WORD PERFECT

From love to loss, songwriters use many influences when creating chart toppers. We take a look at the stories behind some musical masterpieces

-  CLAIRE SAUL

Hey Jude 1968

When Paul McCartney wrote this song, John Lennon had separated from his wife, Cynthia, and was in love with Yoko Ono.

Paul drove out to visit Cynthia and her five-year-old son in Surrey, later explaining, "I was thinking about the boy - whose name is Julian - and I started this idea: 'Hey, Jules, don't make it bad. It's gonna be OK.' It was a reassurance song." Paul later changed "Jules", his nickname for Julian, to "Jude", because he thought that it sounded better.

Wonderwall 1995

Noel Gallagher originally went along with the idea that this Oasis mega hit was written for his girlfriend, later first wife, but post-divorce, admitted that it was "a song about an imaginary friend who's gonna come and save you from yourself."

China In Your Hand 1987

T'Pau's singer Carol Decker was inspired by a documentary in which she learned about novelist Mary Shelley and how the success of Frankenstein "caused much dissent and jealousy in her marriage and friendships, so created her own monster.

"It is a story within a story - be careful what you wish for in case you get it."

Sleeping Satellite 1992

Tasmin Archer's song sounds as though it describes relationship troubles, but it was actually inspired by space travel, contemplating the decline in the urge to travel to the moon in the early 1970s, so soon after the novelty of the 1969 landing.

The "sleeping satellite" is the moon, while "the eagles' flights" references the name of the lunar module transported on Apollo 11 that landed on its surface.

The song also depicts concern about environmental damage.

American Pie 1971

This classic song's meaning has been long debated and, at over eight minutes long, there are plenty of lyrics to interpret.