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BEST McCARTNEY MACCAZINE IN THE WORLD

The best way for me to introduce what I personally feel is the best regularly printed magazine about Paul McCartney – MACCAZINE – in the world is to present a small section of their own magazine description from their website, as I believe it to be a very accurate summary of the contents of the magazine. In the digital world in which we live in, it is a refreshing thought to know that this organization based in the Netherlands, publishes two special McCartney magazines peryear.

However, the word magazine is not the correct term to use to describe the issues as the two magazines that arrive each year are actually equivalent in both appearance and content to receiving two new oversized McCartney paperback “books” inundated with great information and fantastic photos. It can be truly said that Maccazine can’t be beat!!! There is not a better magazine in existence about the world’s most successful composer!

All I have is praise and accolades for this wonderful well-written and researched McCartney magazine that arrives at my mailbox twice a year. Before I show you photos of the covers of the 49 English language issues that have been printed up until January of 2025, I would like to present a list of of some of the stellar staff members of this excellent MACCAZINE:

The Maccazine Team
The Maccazine Team

The chief editor of the Maccazine, Edward Eikelenboom, has graciously consented to give me and this post a little personal background to the magazine’s history which is provided here:

From Edward:

1) We started as the Dutch Paul McCartney Fanclub in 1973 after contacting the UK Fun Club address on the back of the “Red Rose Speedway” album sleeve. We also received official approval from EMI Bovema, the Dutch record company.

2) At first we distributed the British Fan Club newsletters to the Dutch subscribers and in April 1975 we started to publish our own magazine Wings Words. From the start all our magazines were published in the Dutch language.

3) Up until 1983 we published 6 magazines a year. Because Wings officially disbanded in 1981 we retitled our fanclub magazine to McCartney Magazine in 1984, followed by the name Maccazine in 1992. As our magazine improved over the years in quality and in quantity (more pages in each issue) we decided to publish 4 magazines a year starting in 1983. All Maccazines were still published in Dutch with a print in black and white.

4) In 2005, twenty years ago, we decided to change our policy. This was partly due to the Internet, but also we wanted to reach more readers in other countries. So we began publishing Maccazine in English with a full colour cover. We also decided not to focus on the recent news, but to issue specials about a certain topic, like a McCartney album, a concert tour or another them. Our first issue was “Venus And Mars”.

5)   It’s now 20 years later and so far we have published 49 Maccazines (in English). The amount of pages, quality of print and even the inside pages of Maccazine are now printed in colour. So we keep improving our Maccazines. We are a non-profit organisation (organization) so all money that comes in we spent on our issues.

6) The people who read Maccazine are from all over the world. Most readers are situated outside The Netherlands. The best way is to save money is to subscribe, but you can also order (back) issues from our website.

MACCAZINE’S PARTIAL WEBSITE DESCRIPTION ABOUT THEIR SPECIAL MAGAZINE THAT APPEARS AT THEIR WEBSITE:

MACCAZINE is a hard copy magazine about Paul McCartney published by the Paul McCartney Fan Club. MACCAZINE is one of a kind, bringing you exclusive information in a world ruled by the internet. Take a look inside and discover MACCAZINE! Once you have read one, you want to read them all!

MACCAZINE is published by the Paul McCartney Fan Club. All MACCAZINES are offered at prime cost. The Paul McCartney Fan Club is a non-profit organization, run by volunteers. Let it be clear that no money is made from the publication of these MACCAZINES. All for the love of Paul.

Maccazine is a hard copy magazine (a bound paperback) about Paul McCartney. It is published (*) twice a year. Due to the fact that  the Internet has taken over the world and the fact that the latest Paul McCartney news is to  be found on hundreds of websites, we have decided to focus on creating an informative paper magazine about Paul McCartney.

Most of our Maccazines are 58+ pages magazines (a bound paperback) with a full colour cover about an event in Paul McCartney ’s career after the Beatles break-up; for instance an album by Wings, a solo album or a concert tour.

  • All Maccazines are written in English and contain lots of photos and illustrations.
  • You can buy Maccazines as back issues, but when you choose to become a member, you will automatically receive the latest issue at your home address.                                

