What if The Beatles’ biggest anthem… was written for a five-year-old boy?
“Hey Jude” started as “Hey Jules” — written by Paul McCartney in 1968 to comfort Julian Lennon during his parents’ divorce. John loved it instantly, saying: “It was about me and Yoko!”
Paul composed most of it while driving to visit Julian and Cynthia Lennon. He pulled over to jot down the melody on a cigarette pack!
At over 7 minutes, it was the longest single to ever top the charts at the time — and radio stations still played it.
That legendary “na-na-na” coda? It lasts over 4 minutes and features a 36-piece orchestra, clapping and all.
During recording, John insisted Paul keep the line: “The movement you need is on your shoulder” — Paul had wanted to replace it, but John called it the best line in the song.
“Hey Jude” was the first release on Apple Records. It sold over 8 million copies — and still ranks among the greatest songs ever written.
Got goosebumps from “Hey Jude”?
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