Hey Jude

Today we hear possibly The Beatles' most famous song: "Hey Jude". Allegedly written by Paul McCartney for Julian Lennon, John Lennon's oldest son, the song was originally called "Hey Jules". According to Wikipedia, "More than seven minutes in length, 'Hey Jude' was, at the time, the longest single ever to top the British charts."

While the back story of the song--Paul writing it to comfort Julian Lennon during his parents' divorce--is the most commonly believed version (including by Julian himself, who said he often felt closer to McCartney than to his own father), there are alternate versions that are equally interesting and possible. These include: that Paul wrote the song about John (which Lennon firmly believed), that Paul wrote the song about himself (he was breaking up with Jane Asher around that time), or that Paul wrote the song about various other people (most of them random). 

Wikipedia gives us this funny tidbit:

Ringo Starr almost missed his drum cue. He left for a toilet break—unnoticed by the other Beatles—and the band started recording. In 1994, McCartney said, "Ringo walked out to go to the toilet and I hadn't noticed. The toilet was only a few yards from his drum booth, but he'd gone past my back and I still thought he was in his drum booth. I started what was the actual take, and 'Hey Jude' goes on for hours before the drums come in and while I was doing it I suddenly felt Ringo tiptoeing past my back rather quickly, trying to get to his drums. And just as he got to his drums, boom boom boom, his timing was absolutely impeccable."

For me, however, the most interesting fact about this song is this one:

When McCartney introduced Lennon to his new composition, he came to "the movement you need is on your shoulder" and told Lennon "I'll fix that bit." Lennon asked why, and McCartney answered "...it's a stupid expression; it sounds like a parrot." Lennon parried with "You won't, you know. That's the best line in the song." McCartney thus left the line in, and later said "...when I play that song, that's the line when I think of John, and sometimes I get a little emotional during that moment."

For me, "Hey Jude" symbolizes the McCartney + Lennon saga more than any other song, even more than "Carry That Weight" or others that were written by one specifically about the other. This song, which (if you believe the main theory) was written for his best friend's son, represents all of the best parts of their partnership and friendship. It gives encouragement and hope instead of the more common criticism and resentment that was often exchanged between the two. That's why this is one of my absolute favorite Beatles songs--although there are many amazing songs out there that showcase John and Paul's collaborations, to me, nothing says "Lennon/McCartney" like "Hey Jude". 

That's it for today... see you tomorrow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heard It Tally: 52

Songs Completed: 206