Our aim is not to provide you with the latest news about Paul McCartney, but to deliver an interesting magazine with facts that have been obtained through extensive research by our editors.

SUBSCRIBE?

Should you be interested in becoming a subscriber of the magazine or you possibly would like to purchase a specific issue, you can use the contact information provided at the link below to learn how. Any specific questions you may have about the magazines content can be addressed by someone at their website:

Maccazine – The best magazine about Paul mcCartney!

At this juncture I would like to present the front covers of all of the issues of this superb McCartney magazine that I have obtained over the last several years – Issues 1-49. Enjoy the ride! The reason that the numbering system on the covers of the magazine does not match the numeric 1-49 issue numbers I have placed on the post is that Maccazine started in 1973 and since 2005 they began to publish them in English. For example, 2023 is therefore the 51st year.

I was so impressed with the magazine that I just had to acquire the entire English language collection for my personal archive! Here are the covers of the 49 English language issues published thus far:


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#49

Sincerely hope you enjoyed viewing the 49 issues of Maccazine that were presented here. I would like to close this post by posting a generalized question about Beatles-related fanzines that you may be a subscriber to or at one time subscribed to.

QUESTION FOR YOU

Before the internet, what was your main source of Beatles information or news? Was there a Beatles fanzine or a solo Beatles fanzine that you depended on to give you the information that you sought on a regular basis? If so, please let us know in the comments what that was and why it appealed to you. Thank you!

BUZZ

Discover More About Paul McCartney at The Beatles Bookstore

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THE LEGACY OF PAUL McCARTNEY BY ALLAN KOZINN AND ADRIAN SINCLAIR-A SUPERB BOOK SERIES!!!

 

What an impressive series of books this is!!! Truly, there are not enough superlatives or adjectives in the English language to adequately capture the admiration for the work of authors Allan Kozinn and Adrian SInclair in this mammoth task they have undertaken to examine Paul McCartney’s solo catalog and of his musical works in progress since 1969. Just pondering the work Paul has officially released over the decades is a lengthy and comprehensive task, but to also explore the still hidden gems that may be lurking in the McCartney vaults must be both a very pleasant experience and yet simultaneously a difficult one.

McCartney’s productivity over the years is virtually second to none and if someone is undertaking the exhaustive cataloging of his material, you are making a commitment to keep yourself busy for several years! The two authors have spent 10 years working on the first two volumes of this series.

Both Mr. Kozinn and Mr. Sinclair have shown the dedication and drive to do this project and to do this project in the exhaustive manner that they have made the decision to pursue. Their work in my opinion as a collector of Beatles-related print material classifies this series of books in the same breath as the Mark Lewisohn trilogy biography of the Beatles in both its depth and scope and attention to detail. Their research and the ability to tie in known McCartney events with an established time frame is impeccable! This series of books I await with as much anticipation as any books that I have ever ordered for my  Beatles collection.

In my opinion, I enjoy these books far more than the McCartney Lyrics books because even though the Lyrics book has Paul as the main source of the material, the song choice is selective and does not deal with the  comprehensive “big picture” of all of Paul’s material since the Beatles breakup.  I can guarantee that at the completion of this project, that this will be the solo McCartney Bible. (Count on it!)

Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair both have distinguished writing and communication careers from participating in numerous Beatles-related internet blogs, to Sinclair’s stellar video production and documentary skills, to Kozinn’s excellent writing accomplishments both as an author and a music critic for the New York Times!

VOLUME 1The first McCartney title: Please Note-these books are very large in both size, weight and scope, and are in excess of 700 pages each. Be prepared to be enlightened, informed, educated, entertained and surprised…

The McCartney Legacy: Volume 1: 1969 – 73

Published by (Dey Street Books) December 13, 2022
by Allan Kozinn (Author), Adrian Sinclair (Author)

A special episode of the superb podcast “Talk More Talk” that features both authors discussing their first book:

Bonus Episode: THE MCCARTNEY LEGACY WITH ALLAN KOZINN AND ADRIAN SINCLAIR – YouTube

Another wonderful podcast from the 2 Legs podcast on YouTube:

Episode 192: “The McCartney Legacy” (Review) – YouTube

The signatures of the 2 authors in their first book:

The back cover of Volume 1:

Volume 2: You can order signed copies from The Fest For Beatles Fans:

