“Hey Jude” is one of The Beatles’ most-loved songs — and a wonderful project for any beginner ready to step beyond a basic three-chord song. With a capo on the 3rd fret, you’ll use familiar D-shape chords for the verse (D, A, A7, G), with Bm, Em, and D7 added for the chorus and a brief C in the iconic “na-na-na” outro. The capo handles the transposition for you — the song actually sounds in F major, but you don’t need to think about that.
This is the same arrangement I teach in my 30 Day Guitar Chord Fluency course. It’s not the simplest song to learn first, but the chord shapes are all in your vocabulary by Module 2 — and there’s no better feeling than singing “na-na-na” with friends around a campfire. Let’s dive in!
The Chords You’ll Need
For the verse
For the chorus & outro
Chord Chart
Verse 1 D A A7 A D Hey Jude, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better G D A A7 D Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better D A A7 A D Hey Jude, don't be afraid, you were made to go out and get her G D A A7 D The minute you let her under your skin, then you begin to make it better Chorus 1 D7 G Bm Em And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain, G A A7 D don't carry the world upon your shoulders D7 G Bm Em For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool G A A7 D by making his world a little colder Interlude 1 D D7 A7 Da da da da da da da da Verse 2 D A A7 A D Hey Jude, don't let me down, you have found her, now go and get her G D A A7 D Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better Chorus 2 D7 G Bm Em So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin, G A A7 D you're waiting for someone to perform with D7 G Bm Em And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do, G A A7 D the movement you need is on your shoulders Interlude 2 D D7 A7 Da da da da da da da da Verse 3 D A A7 A D Hey Jude, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better G D A A7 D Remember to let her under your skin, then you begin to make it better Outro D C G D Na na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude D C G D Na na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude D C G D Na na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude D C G D Na na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude D C G D Na na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude D C G D Na na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude D C G D Na na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude D C G D Na na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude D C G D Na na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude D C G D Na na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude...
About the capo
“Hey Jude” is in the key of F, which would normally require difficult F-major barre
chord shapes. By placing a capo on the 3rd fret and playing D-shape chords, you get
the same sounding key but with simple, beginner-friendly fingerings. If you play a
nylon-string classical or flamenco guitar, you’ll need a specialized capo built for
the wider neck and flat fretboard — see my recommendations for nylon-string capos
in the Richter Guitar shop.
About Asus4 (omitted from this chart)
Some versions of “Hey Jude” include a quick Asus4 between A7 and A in each verse —
it’s a brief embellishment chord that adds a D note, usually on string 2 fret 3. This adds a little more tension before resolving. We’ve
simplified it out for this beginner version. Just hold A7 (or A) through that moment
and the song still sounds great. You can come back and add Asus4 once the rest of
the song feels comfortable.
Practice Tips
- Master the verse first. The progression D → A → A7 → G → D handles the bulk of the song. Loop it on its own until the changes feel automatic before moving to the chorus.
- The chorus introduces Bm, Em, and D7 — three chords that may be newer for you. Bm is the trickiest because it uses a small barre on the 2nd fret. Practice the Bm-to-Em transition on its own; the finger movement is small once you get used to it.
- The “na-na-na” outro is where everyone joins in. The progression D → C → G → D is repetitive, but the change to C might feel new at first. Spend a session just on this part to get the C transition smooth.
- “Hey Jude” is about feel, not speed. The Beatles play it slowly and let each chord ring. Don’t rush — the words and the build-up to the outro are what carry the song.