Bennett was born in Oregon, grew up in New York and has lived in Virginia for the better part of the last three decades. Since his 1987 first-place win at the National Flatpicking Championship in Winfield , Kansas (The Walnut Valley Festival), he has become known as a versatile fingerstyle and flatpicking guitarist who consistently garners critical praise and audience enthusiasm for his recordings and live performances.
With his stellar musicianship, a relaxed stage presence, and quick wit, Bennett has performed throughout the United States and Europe, as well as Australia and Japan .
Aside from his work on the six-string guitar, Bennett is also one of the world's premiere performers on the Harp Guitar, an instrument he indirectly inherited from his great-grandfather. As a composer and arranger, he has created an enduring repertoire and a significant body of recorded work for this instrument. Slide work on his 1930 National resophonic steel guitar is also an important part of Bennett 's instrumental diversity.
The image of Bennett embracing his harp guitar is the one that tends to linger. The fact that Bennett is only too happy to champion the cause of the harp guitar may inadvertently obscure his abilities on the six-string instrument. In what is becoming known as the Golden Age of Guitar Luthiery, it's easy to overlook the fact that this is also the Golden Age of Guitar Playing. With six strings or more, as one of the most original and prolific composers and arrangers for the guitar on the current scene, Bennett is clearly a part of the latter heritage.
Hey Jude
Stephen Bennett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better
Hey Jude, don't be afraid
You were made to go out and get her
The minute you let her under your skin
And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder
Hey Jude, don't let me down
You have found her, now go and get her
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better
So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin
You're waiting for someone to perform with
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do
The movement you need is on your shoulder
Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her under your skin
Then you'll begin to make it
Better better better better better better, oh
Na na na nananana, nannana, hey Jude
In "Hey Jude", the lyrics speak directly to an individual named "Jude", urging him to not let fear hold him back and to refrain from making his world a little colder. The song emphasizes that in order to move forward and overcome pain, Jude should let the person he cares about deeply into his heart, and that by doing so he can begin to make things better. The lyrics also suggest that Jude shouldn't simply wait for someone else to come and save him, but that he possesses the power to take action and improve his situation on his own.
Overall, the message of the song is one of hope, encouraging listeners to recognize their own agency and reminding them that it's never too late to turn things around. The repetition of the phrase "na na na" towards the end of the song serves as an uplifting call to action, urging both Jude and the audience to keep moving forward and not get bogged down by negative thoughts and feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Don't worsen the situation, Hey Jude
Take a sad song and make it better
Try to improve things from a negative or melancholic standpoint, Hey Jude
Remember to let her into your heart
Don't shut her out, let her in on a personal level, Hey Jude
Then you can start to make it better
You can now begin to make positive changes, Hey Jude
Hey Jude, don't be afraid
Don't be fearful, Hey Jude
You were made to go out and get her
You were meant to go out and attain her, Hey Jude
The minute you let her under your skin
Once you become personally involved with her, Hey Jude
Then you begin to make it better
You can start making positive improvements, Hey Jude
And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain
Hey Jude, don't dwell on pain or let it consume you
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
Don't let the world's problems become your own burden, Hey Jude
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
Acting unemotional is a foolish game to play, Hey Jude
By making his world a little colder
Don't let your emotions become cold and distant, Hey Jude
Hey Jude, don't let me down
Hey Jude, don't disappoint or fail me
You have found her, now go and get her
You located her, so now you should make a move, Hey Jude
Remember to let her into your heart
Don't keep her out, allow her to become a part of you, Hey Jude
Then you can start to make it better
Progress can be made by welcoming her into your life, Hey Jude
So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin
Express yourself, allow others in, and begin to make changes, Hey Jude
You're waiting for someone to perform with
Someone to collaborate with is being anticipated, Hey Jude
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do
You can do it yourself, Hey Jude
The movement you need is on your shoulder
The impetus for making a positive difference is all you need, Hey Jude
Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Don't make things worse, Hey Jude
Take a sad song and make it better
From a melancholic standpoint, start improving, Hey Jude
Remember to let her under your skin
Make personal connections, let her in, Hey Jude
Then you'll begin to make it
Positive changes will begin to occur, Hey Jude
Better better better better better better, oh
Improvements will keep occurring, Hey Jude
Na na na nananana, nannana, hey Jude
Nonsensical verse
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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