Celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Hey Jude’s release have yielded some fine retrospectives online. Written in June 1968, it was recorded in late July, and the single was released on August 30.
At 7 minutes and 33 seconds, the song, written by Paul McCartney, broke every radio station rule. Until then, the rule was that no single could exceed three minutes. But Hey Jude, the longest song in the United Kingdom until 1993, remained among the most played for four consecutive months!
And its legendary status seems unshakable. It recently became the most-played Beatles song on Apple Music and ranked fourth among the band’s listeners on Spotify.
Written for John Lennon’s son when Lennon was separating from his first wife, it is neither the song that attracted the most media attention—that was Yesterday—nor the greatest commercial success, a distinction belonging to She Loves You. But Hey Jude is the song of the crowds. The one sung in stadiums that appeals to every audience, regardless of age, gender, or social class.
The reason for its success, as a music critic at the Guardian pointed out, is that the song seems to have been written for whoever is listening. You know that feeling: “This is for me,” “That’s me!” Hey Jude evokes that kind of feeling.
One detail I would like to highlight is that this 50th anniversary, celebrated in the internet age, makes a series of records accessible, such as the first handwritten version of the lyrics and photographic reproductions of the vinyl record, a single, as it was called then. This was, incidentally, the first Beatles record released on the Apple label, which later became an icon of the band.
Among the items now accessible, I would highlight recordings by Elvis Presley, Diana Ross and Ella Fitzgerald (wonderful, by the way). But what is truly unmissable is the restored copy of the promotional video, which introduces us not only to the song but also to the fashions of the time, incredible hairstyles, and a green suit worn by Ringo Starr that is an event in itself.
Before finishing, I will mention another aspect of the launch video, in which we also see the orchestra of 36 musicians who took part in the recording. One of the distinguishing features of Hey Jude, they refused to clap and join the song’s chorus, even though they were offered an additional fee. Little did they know they had missed the chance to take part in the most important na-na-na in the history of pop culture.
Transcript of Giselle Beiguelman’s Ouvir Imagens column, broadcast every Monday at 8 a.m. on Rádio USP (93.7).
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