TOP 100 SONGS OF THE BEATLES ― 21

"All You Need Is Love" (Lennon – July 17, 1967) 

Magical Mystery Tour – Side 2, track 5 (3:57)

YouTube (Paul McCartney, Brian May, Roger Taylor, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Rod Stewart) 

From Wikipedia, Rolling Stone,  About.com, and Google –

"All You Need Is Love" is a song written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was first performed by the Beatles on Our World, the first live global television link. Watched by 400 million in 26 countries the program was broadcast via satellite on 25 June 1967. The BBC had commissioned the Beatles to write a song for the United Kingdom's contribution.

History –

Written specifically (by most accounts) for the international television broadcast Our World, shown in 17 countries around the world on July 25, 1967. The idea was to create the world's first international live broadcast using then-new satellite technology. The group were approached to write and perform a new song for the live telecast; in two weeks, John Lennon came up with this song, supposedly constructed around a word every language understood: love. (Reports differ on whether the song was actually written prior to the offer, or whether Paul McCartney also attempted to create a song for the event.)

It was decided early on that the song would be played and sung "live" to a pre-recorded backing track, the scope of the production being so vast. On June 14, a guide track was laid down featuring John on harpsichord, Paul on bass violin, George on violin, and Ringo on tambourine. Drums, piano, and John on lead vocal and banjo were overdubbed on the 19th, along with some editing; orchestral overdubs along with additional instruments were added on the 23rd and 24th.

Finally, this mix was played during the live broadcast on the 25th, with John singing lead, Paul on bass, Ringo on drums, George on lead guitar, and a small live orchestra. 

Uncomfortable with his nervous performance, John recut his lead vocal a few hours later, away from cameras; the next day Ringo's drum roll was added as an intro and a final mix was made. This is the mix we know as the hit single.

The final product was remixed twice again later, in November 1967 for inclusion in the upcoming Yellow Submarine movie, and in October of the following year in stereo. (The Beatles often made separate stereo mixes for their songs rather than just mixing a stereo version down to mono.)

To go along with the international theme of the broadcast, it was decided within the band that several snatches of internationally recognized songs be used in the mix to represent different cultures. The orchestra played these snatches live and in the studio, in the following order: "La Marseillaise" (the national anthem of France), Bach's "2-part Invention #8" (Germany), "Greensleeves" (Britain), Glenn Miller's "In The Mood" (America), and Jeremiah Clarke's "Prince of Denmark's March" (written by a Brit in honor of Denmark). Unfortunately, "In The Mood," being more recent, still had a copyright, and The Beatles were forced into an out-of-court settlement with the Miller estate.

During rehearsal, John spontaneously began singing "Yesterday" and "She Loves You" as an ironic commentary of sorts on the fadeout's montage of songs. This was replicated during the broadcast and left into the final version. Much debate has arisen over who sings "She Loves You" in the finished product, but the "Beatles recording anomalies" website What Goes On proves conclusively that both John and Paul are singing it. (Some have heard "Yesterday" as "Yes it is," while Paul Is Dead theorists believe John is actually saying "Yes he's dead" in reference to Paul. A close listen proves both theories incorrect.)

George's guitar solo, while far from perfect during the broadcast, was left in the final version anyway.

The verses of this song are in 7/4 time, with 3/4 bridges and standard 4/4 choruses (although John is singing against the beat in a straight 4/4). This makes "All You Need Is Love" the first US Top 20 hit in that meter, followed only by Pink Floyd's "Money" in 1973. 

Composition –

The Beatles were asked to come up with a song containing a simple message to be understood by all nationalities. "It was an inspired song and they really wanted to give the world a message," said Brian Epstein. "The nice thing about it is that it cannot be misinterpreted. It is a clear message saying that love is everything." According to journalist Jade Wright, "Lennon was fascinated by the power of slogans to unite people and never afraid to create art out of propaganda. When asked in 1971 whether songs like "Give Peace a Chance" and "Power to the People" were propaganda songs, he answered: 'Sure. So was All You Need Is Love. I'm a revolutionary artist. My art is dedicated to change.'"

The day before the Our World broadcast, the Beatles decided that the song should be their next single. Released in the UK on 7 July 1967, it went straight to number one and remained there for three weeks. It was similarly successful in the United States after its release on 17 July, reaching number one for a week. It was also included on the American LP version of Magical Mystery Tour in November as well as in the film, and on the LP Yellow Submarine, released in 1969. This song is also featured in the Cirque du Soleil's show "Love", based on the songs of The Beatles, which has been performing in Las Vegas since 2006.

The interviews on The Beatles Anthology documentary series reveal that Paul McCartney and George Harrison were unsure whether the song was written for Our World. However, George Martin and Ringo Starr assert it was. When asked, McCartney replied:

"I don't think it was written specially for it. But it was one of the songs we had. ... It was certainly tailored to it once we had it. But I've got a feeling it was just one of John's songs that was coming there. We went down to Olympic Studios in Barnes and recorded it and then it became the song they said, 'Ah. This is the one we should use.' I don't actually think it was written for it."

