On This Day, September 28, 1968…
The Beatles’ non-album single “Hey Jude” began a nine-week run at #1 on the Billboard Hot 10. It was the longest run at #1 for any Beatles single.
With a run time of seven minutes and 11 seconds, “Hey Jude” also set a new record for the longest song to top the chart.
Paul McCartney famously wrote “Hey Jude” for John Lennon’s son Julian, during John’s separation from his first wife, Cynthia.
The song, which was the first release on the band’s new Apple Records label, also topped the chart in several other countries, including the U.K., Australia and Canada.
It was inducted into the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001.
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