Hey Jude
Single by The Beatles • 30 August 1968 • Parlophone R 5722
The White Album (1968) — Each track its own room. Minimal. Sprawling.
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About this release
Hey Jude is a single on Parlophone (catalogue R 5722), released 30 August 1968. First single on the Apple label. UK and US No.1.
Recorded during the band's The White Album (1968) period, produced by George Martin (with Chris Thomas covering) with Ken Scott (early), Geoff Emerick walked off — replaced engineering. The tracks were committed to tape at EMI Studios + Trident Studios (Soho) on Ampex AG-440 8-track at Trident (3M M23 8-track at EMI from late 1968; J37 four-track until then) via the REDD/TG12345 prototype mixer and Trident's Sound Techniques 20/8 desk.
Release context
Hey Jude is a Beatles single issued in the United Kingdom on 30 August 1968 by Parlophone under catalogue number R 5722. It sits in the band's The White Album (1968) period.
Sessions were produced by George Martin (with Chris Thomas covering) with Ken Scott (early), Geoff Emerick walked off — replaced engineering, working at EMI Studios + Trident Studios (Soho). The signal chain ran through the Ampex AG-440 8-track (Trident); 3M M23 8-track at EMI from late 1968 (J37 four-track until then) • REDD/TG12345 prototype; Sound Techniques 20/8 (Trident), with vocals captured on U47/U48, AKG C12, U67 introduced. This combination of room, tape format and outboard chain is the same one heard across the band's other releases from the era — meaning the release shares its sonic identity with its parent LP rather than departing from it.
The release features Hey Jude ★.
Documented alternate masters and remaster passes can be found via the linked entries above; the editorial position throughout Beatles Answers is that the original UK mono master is the canonical point of reference for any single from this era, with the 2009 and 50th-anniversary stereo remasters treated as documented variations rather than replacements. Catalogue numbers, label copy and matrix data are taken from EMI/Parlophone primary documentation and cross-checked against Mark Lewisohn's The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions (1988).
Track-by-track context
Each track on this single carries its own session history on the dedicated entry. The summary below pulls the most distinctive editorial detail from each:
- Hey Jude ★ — The extended length and orchestral arrangement required careful session planning and overdubbing strategy. George Martin's orchestration built gradually from the intimate opening to the climactic final sections.
What's distinctive
2 tracks; average length 5:18. Lennon dominates the lead vocals (1/2). Lead writing credit: McCartney (1 of 2). 1 marquee song(s) on this release have hand-crafted extended essays. Estimated total takes across the release: 146.Tracklist
Side A
Side B
Pattern analysis
Era technical context
| Microphones | U47/U48, AKG C12, U67 introduced |
|---|---|
| Outboard | EMI RS124, EMT 140 & 250 (Trident), Fairchild 660, ADT, tape flanging, fuzz, wah (Vox/CryBaby) |
| Guitars | Epiphone Casino, Fender Strat (Rocky), Gibson J-200 acoustic, Martin D-28, Fender Telecaster Bass |
| Amplifiers | Fender Twin Reverb, Fender Bassman, Vox UL730 |
References & external databases
Charts & certifications
- UK Singles Chart peak: #1 (Wikipedia, citing the relevant chart publication)
- US Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 (Wikipedia)
- BPI certification: Platinum (British Phonographic Industry)
- RIAA certification: Platinum (Recording Industry Association of America)
Chart positions and certifications sourced from the relevant Wikipedia article infoboxes and citation footnotes.