“Hey Jules” aka “Hey Jude”

Didja know that it was on this day Sept. 28th In 1968, The Beatles started a nine week run at No.1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Hey Jude’. The Paul McCartney song written for and about John Lennon’s son, Julian!  “Hey Jude” gave the group their 16th U.S. No.1 and the biggest selling single of 1968!

John Lennon and his then wife Cynthia had just split up, John had met Yoko and their son Julian was having a difficult time dealing with the separation. ( Julian was approx. 5 years old ) Paul had always been fond of Cynthia and very close with Julian, so one day he decided to make a drive down to visit them and offer some moral support! It was on that car trip that he wrote “Hey Jude” McCartney admits he originally wrote the song as Hey Jules, but he felt Hey Jude simply sang better

When introducing the composition to Lennon, McCartney assured him that he would “fix” the line “the movement you need is on your shoulder”, reasoning that “it’s a stupid expression; it sounds like a parrot.” Lennon replied: “You won’t, you know. That’s the best line in the song. McCartney retained the phrase and he later said of his subsequent live performances of the song: “that’s the line when I think of John, and sometimes I get a little emotional during that moment.”

Hey Jude was the first release on The Beatles new record label “Apple” and the record lasted in excess of 7 minutes, doubters were worried that radio may have a tough time programming it especially in the U.S. Obviously that was not a problem. In addition to the record’s incredible chart success, Hey Jude went on to sell over 8 million records! And to add to the challenge,  Apple (upon Paul’s insistence) also released Mary Hopkins debut single “Those Were The Day’s “ produced by Paul, on the same day they released Hey Jude! No prob for Mary either. Lastly, in an ironic yet somewhat unfair twist of fate, in 1996 Julian purchased the recording notes on Hey Jude at a Christie’s auction for  £25,000 ( approximately $50,000 )

Here’s what The Beatles press release said per their rep and good friend Derek Taylor:

[The Beatles] are confident and cheerful and the human condition will be thrilled by the coming results of their willing and enduring Beatle bondage … they will give all of us new wonders to soothe our pain.
– Derek Taylor, “Hey Jude” press release, August 1968

Don’t know about you, but for us,  there’s something odd, out of touch and just plain weird with that quote about this important and incredible Beatle record! BUT, It’s The Beatles Yeah, Yeah, YEAH!

But now, let’s take a look and listen to our favorite “LIVE” Beatle recording !

But wait! There’s more, and here’s the fun part, as you watch the video of Hey Jude, how many celebrities and 60’s pop stars can you identify? We’re up to about 9, not counting the old weird dude with the flowers in his glasses!

Yeah, Yeah, YEAH, once more!

 

 

 

 

 

6 Comments

  1. In the world of Fabology 101, the whole “Jules = Julian” story is essential!

    But in the world of all things “Jules” and “Apple” related:

    Most recall that “Hey Jude” was actually The Beatles first single released on Apple Records,
    numbered APPLE 1. Except that it wasn’t – it featured no number at all, and was commericially followed with “Those Were The Days” by Mary Hopkin Apple-2. So was there ever an APPLE-1.
    Actually, there was…courtesy of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Cahn.

    Courtesy of long-time Beatle insider Tony Bramwell, the little known story about APPLE-1:

    “All the literature on the Beatles states that EMI refused to release the catalogue number Apple 1. History has it that “Hey Jude” was the first Apple release, with no catalogue number, and “Those Were the Days” was Apple 2. The truth is far more interesting.

    Harrisons was the company who printed the EMI labels. They had endless problems with fixing the exact color of the Apple logo. One of the printers, an English craftsman who took a pride in his work, came up with a solution. He showed us a superior new printing press, which was really a forerunner of a laser ink-jet machine, and was used for luxury, hand-operated work. After fiddling around a while, he came up with some near-perfect blanks, with no label information on them.

    “That looks lovely, great, it’s perfect,” Paul said, and passed the labels around.
    “Right, then,” said the printer. “Where’s your first record?”
    Beatles looked at each other and muttered among themselves for a bit because
    they didn’t have one ready for this occasion. 

    However, it so happened that it was Ringo’s wife Maureen’s twenty-second birthday on August 4, and Ron Kass (the head of Apple Records who was fired virtually the day Allen Klein arrived) got the idea of doing something really special for her. He telephoned his friend Sammy Cahn in Hollywood and got him to rewrite the lyrics to “The Lady Is a Tramp” so it related to Ringo and Maureen. Nobody thought Sammy would do it, but he did. Then he amazed us by calling Sinatra and asking him to record it. Off they went to Capitol Studios, in the Capitol Tower in Hollywood. The finished tape was air-couriered to Ron to be mastered.

    Meanwhile, the printer had run off a single label that read: “The Lady is a Tramp,” by Frank Sinatra, Apple 1. He took the master to EMI’s factory for a test and Apple 1 was pressed, both sides the same. Ringo gave the one and only copy in the world to Maureen. Then Ron ordered the master stampers crushed. The tape was cut up and destroyed.”

    Talk about a record collector’s Holy Grail…

  2. YES: Who IS that guy with flowered on his glasses?? It reminds me of something Bill Murray would do! But the age isn’t right. I think I mentioned this in the past but the FIRST time I ever heard this song (feels like yesterday) was on my car radio and it is so weird but I thought that I had HEARD ALL OF IT BEFORE???!!! I searched my m I and for weeks trying to pin point the real origin of the melody. It was just SO FAMILIAR — something from the past. It was later that I heard Paul discussing music composition when he mused that AL THE MUSIC – PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE is actually ALTEADY out there in the either of space making up the universe. He said allthat is required is for anyone to comprehend the ABILITY to ACCESS the information!! What a WONDERFUL DONG!! I LOVE IT!
    the wood

    • Hey Wood,
      Re: The “Old weird dude with the flowers in his glasses” I believe is a very popular comic actor from the 60’s you may recall! His name is Wally Cox and he showed up in guest rolls on just about every prime time comedy. Eventually he was given his own series by NBC it was called “Hiram Holiday” ringing any bells?
      HE was an oddball but my brother and I thought he was hilarious! As we like to say:
      SMS, Your place for the stuff you didn’t know, you didn’t know!
      Thanx Woody!

    • “Hey Jules”,
      I agree, I like the way that sounds! I think you ought to give McCartney a ring and convince him that he needs to re-think this whole “Hey Jude” thing! Hey, it’s only been 50 years!
      Thanx “Jules” glad you liked the piece!
      Rick

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