Here is the link:

SIGNED -THE McCARTNEY LEGACY: VOLUME 2 by ALLAN KOZINN & ADRIAN SINCLAIR [6512] – $45.00 : Beatles Gifts and Products, The Fest for Beatles Fans
The McCartney Legacy: Volume 2: 1974 – 80

Published-December 10, 2024 (Dey Street Books)
by Allan Kozinn (Author), Adrian Sinclair (Author)

My bookplate signed copy just arrived from the Fest. This book will trace Paul’s solo recording career up to his arrest In Japan in 1980 for marijuana possession:

A wonderful 2 Legs podcast concerning The McCartney Legacy Volume 2:

Episode 267: “The McCartney Legacy: Volume 2: 1974-80” | Allan Kozinn & Adrian Sinclair – YouTube

The back cover of the book with many of the accolades given to the first volume:

A synopsis of volume 2 that appears on the dust jacket:

Biographical info that appears on the dust jacket of the book:

The bookplate signed by both authors and an author profile that appears on the internet:

AUTHORS | McCARTNEY LEGACY

One can only imagine what lies ahead for the McCartney legacy Volume 3!!!

More Beatles-related titles from expert Allan Kozinn: These can be found on Amazon and on Ebay and also book search services like Abe Books

Allan Kozinn Beatles title from 2010:

The Beatles: From the Cavern to the Rooftop Paperback – 23 Oct. 2010

by Allan Kozinn (Author)

Release Date:October 1995

Publisher:Phaidon Press-Author Allan Kozinn

Back Cover:

Book Description page:

Allan Kozinn’s e-book “Got That Something” the story about the importance of the song “I Want to Hold Your Hand” in the story of the Beatles invasion of America:

How The Beatles’ ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ Changed Everything | Soundcheck | WNYC Studios

The New York Times Company – The New York Times and Byliner Publish “Got That Something! How the Beatles’ ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ Changed Everything” By Allan Kozin

To close this post I would like to do a poll, though a non-scientific one.

How many of you prefer digital e-books over the print format?

If so, why? Is it strictly a storage saving space issue in your homes? Would love to know what is the most important appeal of the digital format to those who use it extensively or exclusively! Thank you! Hope you enjoyed this post!

BUZZ

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Buzz’s JPGR Hodgepodge 2 – A Few Odds and Ends

As I rummage through my Beatles-related collection and cataloging the pieces for future reference, I often come across items that I think that may be of interest to other Beatles fans or solo Beatles fans. Many of these books or magazines and assorted print media are from different countries or may simply have not reached a large mass audience when they were issued or released. This is the 2nd Buzz’s JPGR Hodgepodge post featuring some of these items. The Hodgepodge posts will become an occasional feature on this blog. The regular posts will continue to cover books or magazines that have some feature or some specific subject matter in common with each other or have a common theme tying them together!

Hope you will enjoy today’s Hodgepodge: The items pictured here are from my personal collection and were acquired from such various venues as Ebay and Abe Books and other private collectors.

Tribute to George Martin: A special Billboard publication from April 11, 1998

In My Life-The Billboard Tribute to George Martin

Love these types of publications that are not widely circulated but are precious as collector’s keepsakes!

George Martin
George Martin

The inside photo of George featured on the reverse side of the cover:

George Martin
George Martin

The name of the individual who wrote the feature article about George Martin: Paul Sexton

George Martin
George Martin

I love to collect Beatles-related auction programs for a various number of reasons. This one is from the great organizations in the UK called TRACKS, which I have purchased many Beatles items from. This one was from a 2014 auction. The reason I like these catalogs so much is that many items that I have never seen before and cannot afford to buy, I can at least have a nice photograph of the item and the history behind it in the archive. In another catalog I purchased a long time ago, (I don’t believe it was a TRACKS catalog) I had a picture of the reel-to-reel tape recorder that Bob Molyneux used to record the Quarrymen at the Woolton Village Fete. To top things off, Molyneux signed that same auction catalog.

