Hey Jude Lyrics

[Bridge]
So let it out and let it in, hey, Jude, begin
You're waiting for someone to perform with
And don't you know that it's just you, hey, Jude, you'll do
The movement you need is on your shoulder
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, yeah

[Verse 4]
Hey, Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her under your skin
Then you'll begin to make it (Woah, fucking hell!)
Better, better, better, better, better, better, oh

[Outro]
Yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
(Jude, Judy, Judy, Judy, Judy, Judy, ow-wow)
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na (Na-na-na), na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
(Jude, Jude, Jude, Jude, Jude)
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na (Yeah, yeah, yeah), na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
(You know you can make, Jude, Jude, you're not gonna break it)
Na-na (Don't make it bad, Jude) na-na-na-na-na (Take a sad song and make it better), na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
Hey, Jude, hey, Jude wow
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
Jude, Jude, Jude, Jude, Jude, Jude
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
(Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na)
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na (Make it, Jude), na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
(Yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
(Go listen to ya ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma)
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, Jude

How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

About

Genius Annotation

Originally titled “Hey Jules,” named after John Lennon’s son Julian, this song was written by Paul McCartney to comfort him during John and Cynthia’s divorce. John Lennon stated that he thought the song was written as a form of blessing from Paul McCartney for his and Yoko’s relationship. They were touched by McCartney’s act and Cynthia said she would always remember his “gesture of care and concern in coming to see us.”

While it was being recorded, producer George Martin voiced his discontent with the abnormal song length. Coming in at over seven minutes long–with four of those minutes comprising the outro–Martin expressed the opinion that radio DJs would not play the song. Lennon responded with: “They will if it’s us.”

Once released, the song performed absolutely fantastically. With its seven-minute runtime, it became the longest single to top the British music charts in its day. In the United States, the song spent nine weeks at #1, making it the best-performing Beatles single. Additionally, at the time it tied for the record of longest-sitting chart-topping single.

The reaction to the song did not wane. It stayed as The Beatles' best performing U.S. single and is considered by many music critics as being one of the best songs of all time. Rolling Stone lists it at #8. It sits at #10 on Billboard’s 55th Anniversary countdown. In addition, the song is the most referenced musical performance.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did the artists say about the song?
Genius Answer

Paul, about the song’s subject, Julian Lennon –

a hopeful message for Julian: ‘Come on, man, your parents got divorced. I know you’re not happy, but you’ll be OK.

John about the suggestion the song was too long –

They will (play it) if it’s us…

John, about the quality of McCartney’s lyrics -

Hey Jude is a damn good set of lyrics and I made no contribution to that.

What is Paul saying during coda, (na, na, na, Hey Jude).
Genius Answer

McCartney delivers many shouts in the song’s outro. One of the only complete sentences delivered during this period is:

You know you can make it, Jude; Jude you’re not gonna break it.

Shortly after this, McCartney shouts:

Take a sad song and make it better.

Was the tune an original composition or derived from an old folk song?
Genius Answer

Everett comments that McCartney’s melody over the verses borrows in part from John Ireland’s 1907 liturgical piece “Te Deum”, as well as (with the first change to a B♭ chord) suggesting the influence of the Drifters' 1960 hit “Save the Last Dance for Me”.

“Hey Jude” and Irelands “Te Deum” open with nearly identical melodies, which can be heard in the first 10 to 15 seconds.

Has Hey Jude been put in any media?
Is there a live performance of this song?
Credits
Produced By
Recording Engineer
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Guitar
Tambourine
Mastering Engineer
Recorded At
Trident Studios, Soho, City of Westminster, Greater London, England (July 31 - August 1, 1968)
Release Date
August 26, 1968
Hey Jude Covers
Hey Jude by Don Ellis, Hey Jude (Live at Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA, April 2, 1989) by The Grateful Dead, Hey Jude (Live at Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA, October 9, 1989) by The Grateful Dead, Hey Jude by James Last, Hey Jude by Stanley Turrentine, Hey Jude by John Klemmer, Hey Jude by The Mutato Muzika Orchestra, Hey Jude by Midnite String Quartet, Hey Jude by Judy Collins, Hey Jude by Junior Walker & The All Stars, Hey Jude by John Hartford, Hey Jude by Chet Atkins, Hey Jude by ​The Guess Who, Hey Jude by The Supremes, Hey Jude (Live at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ, April 1, 1988) by The Grateful Dead, Hey Jude by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Hey Jude by Lee DeWyze, Hey Jude by Scary Pockets (Ft. Kenton Chen), Hey Jude by Caetano Veloso, Hey Jude by M. P. Renauld, Hey Jude by Ray Stevens, Hey Jude by Al Di Meola, Hey Jude by Mina, Hey Jude by Wilson Pickett, Hey Jude (Metal Version) by Leo Moracchioli, Hey Jude by The Brothers Johnson, Hey Jude by Rockabye Baby!, Hey Jude by Tim "Ripper" Owens, Hey Jude by Laine Hardy, Hey Jude by Steve Miller, Yesterday / Hey Jude by Elvis Presley, Hey Jude (From the Album "One Man Only") by Himesh Patel, Hey Jude by Glee Cast, Hey Jude (Bossa Version) by Monique Kessous, Hey Jude by The Bar-Kays, Hey Jude by Maynard Ferguson, Hey Jules by Les Bidochons, Hey Jude by Bing Crosby, Hey jude by Lt. Dan Band, Hey Jude by Joe Anderson, Hey Jude by Elvis Presley, Hey Jude by Kiko Zambianchi, Hey Jude by KIDZ BOP Kids, Hey Jude (Live Beatles Cover) by Zakk Wylde, Hey Jude (live) by Hanne Boel, Hey Jude - Redo:ed feat B.D.P. by The AfroBeatles (Ft. KRS-One), Hey Jude by Area Code 615, Hey Jude by Tom Jones, Hey Jude by Shirley Bassey, Hey Jude by King Curtis, Hey Ruth - היי רות by Hava Alberstein - חוה אלברשטיין, Hey Jude by Ross Antony, Hey Jude by Alex Vargas, Hey Jude by The Lettermen & Hey Jude by Count Basie
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