Hey Jude climaxes with one of pop's most legendary hooks." Julian Lennon discovered that "Hey Jude" had been written for him almost 20 years after McCartney composed the song. He recalled of his and McCartney's relationship: "Paul and I used to hang about quite a bit – more than Dad and I did. We had a great friendship going and there seems to be far more pictures of me and Paul playing together at that age than there are pictures of me and my dad." In 1996, Julian paid £25,000 for the recording notes to "Hey Jude" at an auction. He spent
Hey Jude was worthy of an A-side, "but we could have had both." In 1980, he told "Playboy" he still disagreed with the decision. The single was a highly successful debut for Apple Records, and contrasted with the public embarrassment the band faced after the recent closure of their short-lived retail venture, Apple Boutique. "Hey Jude" began its sixteen-week run on Britain's official singles chart on 7 September 1968, claiming the top spot a week later. It lasted two weeks on top before being replaced by Hopkin's "Those Were the Days", which was produced by McCartney. "Hey Jude" was certified gold by