"Hey Jude," the iconic 1968 single by the Beatles, initially stood alone as a non-album release, a common practice for singles at the time. However, its immense popularity and commercial success soon led
to its inclusion on various compilation albums, marking its transition from a standalone hit to a staple of the band's broader discography. This journey through different album formats, from vinyl to compact disc, reflects the changing landscape of music distribution and the enduring appeal of the song itself. The story of "Hey Jude" on album is one of strategic releases, financial considerations, and the eventual standardization of the Beatles' catalog.
Early Album Appearances and Financial Strategy
The first time "Hey Jude" appeared on an album was in February 1970, as the title track for Capitol's North American compilation album, also named *Hey Jude*. This album was not a standard studio release but rather a collection of non-album singles and B-sides. The creation of this compilation was driven by Allen Klein, an American businessman who had been appointed to manage the Apple organization in 1969, despite Paul McCartney's strong objections. Klein's primary motivation for this album was to generate income for the Beatles, highlighting the commercial value of their hit singles.
Interestingly, the *Hey Jude* compilation album underwent a title change shortly before its release. It was originally intended to be called *The Beatles Again*. The change occurred after the record labels had already been printed, leading to some copies being sold with labels bearing the original title. Neither the front nor the back of the album jacket displayed the record's title, but most copies were sold in a jacket with "Hey Jude" printed on the spine. Editions with the *The Beatles Again* labels had the catalogue number SO-385, while later pressings featured both the *Hey Jude* title and SW-385 on the labels. Some copies even had a sticker on the cover indicating the new title.
Global Distribution and Format Variations
The *Hey Jude* compilation was released in the U.S. on February 26, 1970, and quickly achieved significant success, charting for 33 weeks on the Billboard 200 and peaking at number 2. By June of that year, it had sold 3.3 million copies. Its popularity extended globally, with releases in Canada, Australia, Spain, Germany, France, Greece, Japan, Mexico, and most of South America. It was also available as an "export" from Britain, though it was not initially issued in the UK. Due to its worldwide popularity, EMI eventually released *Hey Jude* in Britain on the Parlophone label on May 11, 1979.
For many years, until the release of *1967–1970* in 1973, the *Hey Jude* compilation was the only way for fans to own the extremely popular "Hey Jude" single on an LP or in a stereo mix. Notably, songs like "Rain," "Lady Madonna," and "Revolution" were specifically mixed for stereo for this album. Prior to the "Get Back" single in the spring of 1969, all Beatles singles in the US were issued in mono. The album also saw variations in its release across different formats; for instance, on reel-to-reel and cassette tape releases, sides one and two were sometimes reversed, with "Hey Jude" leading off the album to accommodate the longer side of the tape. The four-track tape cartridge, however, maintained the original chronological order.
The Digital Era and Modern Reissues
The first UK album release of "Hey Jude" was in 1973 on *The Beatles' 1967–1970* compilation. Its first appearance on CD came in 1988 when it was included on the *Past Masters, Volume Two* compilation. It was also featured on *20 Greatest Hits* and the single-CD compilation *1*. The compact disc era brought about a standardization of the Beatles' discographies worldwide, and for many years, the *Hey Jude* compilation was not available in CD format. Although it went out of print on LP, the album remained available on cassette tape until the 1990s.
However, in January 2014, the *Hey Jude* album was finally issued on CD, both as part of *The U.S. Albums* compilation box set and as a standalone release. This reissue allowed a new generation of listeners to experience the compilation in a modern format, further cementing the song's place in the Beatles' enduring legacy and ensuring its continued availability across various media.
