Paul McCartney's tribute to Lennon

[SussexSpur]

Hey Jude definitely was written about Julian Lennon, specifically to cheer him up around the time of John and Cynthia Lennon's divorce.

The tune just came to McCartney in the car as he was driving over to visit them (because of course, that happens to ordinary people all the time, - "hey, I think I've got this thing called Hey Jude in my head" - proving my belief that composers are born and not made).

I think he originally had "Hey Jules, don't take it bad, take a sad song and make it better" as the lyric, but he made it a bit more obscure, probably partly for fun, partly for Julian's Lennon's sake. McCartney really wasn't sure about some of the lyrics, especially "the movement you need is on your shoulder" - he thought it sounded like it was about a parrot - but Lennon backed him up.

Bear in mind, that song was done when they were at their stroppiest with each other, while making the White Album. They could always still collaborate brilliantly though.

As Jam The Man put it, totally correct - but will gratuitously add that Macca has also said he chose 'Jude' rather than 'Jules' because he liked the fact it sounded more 'country and western'. And that John Lennon was convinced, despite the in-studio tension, that the song was McCartney's message of support directed at him and approving his new relationship with Yoko.

Seeing McCartney perform Here Today on his last your was spine-tingly - the same goes for his ukulele-toting version of Something. Have a video of him doing a Strawberry Fields/Imagine/Give Peace A Chance medley. open-air in Liverpool, in about 1990 - now THAT must have been a little bit decent to witness in person...

 

[NMH]

ok then, how is "you have found her, now go and get her" relevant to Julian Lennon at age ...what, 7 or something?

Had he been cagey about some other little toddler dolly-bird, or perhaps just lost his mum in the supermarket?

John saw Julian only a few times in the sixties - and then he was in fear of the bloke because he was familiar only with the short temper and sharp tongue - and was also something of a strange entity to a lad who didn't get inside the 'comfort zone' of his real dad, in dad's house. I don't see how 'Hey Jude' might cheer the little fellow up much, or mean anything to him at all.

These famous stars like to romanticise for the many fanatical analysts wanting to know what lyrics are about - especially The Beatles ('Helter Skelter' even inspired a loony to emulate the 'Butcher cover' whilst murdering a pregnant wife).

 

[Willow]

NMH has a point, sometimes you wonder if they're having a laugh at our expense. For example, who actually believes Julian brought a picture home from school, and when asked what is was, answered "it's Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".

 

[Jam The Man]

ok then, how is "you have found her, now go and get her" relevant to Julian Lennon at age ...what, 7 or something?

Had he been cagey about some other little toddler dolly-bird, or perhaps just lost his mum in the supermarket?

John saw Julian only a few times in the sixties - and then he was in fear of the bloke because he was familiar only with the short temper and sharp tongue - and was also something of a strange entity to a lad who didn't get inside the 'comfort zone' of his real dad, in dad's house. I don't see how 'Hey Jude' might cheer the little fellow up much, or mean anything to him at all.

These famous stars like to romanticise for the many fanatical analysts wanting to know what lyrics are about - especially The Beatles ('Helter Skelter' even inspired a loony to emulate the 'Butcher cover' whilst murdering a pregnant wife).

McCartney has said that it's original lines were about Julian after the break up of the Lennon's marriage.. Hey Jules, don't take it bad etc...
Other bits are often needed to give a song further credence

 

[Jam The Man]

NMH has a point, sometimes you wonder if they're having a laugh at our expense. For example, who actually believes Julian brought a picture home from school, and when asked what is was, answered "it's Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".

Whether one believes it or not is debatable... there actually is said painting though that Julian actually did bring home. The debate is whether Julian's quote actually happened.

 

[Man of Harveys]

It would be a bit odd if the lyrics were

Hey Jules,
don't feel so sad
about the break-up
of your mum and dad,
remember I'll always keep an eye,
so don't feel shy,
to come and say hi
Nanananana, hey Jules etc

You gotta weird things up a bit, especially then

 

[stoke]

Beatles - Most over rated band ever.

 

[Jam The Man]

Beatles - Most over rated band ever.

It was only a matter of time before that got brought up again.. three words ... yeah yeah yeah (and another one - whatever)

 

[stoke]

It was only a matter of time before that got brought up again.. three words ... yeah yeah yeah (and another one - whatever)

There were bands around at the same time who wrote genuinely innovative music and had truly unique styles, and those bands had a much greater influence on other performers.

The Beatles were the teen idols of their day and while they wrote their own songs a lot of the early stuff was real lowest common denominator music.

They were good but they certainly don't deserve the the God like reverence that people seem inclined to give them.

 

[Man of Harveys]

There were bands around at the same time who wrote genuinely innovative music and had truly unique styles, and those bands had a much greater influence on other performers.

The Beatles were the teen idols of their day and while they wrote their own songs a lot of the early stuff was real lowest common denominator music.

They were good but they certainly don't deserve the the God like reverence that people seem inclined to give them.

Utter crap, entirely untrue from start to finish. But hey, it's your loss.

 

[Barnet Seagull]

I preferred The Kinks anyway

 

[Man of Harveys]

I preferred The Kinks anyway

Oh wow, that's, so much, like, preferring, you know, Sally Gunnell to Angelina Jolie

 

[CHAPPERS]

Buddy Holly and the Crickets were better.

 

[Icy Gull]

Preferred the Byrds myself, but virtually everyone at the time was influenced by the Beatles. They fully deserved their superstar status and it was their success that opened the door for all the other British bands in the States and worldwide. They had a massive part in starting the revolution that has seen British music flourish ever since.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Buddy Holly and the Crickets were better.

Camilla Parker Bowles

 

[CHAPPERS]

What are you on about? Why can't we compare Buddy Holly to the Beatles or the Kinks or anyfuckingbody in fact. Are they THAT untouchable that nobody even comes close to their GREATNESS?

 

[Barnet Seagull]

Floella Benjamin

 

[aftershavedave]

It would be a bit odd if the lyrics were

Hey Jules,
don't feel so sad
about the break-up
of your mum and dad,
remember I'll always keep an eye,
so don't feel shy,
to come and say hi
Nanananana, hey Jules etc

You gotta weird things up a bit, especially then

better than the original i reckon!

 

[Jam The Man]

Utter crap, entirely untrue from start to finish. But hey, it's your loss.

I concur!

 

[Yorkie]

I became a Beatles fan at 14 when Love me do got to 17 in the charts. I am still a Beatles fan first and foremost 43 years later.

I also liked the Kinks and Buddy Holly. It was possible to like more than one band and buy more than one lot of records. I have Stones records too.

But the Beatles were the best. I also thought they went off track after 1967 and the Sergeant Peppers LP