Tracks
Tracks

The back cover of the 2014 Tracks auction catalog:

Tracks
Tracks

Interviews with John and Yoko from this era fascinate me in trying to understand their political views at that moment of their history:

John and Yoko
John and Yoko

Love the cover stories on music magazines, this one was about the One-to-One Concert. My only disappointment with these sorts of magazines as a collector is their fragile nature and the eventual yellowing of the magazine over time. We will see more about the One-to-One event somewhere down the road, of that, I am sure. Possibly a photo book and a remixed and remastered audio of the complete concert as well.

John Lennon
John Lennon

Never had seen this magazine entitled New Departures before I saw it on Ebay. Published in 1981. It features a tribute to John Lennon. I also included the magazine credit page to identify the people that put the issue together: The cover features a photo collage put together by Peter Blake who helped design and put together the Sgt. Pepper cover

John Lennon
John Lennon
New Departures
New Departures

I love cover stories about the Beatles from Billboard magazine, this one featuring the famous Richard Avedon photos.

This is the November 18, 2000, issue:

Billboard
Billboard

Could not resist this UK issue of the Independent on Sunday Magazine from March 9th, 2008. It was the photo of two musical titans speaking about their views of what was going on the world in 1968…

John and Mick
John and Mick

I normally do not purchase too many Beatles-related books and magazines that are not written in English. However, I purchased this wonderful magazine from Spain featuring many unique photos from the J and Y Bed-In. This issue is from March 22, 2009.

Spanish Magazine
Spanish Magazine

Sundance Magazine Vol 1 No 1 April 1972 features John and Yoko discussing Women’s Liberation issues. In 1972 John and Yoko agreed to do a series of articles for Sundance which dealt with many social issues. Somewhere in the collection I have the magazine with the poem that John wrote about another issue…

Sundance
Sundance

Saw this magazine on Ebay in order to read the feature on Sean Lennon published in this UK magazine. Article written by Conrad Bischoff and photographed by Zackery Michael. Interesting interview and many nice photos of Sean are featured in this article from Foxes magazine in 2017. Apparently, this magazines strongpoint are the great photo essays being presented. Bought this on Ebay!

Sean Ono Lennon
Sean Ono Lennon

Journalism has changed over the years and certainly so has the treatment of women in popular magazines. I bought this magazine of course because of the John and Yoko article but I was amazed of how the material was presented judging by today’s cultural norms of what is considered appropriate. I personally believe that Yoko would have been offended by the way some of the material was being presented in the article but maybe I am not being fair in that assessment. I will leave that judgement to you, if you ever get the chance to read it or indeed if you have already seen it.

LIFE - In Asia
LIFE – In Asia

This is one concert I wish I had attended. It was a loving tribute to George Harrison in 2002, a year following his passing. Many of George’s friends and fellow musical luminaries contributed to this wonderful show which was released as a cd, dvd, and a beautiful Genesis book title to commemorate the event. Having been unable to attend this event in the UK, I attempted to do the next best thing. I saw on Ebay the concert program being offered for sale as well as an unused ticket from the event. I purchased the program, and I am very happy that I did. The concert was such a special one that I was thrilled to have acquired this keepsake though I certainly would have preferred that I had been able to attend this special event!

Concert for George
Concert for George

The ticket of the event:

Concert for George
Concert for George

This Progressive Media magazine from 1980 known as CMJ Magazine was published bi-weekly. This issue came out in that horrible month of December 1980. Published by College Media this Vol 4 No. 6. Jeff Tamarkin was the Managing Editor of this magazine. Jeff was a former editor of Goldmine magazine and is a music scholar.

This issue contained a tribute to John Lennon following his murder/passing. This is the back cover of that December 1980 issue of the magazine:

Progressive Magazine
Progressive Magazine

Prior to the onslaught of digital media, it was very difficult to acquire magazines and books that were available only across the pond. The rapid expansion of computers and the quickly evolving internet and such internet sources as Ebay allowed us all to acquire print items that we were not privy to before.

Love this 1996 issue of Weekend magazine, a supplement to the UK based Daily Mail. Features an interview with John’s sister Julia.

John's Sister Julia Speaks
John’s Sister Julia Speaks

Main photograph below is by Steve Poole. The story in this wonderful magazine article is by Lynda Lee-Potter:

John's Sister Julia Speaks
John’s Sister Julia Speaks

I have a particular fascination in collecting Beatles-related magazines from the Sgt. Pepper era like this cover shot of John Lennon from the June 3, 1967 issue of a radio-based magazine.

