THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

141-Beatles-All You Need Is Love.

1967-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 1.02. At the time of writing the most viewed YouTube video in a 24 hour period was achieved by the South Korean band ‘BTS’, with the video for their single ‘Butter,’ that was watched 108,200,000 times. On June 25th, 1967, the Beatles were asked to take part in the very first ever live international satellite television programme called ‘Our World,’ alongside other creative artists such as Opera singer Maria Callas, and the painter Pablo Picasso. They were some of the performers representing 19 nations over a two and a half hour live broadcast fed to 24 counties around the world.’All You Need Is Love’ was performed for the first time to an estimated audience of somewhere between 400-700 million people.

On May 18th, 1967, the Beatles (see also best songs 599-319-238-218-157-80-51-10 and 5) signed a contract to appear as Britain’s representatives on ‘Our World.’The Beatles were asked to provide a song with a message that could be easily understood by everyone, and using “basic English” terms. John Lennon who was the writer of ‘All You Need Is Love’ (1940-1980) (see also best songs 927-473-456-168 and 20) realised that he could send out a message to the world, and he made the lyrics as simple as possible so every nation could understand them.

‘All You Need Is Love’ was written by John Lennon, but as always was contractually attributed to ‘Lennon/McCartney, with the production credited to George Martin. (1926-2016) The song was released as a stand alone single, but later was included on the United States version of the ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ Album, and also featured in the 1968 animated film ‘Yellow Submarine.’ The song was released at the height of the ‘Summer of Love’ social phenomenon, when as many as 100,000 people, mostly young people sporting hippie fashions of dress and behaviour, converged in San Francisco’s neighbourhood of Haight-Ashbury, where ‘All You Need Is Love’ became the theme song of the ‘Summer of Love’ movement.

‘All You Need Is Love’ opens with a few bars of the French National Anthem ‘La Marseillaise,’ and also includes elements of the traditional English Folk song ‘Greensleeves,’ and also Glen Miller’s 1939 hit ‘In the Mood’ (see also best songs 146.) Towards the end of the song Lennon can be heard saying ‘Yesterday,’ (see also best songs 319) and Lennon and McCartney can be heard breaking out into a rendition of their 1964 hit ‘She Loves You.’

The Beatles performed ‘All You Need Is Love’ on ‘Our World’ with a pre recorded backing track, with Lennon singing live, McCartney (see also best songs 646 and 107) played double bass, George Harrison (1943-2001) (see also best songs 737 and 726) played the violin, and Ringo Starr was on the drums. There was also a specially invited selection of friends and acquaintances who were seated on the floor for the ‘Our World’ recording, that included Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Marianne Faithfull, and Keith Moon, (1946-1978) and they and others can be heard singing on the song as it fades out.

‘There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done, nothing you can sing that can’t be sung. Nothing you can say, but you can learn how to play the game, it’s easy.’