What Is The Beatles Song Hey Jude About

What is the Beatles Song Hey Jude About?

The legendary Beatles song ‘Hey Jude’ has been a part of popular culture since its release in 1968. Written by Paul McCartney, the song has gone on to sell more than six million copies. Even after five decades, the lyrics of the song remain an enigma to many.

The song is based on McCartney’s experiences in his friendship with Beatles bandmate John Lennon’s son Julian. McCartney wrote the song after Lennon’s divorce. Triggered by the tumultuous separation, McCartney felt sorrow for the young Julian and sought to comfort him. In the song, McCartney sought to be the positive figure for Julian, advising him to not make his life harder than it had to be in the midst of such turmoil.

Analysts have broken down the lyrics to examine each and every word, suggesting interpretations and gauging an understanding of the composition’s phrasing and melody, which are invariably entwined. Dan McCarrol, a noted Beatles historian claims Hey Jude is ‘an epic tribute to friendship’. He emphasises the deep affect the divorce had on the young Julian.

Despite the fact that the song was written with the purpose of providing solace for a young child, it still resonated with millions of people, surpassing age and cultural barriers. It became one of the first songs to cement the reputation of the Beatles as groundbreaking composers. The song speaks of hope and confidence – the perfect package for revisiting painful experiences and emerging out of them with a more reassuring attitude.

This song firmly established The Beatles as one of most iconic bands of all time. It changed the way people composed songs, expressing an emotional connection with an audience that was never seen before. McCartney’s effortless ability to write a mainstream song while maintaining a complex yet totally relatable storyline is an accomplishment that many artists look up to.

The timeless melody of Hey Jude and its profound lyrics demonstrate the impact a song can have on its audiences. It offers listeners solace, and proves how powerful music can be in amplifying the voice of the silenced. Hey Jude is a song that stirs emotions, a fact that McCartney’s piercing lyrics have yet to fail at.

The Song’s Structure

The Song’s six and a half minute running time was lengthy by the standards of the day, out of the ordinary for a pop song. It was one of the reasons why it managed to stand out and became a classic. The song has an interesting structure that is highly unusual for the period, further contributing to its popularity.

The song has two choruses, two bridges and two verses that connect to each other with a music break. The two-part structure of the song, with its decelerations and accelerations, creates tension that builds to the end. The famous ‘Naaaaah nah nah’ of the song, is not part of the lyrics but is famously included in the song. It serves an important purpose, as it creates an anchor of resonance in the rock anthemic chorus and allows for a pleasing climax to the sensational song.

The song structure alludes to the sentiments McCartney intended to communicate with the song – he shows the severity of the situation at hand by slowing it down with protracted pauses. This creates an atmosphere of worry and fear, then an unexpected explosion of chorus with the famously elongated chorus. The break favors a premature but natural conclusion, thus, preventing the listener from tuning out in a possibly lengthy song.

McCartney resulted to this clever structure – considered premature – to ensure the listener remained connected with the lyrical content, subtly providing energy to the song without overpowering it. The evolution of this strategy has since been used by countless other artists and still remains a winning trick as far as songwriting is concerned.

Universal Appeal

Hey Jude was intended as a message of comfort and understanding for young Julian, however, the song’s universality birthed a powerful anthem that became a soundtrack to an affected generation. The power of the song lay in McCartney’s ability to retain a message of youth, innocence, and hope – conveyed through a tender message of gentleness and truth.

In the context of 1968, the song became a symbol of defiance and fight against bigotry and intolerance. Recorded shortly after Martin Luther King’s assassination, Hey Jude became the perfect tool to channel emotions and protestations against the oppressor in a non-violent way. After its release, the song was often performed at protests, further contributing to the impression of its heralded universal appeal.

The composition resonated with millions of people, proving to an astonished audience that music is not only a form of entertainment. As Edward Murrow, a celebrated journalist puts it – Music can be a vehicle for millions of emotions running through one person. And this is why Hey Jude became an overnight classic.

It’s gigantic success meant that it soon became an anthem, a tune of hope – a poignancy that could bring out the awkwardness in even the most powerful of rulers and could further strengthen intense, sometimes turbulent relationships.

The revolutionary impact of the song can still be felt to this day. With countless covers and a legacy that resonates through the decades, McCartney has delivered an enduring anthem– the perfect ballad for a lifetime of changes.

Sentimental Melody

Hey Jude’s melody is extremely sentimental and uplifting. It speaks of friendship and loyalty and is a lyrical ode to the idea of embracing change and starting afresh. It’s haunting, sorrowful melody stirs emotions – an inner drive to wax lyrical and hang onto the possibilty that life may be better after, all times being good.

After decades of hearing the song’s instantly recognizable piano and bass melody, fans have grown to learn and love the powerful harmony that the song offers. This part of the melodic goodness of the song is accredited to Lennon who traded classical compositional conventions for an ethos that admires the basic fundamentals of a 4 note minor key melody – a mid ground that he was able to achieve by producing an unconventional feel.

The song’s unique structure and sentimental melody is one of the main reasons why the song has withstood the test of time. It became a classic because it speaks a meaningful message that encourages us to strive for a better future by any means possible. It urges us to stay true to our inner music of love and hope while facing our struggles in solidarity.

Hey Jude’s basic melody and structure remain simple enough to allow for adaption and reinterpretation. It holds a special place in the hearts of many generations, proving to be a valuable reminder of what it means to be human.

Leaving a Legacy

The song has evolved into an an anthem for comfort and hope in times of struggle. The powerful legacy of Hey Jude continues to inspire generations all over the world and its influence can still be detected in many other pieces of music that followed its footsteps.

From a medical perspective, experts have suggested that the song’s lyrics could also provide comfort for those in pain. Dr. Henk Verhofstadt, an end of life researcher anaesthesiologist was so moved by the song that he recommended playing it preoperatively to provide patients psychological support and distraction. The suggestion of this strategy has since been explored further by his colleagues proving Hey Jude to hold more power than initially anticipated.

The Beatles gifted us with a sense of eternity and so, in time, have given us a sense of wonderment that continue to influence generations in growing numbers. The elements that made Hey Jude such a massive hit still remain with us and with every rendition of the song, music buffs are reminded of a unifying force that has its roots deep in the very core of human emotions.

The power of Hey Jude has for the most part, easily travelled over its five decades and has arguably inspired the creation of art pieces that consider its healing capabilities across different parts of the world.

Achievements

The song has certainly left an impressive mark in our society. In 2018, it was chosen to represent the Beatles for the

Richard Lapoint

Richard P. Lapoint is a music journalist and author who has been writing about rock bands for over 25 years. He has interviewed many of the biggest names in the music industry and has produced content on some of the genre's most iconic groups. His mission is to ensure that the music and its legacy are remembered, celebrated, and respected.

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