Hey Jude - Loved and Hated

“Hate”
Wish again that we refrain from using this word when discussing something as innocuous as our favorite, least favorite pop song or record.
There is enough hate in the real world.

 

Oh come on. Who truly hates Hey Jude? That's ridiculous.

Even if you don't love it or have a desire to listen to it often, you have to admit it's a well-crafted, unique, passionately performed piece of A+ songwriting that has rightfully been inscribed into the timeless pop music canon.

 

This, pretty much!

 

Paul's throwing in the "Take a load off, Annie" from 6:20-6:30 on the David Frost appearance is basically the coolest thing ever

 

Even the band got tired of it before the coda - "bloody hell!" is in there clear as a bell

Hey Jude is a great song, but I always have to wonder how they got from the weak sounding early takes to the brilliant finished master? Seems like the one Beatles song in the catalog that heavily relies on production to enhance it to a "finished" sound. On the early takes, George wasn't even playing, John strums along like its a campfire singalong, Ringo plods, Paul oversings...then boom, there's an orchestra & it's magic.

 

I agree. On the long side. Still a wonderful tune, if seriously overplayed through the years. But...find a UK Export of the Hey Jude lp and you may fall in love with it all over again.

 

“And don’t you know that it’s just you”.
That part still gets me every time

 

great song but in 2018 it would be even better if the outro had a few #9 samples thrown in

 

But Paul needs you to sound so sweet tonight!

 

Not a fan here.

Drags and drags on...

 

It’s my 15 month old’s favorite song. I’m not kidding. She goes around the house singing the coda all the time

 

I was listening to HEY JUDE LP today on the way to work and the song fits perfectly in the sequencing. It’s one of Paul’s masterpieces along with Yesterday and Let It Be.

I will agree that the concert singalong has grown old, but it’s just Paul being the audience participation showman.

 

I could never figure out what is wrong with this song. Something seems missing, or perhaps it is just not my cup of LSD, er... I mean Tea.

 

Loved this song from day one. A musical balm that helped soothe the horrible beast that was the year 1968.

 

Gosh! What to say. This is a simple well written song presented about as straightforwardly as can be. After a period where the Beatles applied many effects and distortions to modify their aural presence ... this song brings them into the "modern" ( 1968 - 1983?) sonic era of analogue pop/rock record production. It was another game changer for the Beatles as a music brand entity. They could stand in the same universe as the Band, Dylan, Atlantic Records and sing songs in their own unaffected voices and have massive hits.

Does McCartney dine out on this song too much? Of course... but in my opinion there aren't ENOUGH Beatles songs so how could this be otherwise. In a catalog that includes just 7 hours of music the Beatles always have to reach back for In My Life, Hey Jude, Let It Be, All You Need Is Love, and While My Guitar Gently Weeps for something serious stately and profound. McCartney tried to slip in the Long and Winding Road in one of his concert pre films and took quite a beating from critics. I know McCartney started flacking Hey Jude around the time of the Chris Farley skit on SNL during that tour 93? and he does it everywhere. It is what it is..it's not going to change ..the old balladeer will go na na na in out on that great ice floe when the day comes.

Is the song so great that we MUST hear it each day? NO! But Macca realizes that Yesterday is permanently dinged by Lennon's critiques. He can't ride on Penny Lane or Eleanor or Mystery Tour. Sadly.. the delusion in both Macca and Lennon's minds that their fingers on piano keys could cure the world's ills have left us with this sad legacy. Instead of letting Harrison have a few days to mess around with a 12 string and crafting a McCartney special on bass while letting Nicky Hopkins do the honors... McCartney did this which begat Lennon playing with mittens on Imagine. As for the ending ... what can you say. And I'm one who believes McCartney is a gifted improviser ..I'm down..Got to Get You(stereo mix) .. Kansas City.. Pepper Reprise and Back in the USSR. But although he is on the right track at points in the coda he's out to lunch too often and really it's not HIM we should be focused on but rather the band which unfortunately is locked into serving as a backdrop for the pompous orchestral screen a la All You Need is Love.

The recording and mixing of the song were complicated ...the performance is good but could have benefitted from less micromanagement by Macca... and maybe that coda could have packed a little more added value(maybe by this point they could have afforded a session in Memphis with Jerry Wexler?) but it's close enough for Americana. I'll give it a 5 and wish as always that there had been 30 or 40 hours of Beatles canon for us to peruse, consider, and savor.

 

Not my favourite, in fact I skip it sometimes when it comes on within the first"Hey' "Not today Paul, not today". At all the big events in the UK, Queens Jubilee (although bizarrely he finished with 'Obla Di Obla Da' at the last one), Olympics, whatever Paul tends to be wheeled out to sing it and I think over here there is a sense of 'Not again' and in my opinion I am suffering from Hey Jude fatigue. Well crafted, good song, but overheard. In fact I was speaking to a young person who wasnt aware of Paul or The Beatles (how in this day and age) and referred to him as the 'Hey Jude guy'. I quickly educated them.

That being said, Isle of Wight 2010 was in the very front row, one of the best nights of my life, and I was singing along with the coda joyfully with everyone else. I was hoping he would point at me and say'you were great' but sadly not.

One feature I have noticed though on the original recording is how Ringo hardly uses a crash cymbal at all, combination of ride and hi-hat all the way through and I love that opening fill. That keeps me entertained.

 

I love the blase manner in which the Brits toss around phrases like "the last few times I saw McCartney live...".

 

I think that may be the yanks actually "I've seen Paul 36 times" gone are the days when he tours here extensivley- obviously we didnt have to wait for 25 years like you guys!

 

John's harmonies greatly enhance the song..

 

The strength of a great song is it can be twisted any way and still come out fresh. Just love this Latin version. Outstanding!

 

I'm sure Scooter could do a disco version, complete with helium vocals.

 

"Hey Jude" is perfect. My favourite Beatles song.

 

I loved it. Then I liked it. Then I hated it. Now, I'm mostly indifferent to it.

 

Absolutely not my favorite Beatles tune. The melody is incredibly strong and distinctive, but... weary (not the coda, the main theme). Never found the magic on it, differently from so many other Beatles songs.

 

I want to like the song however even since a child hearing it in the 80's I just couldn't. Just sounds cheesy. The climax is the nest part of the song. It's just waiting until it gets to that part. I love the Beatles but this song is just not one of them.