Musical structure –

The song is notable for its multiple time-signatures. While the chorus maintains a steady four-in-a-bar (with the exception of the final bar of 2/4), the verse pattern is 4/4, 3/4, 4/4, 3/4, 4/4, 4/4, 4/4, 3/4. The prominent cello line draws attention to this departure from pop-single normality, although it was not the first time that the Beatles had experimented with varied meter within a single song: "We Can Work It Out" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" are other examples. The song is in the key of G and the verse opens (on "There's nothing you can do") with a G chord and D melody note, the chords shifting in a I-V/7-vi progression while the bass simultaneously follows the tonic (G) to the relative minor (Em), but via a F#. Indeed, throughout this song McCartney's bass implies many additional chords over those played by the other instruments. For example, after the verse "learn how to play the game, it's easy", the bass alters the prolonged V (D) chord with F#, E,C and B note modulations. The song is notable for a dramatic use of a dominant or V chord (here D) on "It's easy." The "Love, love, love" chant involves chords in a I-V7-vi shift (G-D-Em) and simultaneous descending B, A, G notes with the concluding G note corresponding not to the tonic G chord, but acting as a ♭ 3rd of the Em chord; this also introducing the E note of the Em chord as a 6th of the tonic G scale. Supporting the same melody note with different and unexpected chords has been termed a characteristic Beatles technique.

Takes: 58

Personnel –

John Lennon – Lead vocals, harpsichord, banjo
Paul McCartney – Backing vocals, bass guitar (Rickenbacker 4001S), bass violin
George Harrison – Backing vocals, lead guitar (Fender Stratocaster "Sonic Blue"), violin
Ringo Starr – Drums (Ludwig), tambourine
Orchestra (conducted by Mike Vickers):
Sidney Sax, Patrick Halling, Eric Bowie, John Ronayne – Violin
Lionel Ross, Jack Holmes – Cello
Rex Morris, Don Honeywill – Tenor saxophone
Evan Watkins, Harry Spain – Trombone
Stanley Woods – Trumpet, flugelhorn
David Mason – Piccolo trumpet
Jack Emblow – Accordion

Mick Jagger, Gary Leeds, Keith Richards, Marianne Faithfull, Eric Clapton, Jane Asher, Patti Harrison, Mike McCartney, Keith Moon, Graham Nash, Hunter Davies: backing vocals (on chorus), hand claps

Live broadcast –

For the broadcast, The Beatles were (except for Starr) seated on stools, accompanied by a small studio orchestra. They were surrounded by friends and acquaintances seated on the floor, many of whom were among the leading stars of the British pop scene, who sang with the refrain during the fade-out.

The performance was not completely live: The Beatles, the orchestra, and guests were overdubbing onto a pre-recorded rhythm track mainly consisting of piano, harpsichord, drums, and backing vocals. The full Our World segment opens with the band and company listening to the raw backing track, as commentator Steve Race explained the process in voice-over. The live overdubs seem to include not only lead vocals, orchestra, and the improvised call-and-response, but also bass guitar, Harrison's guitar solo, and a second drum track — which seems to go out of time with the original track during the first few bars. At the beginning of the song, under "La Marseillaise," a tambourine is shaken, but this was mixed out and replaced with a drum roll before the single was released.

Lennon, affecting indifference, was said to be nervous about the broadcast, given the potential size of the international TV audience. Dissatisfied with his singing, he re-recorded the solo verses for use on the single. Starr also overdubbed drums before the single was released, fixing the aforementioned timing problems and adding the drum roll.

The program was broadcast in 'black-and-white' (color television had yet to commence broadcasting in Britain and most of the world). The Beatles' footage was colorized, based on photographs of the event, for The Beatles Anthology documentary.

Trivia –

The original lyrics for this song were left behind after the broadcast on John's music stand and snapped up by an associate; in 2005 they were auctioned to a private collector for $1.2 million. 

This was the last Beatles song recorded before the untimely death of manager Brian Epstein, which ironically led to a great deal of love lost between the band members.

George Harrison quotes this song in his own 1981 solo hit "All Those Years Ago," a loving tribute to John recorded and released in the months following his murder: "You point the way to the truth when you say all you need is love."

This song was featured in the climactic final episode of the UK sci-fi series The Prisoner, as well as entrance music for Queen Elizabeth II during the UK Millennial celebrations of 1999. It was also sung by choirs across the kingdom in 2002 during the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebration.

The American diaper brand Luv's has licensed a cover of this song for a 2007 ad, outraging many purists.

Constantly asked in interviews whether the song's title is good philosophy, Paul McCartney once admitted, "Is love all you need? I don't know, really. I don't know what you need. I'm just some fella." 

Today in Beatles History (From The Beatles Internet Album) March 20 –

1963 – Concert at the Ritz, Romford (Chris Montez and Tommy Roe Tour).

1964 – UK single release: "Can't Buy Me Love"/"You Can't Do That". 

– "Can't Buy Me Love" has already sold 2,100,000 copies in advance: world record for sales in advance, and instantaneous gold disc in Britain and the US.

– Jack Good flies to London to discuss with Brian the Associated-Rediffusion TV show with the Beatles and Cilla Black. Brian is negotiating to sell the show throughout the world.

– Television House, London. Performance for Associated-Rediffusion's 'Ready, Steady, Go!'. Transmitted live. 

1965 – Epstein and Lionel Bart begin a weekend in the south of France.

– 'Eight Days A Week' number 1, 2nd and last week (Billboard). 

1967 – Studio 2. 7.00pm-3.30am. Recording: :Beatle Talk" (take 1); "She's Leaving Home" (tape reduction take 1 into takes 7-9, tape reduction take 6 into take 10, overdub onto take 9). Mono mixing: "She's Leaving Home" (remixes 1-6, from take 9). Editing: "She's Leaving Home" (of remix mono 6). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Ken Scott.

– Recording of "Beatle Talk", a spoken fragment for LP Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, not used, and vocals for "She's Leaving Home'\".
– US gold certification: 'Penny Lane'/'Strawberry Fields Forever'. 

1969 – John and Yoko fly to Gibraltar.

– Marriage of John and Yoko in Gibraltar.

1972 – End of recordings of "Sometime In New York City" and "Live Jump".