Then and Now
Then and Now

My copy of this January 1969 issue of Disc magazine. A great issue featuring a cover photo of John Lennon from the 1968 Rolling Stones R&R Circus. I love scouring through the old rock magazines especially those from the UK as you often find information of events or projects that may have been planned by the group but never materialized. Unfortunately, older magazines in the newspaper like format such as the older Rolling Stone Magazine yellow over time and become very fragile, and they need to be placed in plastic encasings to postpone their deterioration.

Disc
Disc

This is the hardcover edition of the Paul McCartney 2011 Tour program which comes encased in a slipcase. I do not normally collect tour books, but this one was special to me because not only was it a hardcover edition of the tour book, but it was also presented in a protective slipcase. Shown here are front and back covers of the book followed by a side view of the blue slipcase with the book inside. Many wonderful photos of Paul and the tour entourage are included in this tour book.

Paul on the run
Paul on the run

Back cover of the hardback tour book:

Paul on the run
Paul on the run

The side view of the book in the provided blue slipcase:

Paul on the run
Paul on the run

This book has a multicultural origin. The book was printed in Hungary, but the publisher BAKHALL is located in Sweden and the text of the book appears in English. Published in 2007 under the supervision of Yoko Ono. The book presents a snapshot of the 1969 Bed-In event with many quotes from John and Yoko. The book is a small in size hardback which come with a dvd that features Bed-In documentary footage and Yoko’s Onochord video from 2004. The dvd is in the PAL format which is the European configuration for dvd’s and may not be watchable in some US dvd machines.

Front cover of the book:

Give Peace a Chance
Give Peace a Chance

Back cover of the hardback book:

Give Peace a Chance
Give Peace a Chance

A photo of the PAL format dvd that came with the book:

Give Peace a Chance
Give Peace a Chance

Hope you enjoyed the HODGEPODGE post of today! In the comments section I would like to hear from you about Beatle print-related items that were very difficult for you to find or locate or were so obscure that you felt compelled to buy them when you first encountered them. I am interested in hearing about Items that you had never seen before or that that your first reaction in seeing them was WOW, I have to purchase this for my collection!!!

Buzz

Discover More at the Beatles Bookstore

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Paul McCartney – Yesterday and Today

A superb French language book about Paul McCartney – Yesterday and Today

My Beatles-related book collection consists primarily of English language titles, primarily because that is my native language, so the convenience of being able to understand the text is the primary motivator as well as the quality of the respective book. Occasionally, I run across a book in a language other than English that impresses me so much that I feel compelled to purchase it.

In 2019 I came across this title in the French language that was recommended to me by a fellow Beatles collector friend in Belgium named Philippe Colinge. The book: “Paul McCartney Yesterday and Today” was written by Francois Plassat who did the artwork and the text for the title which was primarily available in France and Canada. The edition I purchased was around 35 Euros plus postage back in 2019. Canada had the book listed for around $50 Canadian. The copyright in the book is attributed to Hugo Image Publishing of Paris, France.

The images in this book by Mr. Plassat are superb and trace Paul’s recorded musical legacy from My Bonnie with the Beatles up until the Egypt Station LP. The illustrations by Mr. Plassat are superb and made me very happy to have purchased this wonderful hardcover 200+ page book that comes in a slipcase. For those that may be interested in finding a copy of this title for their collections, try Amazon France, Amazon Canada, or the publisher in France, Hugo Publishing. You can also try book search services like Abe Books. Happy hunting for this wonderful title. Providing a few sample pages of the slipcase front and back covers, the front and back covers of the actual book and a few index pages for your perusal.

Front page of the slipcase container for the hardcover book:

Paul McCartney Yesterday and Today
Paul McCartney Yesterday and Today

Back cover of the slipcase for the hardcover book:

Paul McCartney Yesterday and Today
Paul McCartney Yesterday and Today

The front cover of the hardcover book:

Paul McCartney Yesterday and Today
Paul McCartney Yesterday and Today Cover

The back cover of the hardcover book:

Back Cover

An index of the contents of this wonderful book:

The Contents

The years covered in the title of McCartney’s great musical legacy up until 2019…

And the engine keeps on running…

A fascinating book by a good writer with excellent illustrations too.

