Paul McCartney Was 'Worried Stiff' to Release 'Hey Jude'
One of Paul McCartney’s most enduring songs is “Hey Jude,” but he was never convinced that would be the case. McCartney wrote the song shortly after John Lennon’s divorce from his wife, Cynthia Lennon. He ultimately came to think fondly of the song, but he did not always feel this way. McCartney admitted he was quite nervous to release “Hey Jude” because he wasn’t sure it was good.
Paul McCartney said he worried about how people would react to ‘Hey Jude’. In 1970, The Beatles had recently split up, and McCartney prepared to release his first solo album, McCartney. A journalist for Rolling Stone asked the bassist if the new album would have any ballads that were as strong as “Let It Be” or “Hey Jude.”
“Yeah, I think so,” he responded. “I can never tell.”
McCartney explained that he had difficulty discerning which of his songs were good.
Source: Emma McKee/Showbiz Cheat Sheet
