Julian Lennon Says He's 'Been Driven Up the Wall' by the Beatles' Classic 'Hey Jude'

The musician and son of John Lennon opened up about the impact of the track, inspired by him and written by Paul McCartney

Julian Lennon has a strong opinion about one of the Beatles' biggest hits.

In an interview with Esquire on Monday, the musician and son of John Lennon and his first wife Cynthia, opened up about how he has "been driven up the wall" by the rock icons' 1968 classic "Hey Jude."

The track, which Julian, 60, noted was originally titled “Hey Jules," was penned by Paul McCartney "to console Mum, and also to console me," he told the outlet.

"It’s a beautiful sentiment, no question about that, and I’m very thankful — but I’ve also been driven up the wall by it," he said of the single. "I love the fact that he wrote a song about me and for Mum, but depending on what side of the bed one woke up on, and where you’re hearing it, it can be a good or a slightly frustrating thing. But in my heart of hearts, there’s not a bad word I could say about it.

Related: Julian Lennon Says He 'Always Hoped' He'd Get to Place of Peace After Forgiving Dad John Years Ago

He added: "The lyrics are pertinent even now. They’re about making life better and taking the weight off my shoulders, especially on the path I followed as a musician— following Dad."

Julian released his seventh album Jude in September 2022, and the project is titled after "Hey Jude," representing his legacy as John's son as well as the work he's done to come to terms with what that means.

"It was very much reflective, looking in the mirror deeply and trying to find that place of peace," he told PEOPLE around the album's release of its creation. "I found it one or two times before, but it got lost in the muddle of life. Working on the album was about getting in touch with myself and who I am."

The "Save Me" singer said at the time that despite a difficult relationship with his late father, he "resolved many issues way back when" with John, and has long let go of any negative thinking.

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"When you hold a grudge or when there's negativity in your life, it doesn't necessarily hurt other people, it hurts you. And when you feel that damage on a physical and emotional level over the years, it can break you down," he said. "I haven't carried any negativity with me for a long, long time. But you still have to work through a few knots here and there, just to relax properly. And I think probably the last few years have done that for me."

In another interview with PEOPLE earlier this year, Julian opened up about his struggles with the music business.

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Related: Julian Lennon Explains Why He Legally Changed His Name: 'For Me, It's a Whole Other World'

"I was going back over things that have happened to me in the past and I was actually shocked at how the industry and the people in the industry treat artists," he said. "I mean, it's disturbing, it truly is. The abuse is unbelievable."

While Julian had two top-10 hits in the 1980s with "Too Late for Goodbyes" and "Valotte," he spent much of the 1990s and 2000s focused on other passions like philanthropy, photography and writing, largely due to his negative experiences in the music industry.

"I've never stopped working in music, whether that's writing or singing with other people. It doesn't matter what the level of success is, it's whether you have that connection with music," he said. "So, I've never stopped, and I always like doing it. I've just never liked the business."

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