Julian Lennon Says He’s ‘Been Driven Up the Wall’ by the Beatles’ Classic ‘Hey Jude’

Julian Lennon has a strong opinion about one of the Beatles’ greatest hits.

In an interview with Esquire on Monday, the musician and son of John Lennon and his first wife, Cynthia, opened up about how he was “driven up the wall” by the rock icon’s 1968 classic “Hey Jude.”

The song, which Julian, 60, noted was originally called “Hey Jules,” was written by Paul McCartney “to comfort my mom and also to comfort me,” he told the paper.

“It’s a wonderful feeling, there’s no doubt about it, and I’m very grateful – but I’ve also been pushed up against the wall by it,” he said of the single. “I love the fact that he wrote a song about me and for my mom, but depending on which side of the bed he woke up on and where you listen to it, that can be a good thing or a bit frustrating. But in my Heart, there’s not a bad word I can say say about it.

Julian Lennon. Gareth Cattermole/amfAR/Getty Julian Lennon says he ‘always hoped’ he would come to a place of peace after forgiving dad John years ago

He added: “The lyrics are relevant even now. They’re about making life better and taking a load off my shoulders, especially the path I’ve taken as a musician – following my dad.”

Julian released his seventh album Judas in September 2022, and the project is named after “Hey Jude,” representing his legacy as John’s son as well as the work he’s done to come to terms with what that means.

“It was a lot of thinking, looking deep in the mirror and trying to find that place of peace,” he told PEOPLE around the album’s release about its creation. “I’ve found it once or twice before, but it got lost in the mess of life. Working on the album was about getting in touch with myself and who I am.”

The “Save Me” singer said at the time that despite his difficult relationship with his late father, he had “solved a lot of issues a long time ago” with John and had long since let go of any negative thinking.

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“When you hold a grudge or when there’s negativity in your life, it doesn’t necessarily hurt other people, it hurts you. And when you feel that damage over the years on a physical and emotional level, it can break you,” He said. “I haven’t carried any negativity with me for a long, long time. But you still have to go through a few knots here and there, just to relax properly. And I think probably the last few years have done that for me.”

In another interview with PEOPLE earlier this year, Julian opened up about his struggles with the music business.

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“I was thinking back to things that had happened to me in the past and I was actually shocked at how the industry and people in the industry treat artists,” he said. “I mean, it’s disturbing, it really is. The abuse is unbelievable.”

While Julian had two top 10 hits in the 1980s with “Too Late for Goodbyes” and “Valotte”, he spent much of the 1990s and 2000s focused on other passions such as philanthropy, photography and writing, largely due to his negative experiences in the music industry.

“I’ve never stopped making music, whether it’s writing or singing with other people. It’s not the level of success that matters, it’s whether you have that connection with the music,” he said. “So I never stopped and I always love doing it. I just never liked the job.”

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Source: HIS Education