In 1968, Paul McCartney wrote a song Ringo Starr almost didn’t show up for. It’s now been played 800,000,000 times

Paul McCartney’s 1968 song “Hey Jude” nearly began recording without Ringo Starr, who had briefly left the studio to use the toilet. The anecdote highlights the song’s imperfect recording process and the tensions that could arise from McCartney’s exacting approach, even as the finished track became one of the Beatles’ best-known songs.

McCartney recalled that Starr tiptoed back to his drum kit during the take, with enough time to join in because the drums enter late. The session also saw an orchestral musician walk out after McCartney invited performers to clap and sing during the outro. Despite these disruptions, “Hey Jude” went on to be played 800 million times, according to the article.