John “Buzz” Bezzini

To find out more about Paul McCartney, check these out:

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HARRY BENSON AND “THE BEATLES”

Harry Benson is another photographer who had a long history of photographing either the Beatles or in the solo career of Paul McCartney. Here are some of the Benson books that are in my personal Beatles-related book collection

Benson had the distinction of photographing many US Presidents. He photographed and therefore helped to document the Civil Rights movement. He was next to Robert Kennedy when he was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan in 1968. He has photographed some of the biggest worldwide personalities of the last 50 years including the late Queen Elizabeth, the late Michael Jackson, and the late Elizabeth Taylor.

A more generalized Benson photography book featuring Paul McCartney on the cover:

PowerHouse Books-Published in 2009 Introduction by John Loring:

Book can be found on Ebay, Amazon, and many book search services such as Abe Books!

Harry Benson Photographs
Harry Benson Photographs

Harry Benson’s signature in my copy of the book.

Harry Benson Photographs
Harry Benson Photographs

Taschen Publications published 2 editions of this book of Benson’s McCartney photos. This was the mass market trade edition:

Book can be found on Ebay, Amazon, and many book search services such as Abe Books!

Harry Benson - Paul
Harry Benson – Paul

Taschen also produced a signed limited edition version of the book. I believe the edition was 600 copies signed by Harry Benson: The book is the same book as the one above but in a cut-away red hard plastic slipcase There was also two art editions totaling 100 copies which were accompanied by a signed gelatin silver print from Harry Benson. These editions are sold-out!

Collector’s Edition of 600 copies (No. 101–700), each numbered and signed by Harry Benson

Also available in two Art Editions (No. 1–100), accompanied by a signed gelatin silver print

Harry Benson - Paul
Harry Benson – Paul

Harry’s Book of Beatles Photographs

The next two titles feature probably Benson’s most famous Beatles photos on the cover of the famous pillow fight taken in one if their hotel rooms. These 2 books basically feature photos taken while the Beatles were still touring the world. Published by Taschen in 2013. Can be found on Ebay, a few used copies remain on Amazon. The book can also be located through various Book search services such as Abe Books.

Harry Benson The Beatles on The Road
Harry Benson The Beatles on The Road

January 1, 1993 Universe Publications-The Beatles: In the Beginning 

Once again copies can be found on Ebay, used copies are also available on Amazon and the book can also be located at such book search services as Abe Books!

The Beatles In The Beginning
The Beatles In The Beginning

I added this one to the collection because of the ironic book title “The Beatles-Now and Then”, especially in light of their last number 1 in the UK appearing with the same name in November of 2023. The book was issued in 1998!

Release Date: September 1998Universe Publishing

The Beatles Now and Then
The Beatles Now and Then

Once there was a way…Photographs of the Beatles Hardcover – Published on September 23, 2003 by Harry N. Abrams Publisher

Harry Benson photographer

“Once There Was a Way” to get back homeward. Then why do so many philosophers tell you we can’t go home again…? Ask Thomas Dekker!!! LOL

Once There Was A Way
Once There Was A Way

Have you got any of Harry Benson’s books of photographs? Do you have a favourite Beatles photographer?

Buzz

Other Book of Beatles Photographs

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Take a Sad Song: The Emotional Currency of “Hey Jude” -By James Campion

How many groups can carry the distinction of having an entire book of 300+ pages written about a single song – “Hey Jude” – in their catalog. The group: The Beatles, The Song: Hey Jude, The Book: Take a Sad Song, The Author: James Campion

Take A Sad Song
Take A Sad Song

Published by Backbeat on June 1, 2022

Hey Jude

When I first learned about this book, I must admit, I had my doubts. How could an entire book be written about a single Beatles song. I was educated very quickly upon receiving my signed copy from author, James Campion. The song written in 1968 was to become the biggest hit of the Beatles both in sales and the length of time it spent at #1 was unsurpassed by any other Beatles release. It had so many firsts accompanying it. It was one of the longest hit singles in length at over 7 minutes.

