HEY JUDE LYRICS - THE BEATLES | HEY JUDE (1968)

Hey Jude by The Beatles — written by Paul McCartney to comfort young Julian Lennon during his parents' divorce; released August 1968 as the first Apple Records single, it spent 9 weeks at No. 1 in the US and sold around 8 million copies worldwide.

Image: The Beatles, February 1968. Photo: Associated Press, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain).

Hey Jude Song Credits

Song: Hey Jude
Artist: The Beatles
Written by: Paul McCartney (credited Lennon–McCartney)
Produced by: George Martin
Released: 26 August 1968 (US), 30 August 1968 (UK)
Recorded: Trident Studios, London, July–August 1968
B-side: Revolution
Label: Apple Records (Apple 2276 US / R 5722 UK)
Length: 7:11

Hey Jude Lyrics

Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better

Hey Jude, don't be afraid
You were made to go out and get her
The minute you let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better

And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder

Na na na, na-na na na
Na-na na na, hey Jude

Hey Jude, don't let me down
You have found her, now go and get her
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better

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 na na, hey Jude, yeah

Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it
Better, better, better, better, better, oh!

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)
Na na na, na-na na na
Na-na na na, hey Jude (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 (don't make it bad, Jude)
Na na na, na-na na na
Na-na na na, hey Jude (take a sad song and make it better)
Na na na, na-na na na
Na-na na na, hey Jude (oh, Jude)
Na na na, na-na na na
Na-na na na, hey Jude (Jude, hey, Jude, whoa)
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 (ooh)
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 (hey, hey, hey, hey-a-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

Frequently Asked Questions

Who wrote the Hey Jude lyrics?
Paul McCartney, credited to Lennon–McCartney; he wrote it to comfort Julian Lennon during John and Cynthia Lennon's divorce.

When was Hey Jude released?
26 August 1968 in the US and 30 August 1968 in the UK, as a non-album single on Apple Records.

What is the "na-na-na" ending?
The famous coda runs about four minutes of "na na na" refrains with ad-libs — one of rock's most iconic song endings.

Why is Hey Jude so famous?
Nine weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the best-selling single of 1968 in the UK, US, Australia and Canada.

Also explore more on LatestLyrics.xyz: read The Beatles' Yesterday lyrics, discover more about Paul McCartney, and check out the Beatles' 2026 Rubber Soul expanded reissue.

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