"All Together Now" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles written p… Read Full Bio ↴"All Together Now" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song was recorded during the band's Magical Mystery Tour period, but remained unreleased until it was included on the Yellow Submarine soundtrack.It was released as a single in 1972 in European countries such as France and Germany, backed by "Hey Bulldog".

McCartney described the song as a children's sing-along with the title phrase inspired by the music hall tradition of asking the audience to join in. He also described a "subcurrent" in the song, a dual-meaning where "we are all together now." According to music critic Tom Maginnis of AllMusic, McCartney created the song "to match the same light-hearted spirit" of "Yellow Submarine".

The track was recorded on 12 May 1967 at EMI Studios and mixed the same day, but was not released until 13 January 1969, when it appeared on the soundtrack album. George Martin was absent from this session, leaving recording engineer Geoff Emerick in charge of the control room. The song took less than six hours to record and was recorded in nine takes, the last of which was selected for overdubs.

All Together Now
The Beatles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

One, two, three, four
Can I have a little more?
Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
I love you

A B C D
Can I bring my friend to tea?
E F G H I J

I love you

Bom bom bom bompa bom
Sail the ship, bompa bom
Chop the tree, bompa bom
Skip the rope, bompa bom
Look at me

All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now

Black, white, green, red
Can I take my friend to bed?
Pink, brown, yellow, orange, and blue
I love you

All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now

Bom bom bom bompa bom
Sail the ship, bompa bom
Chop the tree, bompa bom
Skip the rope, bompa bom
Look at me

All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now

All together now
All together now

Overall Meaning

The Beatles' "All Together Now" is a cheerful and catchy song that invites listeners to come together in love and friendship. The lyrics begin with a count-off (One, two, three, four) and a request for "a little more" from someone the singer cares for. The numbers continue up to ten while the singer affirms their love. The next verse features the alphabet and an invitation to bring a friend to tea, followed by another declaration of love. The chorus brings all the voices together, singing "All together now" multiple times before the verse repeats.

The second half of the song shifts slightly, introducing some more colorful imagery alongside another invitation to share love and companionship. The chorus repeats a staggering 16 times in this half, with the same playful bompa bom rhythm accompanying lyrics about chopping trees and skipping rope. The song ends with a final line of "all together now" as the music fades out.

While the lyrics themselves are fairly simplistic, the joyous energy of the music and the repetition of the chorus make it an infectious sing-along. "All Together Now" is a reminder that love and togetherness are worth celebrating, and that everyone is invited to join in.

Line by Line Meaning

One, two, three, four
Let's start counting and get ready to rock

Can I have a little more?
Is everybody ready to have some fun?

Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
Counting louder to make sure everyone is included

I love you
Expressing love and camaraderie

A B C D
Asking a question about bringing a friend over

Can I bring my friend to tea?
Asking permission to include others in the fun

E F G H I J
More counting to emphasize inclusivity and togetherness

Bom bom bom bompa bom
Musical interlude to reinforce the beat and rhythm

Sail the ship, bompa bom
Inviting everyone to go on a journey together

Chop the tree, bompa bom
Encouraging everyone to work together and get things done

Skip the rope, bompa bom
Playing and having fun together