Song of the moment: Hey Jude

As of today, the music of that little band from Liverpool called The Beatles is finally available to purchase on iTunes.

Though this certainly won't make or break them, it's newsworthy nonetheless, as Apple had been negotiating for years for the rights to sell their music through its digital download service.

Whenever I think of The Beatles, "Hey Jude" is usually the song that first comes to mind.  It's one of my very favorites, not least because it has some happy memories associated with it.  According to Paul McCartney, the inspiration for the song was John Lennon's son Julian.  Lennon had just left Cynthia, Julian's mother, for Yoko Ono, and McCartney has said he penned the song, originally called "Hey Jules," to comfort the young boy (Barry Miles, Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, p. 465).  For my money, he did a fantastic job, as I find it impossible to feel sad after listening to it.

Here's the Fab Four's promotional video for the song, filmed at Twickenham Studios on September 4, 1968.  Apparently Ringo Starr had just rejoined the group after leaving two weeks before, but if there's any acrimony on his part, you can't tell it here.  He's arguably the happiest one onstage, rocking back and forth on his drumset and singing at the top of his lungs.  Between that, Paul's puppy-dog eyes staring deeply into the camera, John's nonchalant smacking of his gum while singing, and George's air of calm at the eye of the storm, I never tire of watching this.

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.

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 shoulder.

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.

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.

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, better, oh!

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, hey, Jude.

(Lyrics courtesy of The Beatles' website)