8

TheBeatles,'HeyJude'

Writers:JohnLennon,PaulMcCartney
Producer:GeorgeMartin
Released:Aug.'68,Apple
19weeks;No.1
TheBeatles'biggestU.S.singlenineweeksatNumberOnewasalsotheirlongest,atsevenminutes
and11seconds.Duringtherecordingsessions,producerGeorgeMartinobjectedtothelength,claiming
DJswouldnotplaythesong."Theywillifit'sus,"JohnLennonshotback.PaulMcCartneywrote"Hey
Jude"inJune1968,singingtohimselfonhiswaytovisitLennon'ssoontobeexwife,Cynthia,andtheir
son,Julian.Theopeninglineswere,McCartneyoncesaid,"ahopefulmessageforJulian:'Comeon,man,
yourparentsgotdivorced.Iknowyou'renothappy,butyou'llbeOK.'"McCartneychanged"Jules"to
"Jude"anameinspiredbyJudfromthemusicalOklahoma!andpresentedademotapetoLennon,
wholovedthesong.HealsothoughtMcCartneywassingingtohim,abouthisrelationshipwithYoko
OnoandthestrainsontheLennonMcCartneypartnership.Buthisselfcenteredreadingunderscoredthe
universalcomfortinMcCartney'slyricsandthesong'swarm,rollingcharm,fortifiedinthefadeoutbya
36pieceorchestrawhosemembers(withonegrumpyexception)alsoclappedandsangalongfor
doubletheirusualfee.
Appearson:1(Capitol/Apple)
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