The 1968 Beatles song John Lennon called Paul McCartney’s “masterpiece”. But, was it all about him?

John Lennon called Paul McCartney’s “Hey Jude” one of his masterpieces, though he believed it was also indirectly addressed to him. McCartney originally wrote the song to comfort Lennon’s son Julian during his parents’ divorce, but Lennon heard its words as reflecting the strain of their partnership as Yoko Ono entered his life.

The article says McCartney later suggested parts of the song may have reflected his own new relationship with Linda Eastman. He also acknowledged Lennon’s influence on the lyric “the movement you need is on your shoulder”, which Lennon reportedly urged him to keep. The song’s meaning remains open to interpretation, while its personal origins span McCartney, Julian and Lennon.