James Campion

Author of Take a Sad Song: The Emotional Currency of "Hey Jude"

In Take a Sad Song: The Emotional Currency of “Hey Jude,” author James Campion dives deeply into the song’s origins, recording, visual presentation, impact, and eventual influence, while also discovering what makes “Hey Jude” a classic musical expression of personal comfort and societal unity conceived by a master songwriter, Paul McCartney. This journey into the song includes the insights of experts in the fields of musicology, sociology, philosophy, psychology, and history. Campion also reveals commentary from noted Beatles authors, biographers, music historians, and journalists and, finally, a peek into the craft of songwriting from a host of talented composers across several generations. “Take a Sad A Song” made Rolling Stone Magazine’s Best Music Books of 2022!