Hey Jude chords

by The Beatles

Song Key: F Major

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: 78 bpm


Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Intermediate

Chords: F, F7, C, C7, B♭, Dm, Gm7, E♭

Chord Chart Legend
F Major F Major F7 C Major C7 Dm Bb Major Gm7 Eb Major Eb Major
Lefties Chord Chart Legend
F Major-LH F Major barre chord-LH F7 barre chord-LH C Major-LH C7-LH Dm-LH Bb Major-LH Gm7 barre chord-LH Eb Major-LH Eb Major barre chord-LH

Hey Jude

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
       F                     C
1. Hey Jude    Don't make it bad
          C7                   F
   Take a sad song and make it bet-ter
      Bb                               F
   Re-mem-ber    To let her in-to your heart
                C7               F
   Then you can start to make it bet-ter

       F                  C
2. Hey Jude    Don't be a-fraid
           C7                 F
  You were made to go out and get her
      Bb                              F
  The min-ute you let her un-der your skin
              C7             F
  Then you be-gin to make it bet-ter

      F7                          Bb          Dm         Gm7
Bridge: And any-time you feel the pain    Hey Jude    Re-frain
                         C7               F
        Don't car-ry the world u-pon your should-ers
      F7                              Bb       Dm       Gm7
        For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
                       C7              F
        By mak-ing his world a lit-tle cold-er
                    F7       C        C7
        Na na na    Na na    Na na    Na  | na...|

                 F                     C
3. |2⁄4 Hey |4⁄4 Jude |   Don't let me down
            C7                    F
   You have found her  now go and get her
      Bb                            F
   Re-mem-ber to let her in-to your heart
                C7               F
   Then you can start to make it bet-ter

      F7                         Bb        Dm         Gm7
Bridge: So let it out and let it in    Hey Jude    Be-gin
                                            C7         F
        You’re wait-ing for some-one to per-form with
      F7                                  Bb         Dm             Gm7
        And don't you know that it's just you    Hey Jude    You'll do
                          C7              F
        The move-ment you need is on your should-er
                    F7       C        C7             
        Na na na    Na na    Na na    Na  | na...   |

                 F                       C
4. |2⁄4 Hey |4⁄4 Jude |    Don't make it bad
          C7                   F
   Take a sad song and make it bet-ter
      Bb                                F
   Re-mem-ber    To let her un-der your skin
               C7             F
   Then you be-gin to make it bet-ter bet-ter bet-ter bet-ter bet-ter bet-ter oh
  
       F           Eb             Bb                 F
Outro: Na na na    Na na na na    Na na na na    Hey Jude... (repeat to fade)

Notes and Helpful Tips

  • Level Of Ease: Moderate - need to know some barre chords, e.g., B♭, E♭, and Gm7.
  • Song Key: F Major (1 Flat - B♭)
  • Notice the timing changes at the end of each Bridge. The C7 on the last 'Na' holds for a bar and a half (6 beats). This is written as a 2/4 bar followed by a 4/4 bar... the original time signature (6 beats in all).
  • There are several ways of playing these chords. The more commonly used forms of each chord are charted.

    The easiest way to play F7 is 131211 - perhaps a better sounding F7 is 131241... although a little harder to play, it is well worth the effort. The same applies to Gm7... 353363.
  • The Outro is repeated again and again which seems like an eternity, but stick with it as it's a great exercise in practicing fairly difficult chord changes - by the end of the song you'll be an expert! 🥳

Song Details:

  • Songwriter: Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon/McCartney)
  • Date: 1968
  • Lyrics Begin: Hey Jude, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better.
  • Performing Artists: The Beatles
  • Recorded: 31 July and 1 August 1968
  • Single Release: 26 August 1968
  • Albums:
    • Hey Jude (compilation album - 1970)
    • Past Masters, Vol. 2 (Two-disc compilation album - 1988)
    • The Beatles - 1 (Greatest hits album - 2000)
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