Hey Jude

About

Hey Jude is a song written by Paul McCartney and released by The Beatles in 1968. Robbie Williams has performed the track live on several occasions, most notably during his early solo tours and in later charity or televised appearances, as a tribute to one of his key musical influences.

Williams’s version of Hey Jude has never been officially recorded for release. It appeared intermittently in live setlists, often as a crowd-singalong finale. His interpretation retained the original song’s piano-led arrangement and extended outro, using his band and audience participation to recreate the anthem-like atmosphere that defines the McCartney classic.

The performance demonstrated Williams’s ability to connect traditional British pop songwriting with contemporary live spectacle. The choice of a Beatles song also reflected his affinity with 1960s and 1970s melodic pop, a thread evident throughout his solo work. On stage, he often used Hey Jude as a communal moment to close a concert on an uplifting note.

“It’s one of those songs you can’t sing without smiling. Everyone knows it, and that’s the magic.”Robbie Williams

While never formally added to his recorded catalogue, Hey Jude remains one of the most recognisable covers in Williams’s live repertoire, illustrating both his respect for British pop heritage and his instinct for unifying audiences through shared musical touchstones.