Hey Jude by The Beatles, released in 1968, opens with a chord progression that feels both inevitable and deeply satisfying the moment it begins. Starting on a warm F major, the sequence moves through a grounded C, pivots on the bluesy tension of C7, and resolves with the broad, comforting weight of B flat before cycling forward into the verse. That C7 is the quiet masterstroke, introducing just enough harmonic pull to make the arrival on B flat feel earned and emotionally generous. The whole movement has a natural, unhurried quality, like a hand gently placed on a shoulder, which helps explain why the song's opening bars feel so immediately welcoming to both players and listeners. A landmark of late-sixties pop rock, the song carries that era's gift for grand melodic simplicity delivered with real feeling.