Hey Jude

Paul McCartney wrote "Hey Jude" in August 1968 to comfort his friend Julian Lennon during the divorce of John and Cynthia. The song began as "Hey Jules" but changed to "Jude" for better flow before entering Trident Studios. McCartney played piano and sang lead while George Harrison handled guitar duties despite a brief disagreement over the solo arrangement. Ringo Starr returned to the group just in time to record drums after a short departure earlier that year.

The track became a nine-minute epic that defied radio conventions of the late 1960s. A 36-piece orchestra joined the band for the final coda alongside an audience of 180 people invited into the studio to clap along. Apple Records released the single on August 26, 1968, marking their debut on the label they had just founded. [edit]