda, the song lasted over 7 minutes. A risky move at the time, as radio stations preferred shorter songs.
But “Hey Jude’s” length didn’t prevent the song from becoming a massive hit. The song topped the charts worldwide and spent nine weeks atop the US Billboard Hot 100, a record at the time. Within the first 3 months of the single’s release, it sold over 6 million copies worldwide.
And the song remains popular to this day! The song is widely regarded as one of the Beatles’ finest, and thus, instantly, one of music’s finest. “Hey Jude” serves as an active reminder that hope can be found in even the darkest of times.