(1968 beatles single)
(released 26 august 1968)
(“hey jude” is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney)
(the ballad evolved from “Hey Jules”, a song McCartney wrote to comfort John Lennon’s son, Julian, during his parents’ divorce)
“Hey Jude” begins with a verse-bridge structure incorporating McCartney’s vocal performance and piano accompaniment; further instrumentation is added as the song progresses. After the fourth verse, the song shifts to a fade-out coda that lasts for more than four minutes.
“Hey Jude” was released in August 1968 as the first single from the Beatles’ record label Apple Records.
More than seven minutes in length, it was at the time the longest single ever to top the British charts.
It also spent nine weeks at number one in the United States, the longest for any Beatles single. “Hey Jude” tied the “all-time” record, at the time, for the longest run at the top of the US charts. The single has sold approximately eight million copies and is frequently included on professional critics’ lists of the greatest songs of all time.
(in 2013, Billboard named it the 10th biggest song of all time)