Radio would have to adjust its programming schedules to accommodate such a lengthy 45 but it was THE BEATLES. What a great melody, so infectious, you want to immediately sing along, and it had a chorus to end the number that was simply hypnotizing, inviting large numbers of people to join in, creating a sense of community.

The inspiration for this song written by Paul McCartney, was the ending of the marriage of Paul’s songwriting partner, John Lennon and wife, Cynthia. Paul, on his way to visit Cynthia and Julian Lennon wrote the tune under the original moniker of “Hey Jules” referring to John’s first-born son, Julian. The song was a melody and message of reassurance that things would get better for the young guy. Others infer that Paul was also referring to his new relationship with Linda or John’s new relationship with Yoko. John felt that it was Paul saying to him, “it is OK John, you have a new partner” and so do I.”

The song was written at a time where the Beatles were beginning to dissolve because of business differences, artistic differences and a myriad of other impactful events. George Harrison needed a greater outlet for his musical creations and he felt that both John and Paul were stymying his musical suggestions. Remember how George in the film “Let It Be” referenced the echoing guitar phrase that he had originally suggested for “Hey Jude” which was rejected by Paul. George seemed hurt at what had happened even though Paul probably made the correct musical decision. The solid unity of the band was ebbing away and the song seemed to be a plea to return to those happier times where everyone had a tighter common goal.

The flip-side of the 45 “Revolution” was the perfect B-side. It spoke of the tumultuous times especially in America during the peak of the Vietnam war. Anti-war protests were occurring everywhere and the Beatles spoke to those cultural anxieties perfectly in the rocking  backing track to “Hey Jude.” The first single appeared on their new Apple label with the Granny Smith green Apple on the A-side and the cut in half apple interior as the B-side.

Author James Campion does his homework, researching experts in the fields of sociology, philosophy, psychology, and history to develop a consensus of the importance of the song “Hey Jude.” Reading this book also inspired me to read another title about the Beatles main rival in the 60’s, The Rolling Stones! Ironically, there was a story in this book written by Tony Sanchez entitled “Up and Down With the Rolling Stones which highlights the impact that the song had on people. Tony Sanchez references a Rolling Stones party with several of the Stones attending as they were celebrating a new record release.

Tony in his book comments that a couple of Beatles were at the same party and strategically asked the DJ to play their new record “Hey Jude.” The audience at the party were awe-struck and they were amazed at the sound of this new set of recordings. However Sanchez does not believe everyone was happy as a few members of the Rolling Stones felt that they had been upstaged by the band who seemingly had the stranglehold on world popularity. I believe that Sanchez makes reference to Mick Jagger being incensed after the Beatles new song was receiving such positive comments from his audience.

This story coupled with the fascinating details of the creation of the song make the Campion book a surefire winner in my collection. Love how the book describes Ringo’s drum entry into the song as you do not hear drums at the beginning because he was apparently in the loo (bathroom) and got to his drum kit at the perfect time to begin. You can’t plan some of these things, it has to be FATE!

James Campion’s book is available on Amazon, Ebay and most Book search services such as Abe Books.

TAKE A SAD SONG… The Emotional Currency of “Hey Jude” – jamescampion.com

The Power of Song – YouTube

Years later, Julian Lennon released an album appropriately titled “Jude.” In interviews, Julian admits to having mixed feelings about the song “Hey Jude” because it reminded him of the sad time of his mom and dad breaking apart. However he loves the fact that his “Uncle Paul” had the kindness and sensitivity to write a song trying to cheer him up!

Julian Lennon

Julian with the album where he finally came to grips with his difficult childhood. He signed this print as a special addition to buying the album at his website

Jude
Jude

The book that had the Hey Jude story as the record was introduced at a Rolling Stone party. The book seems to imply that at least one of the Stones was incensed that the Beatles had apparently upstaged the Stones by having their new single “Hey Jude” being played at the party by the club’s DJ!

A NICE ENDING

Both Paul McCartney and Julian posted this photo which appeared across the internet where they ran across each other awaiting flights at the airport. Paul also sent out on his phone a photo of Julian’s Jude album cover.

Julian Lennon with Paul McCartney
Julian Lennon with Paul McCartney

Is this your favourite Beatles song, as it is for many? If not, which is your favourite?

Buzz