" Hey Jude " was the first Beatles song to be recorded on eight-track recording equipment , with the sessions taking place at Trident Studios in central London . The song 's arrangement and extended coda encouraged many imitative works through to the early 1970s . At more than seven minutes in length , it was the longest single ever to top the British charts . In 2013 , '' Billboard '' magazine named it the 10th " biggest " song of all time in terms of chart success . McCartney has continued to perform " Hey Jude " in concert since Lennon 's death in 1980 , leading audiences in singing the coda . Julian Lennon and McCartney have each bid successfully at auction for items of memorabilia related to the song 's creation
Lennon 's death in 1980
Murder of John Lennon
Hey Jude