Songs I Can't Stand #1 - "Hey Jude"

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And yet another musical extravaganza ends. #1 in my Songs I Can't Stand is the much revered "Hey Jude" by The Beatles. The Beatles formed in Liverpool, England, in 1960. They are the biggest selling band in history, with over 600 million records sold (The Guinness Book of World Records estimates it at over a billion.) The band won ten Grammy Awards during their time together, and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, both as The Beatles, as well as all four separately. They are the all time leader on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Written by Paul McCartney for Julian Lennon, who was distraught over his parent's divorce, "Hey Jude" was the first single (1968) released on the band's newly formed label, Apple. "Hey Jude" spent a whopping nine weeks at #1 on the Hot 100, the longest of any Beatles single, and it has sold roughly eight million copies. Although it didn't win, the song was nominated for three Grammy's (including losses to Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" for Record of the Year, and O.C. Smith's "Little Green Apples" for Song of the Year.) It is, however, in the Grammy Hall of Fame. "Hey Jude" has been covered by Elvis Presley, Wilson Pickett, and "Weird Al" Yankovic, who inserted it into a polka medley. Obviously, I don't like "Hey Jude," but come on. "Little Green Apples" was a better song than this? Anyway, I once owned "Hey Jude" on 45, a gift from a well meaning relative. And it was soooo boring. And, to me, it still is. Soooo boring. This is honestly one song that I don't actually know all the lyrics to, because I pretty much tune McCartney out as soon as I hear him belt out "Hey Jude" at the beginning (if I can't turn it off or leave the room.) And then there's the 15 minutes of nothing but "na na na na na, " at the end, which I just can't take. This thing just drags on and on and on. I didn't like it the first time I heard it, and it just never grew on me the way lots of songs have done over the years. On to the video, linked below. I think you will enjoy it. It's The Beatles, in all their long haired glory, performing the song on British television. John Lennon appears to be chewing gum while singing back up vocals. When they start showing the audience near the end, keep your eyes peeled for an older guy wearing glasses. He's hilarious. He's probably dead by now, but thanks, pops, you made me laugh! (Info verified by Wikipedia)