#julian lennon
Julian Lennon, Stick Around(1986)
Watch “Julian Lennon Performs ‘IMAGINE’ for Global Citizen’s Stand Up For Ukraine w/Nuno Bettencourt” on YouTube
First on the charts… Saturday
The number one song on this day 48 years ago…
Hey Jude
Performed by The Beatles
Written by Paul McCartney (and also credited to John Lennon)
In May of ‘68, John and Cynthia Lennon separated due to his relationship with Yoko Ono (it would be a few more years before he left the band because of her. Yes, I blame Yoko. Bitch). Paul McCartney was good friends with Cynthia and went to visit her, writing a song that he would sing to her and John’s son Julian along the way that he called “Hey, Jules.” It later evolved to the title it would eventually become known by, mostly because Paul thought it “sounded better.”
This song is over seven minutes long. In a time when that was an unheard of length for a song that might become popular within the culture, this was a huge risk. The song MacAurther Park had suggested that a lengthy “hit” was possible, but Richard Harris’ song was not universally a hit. Still, the gamble paid off, and Hey Jude is listed as number eight on Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest songs of all time.
There’s so much lore attached to this song. There’s the spat between Paul and George Harrison about a reduced role in Paul’s songs. The drums not joining in during the first 50 seconds, which allowed Ringo Starr time to leave the studio for a bathroom break during the first take (which was used as the master) and snuck in behind Paul to join in right on cue. Then there was someone, stories differ over it being John or Paul, that can be heard saying “Fucking hell” about 2:58 into the song.
Paul, to his credit, still loves this song. He still plays it, just as he did while he was honing it, for “anyone too polite to refuse.” And seriously, who is going to refuse Paul frikkin’ McCartney?
Like much of the music of this era, I came into my enjoyment for it during my late teens and early to mid twenties. For me, in a career filled with many of the greatest songs ever written, this is the standout. Hey Jude is the signature song of The Beatles. Enjoy!
Hey, Jude, don’t make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better
Hey, Jude, don’t be afraid
You were made to go out and get her
The minute you let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better
And anytime you feel the pain,
Hey, Jude, refrain
Don’t carry the world upon your shoulders
For well you know that it’s a fool
Who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah
Hey, Jude, don’t let me down
You have found her, now go and get her
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better
So let it out and let it in,
Hey, Jude, begin
You’re waiting for someone to perform with
And don’t you know that it’s just you,
Hey, Jude, you’ll do
The movement you need is on your shoulder
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah yeah
Hey, Jude, don’t make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her under your skin
Then you’ll begin to make it better, better, better, better, better… oh!
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude (Jude)
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude (don’t make it bad, Jude)
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude (take a sad song and make it better)
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude (oh, Jude)
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude (Jude, hey, Jude, whoa)
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude (ooh)
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude
Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah, nah, nah nah,
Hey, Jude [fade out]
