Asked to come up with a song containing a simple message to be understood by all nationalities, Lennon's "All You Need Is Love" extended the message he first tried in "The Word", from The Beatles' 1965 album Rubber Soul. "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.'"
According to the All You Need Is Love Songfacts, musically, this song is very unusual. The chorus is only one note, and the song is in a rare 7/4 tempo.
The Beatles decided the song should be their next single the day before the Our World broadcast. Released in the UK on July 7, it went straight to No. 1 and remained there for three weeks. It was similarly successful in the US, reaching No. 1 for a week (appearing on the American LP version of Magical Mystery Tour in November).
It was the last song both recorded and released by the band before the death of the band's manager, Brian Epstein, on 27 August 1967, little more than a month after the song was released.
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.
All You Need Is Love
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
There's nothin' you can do that can't be done
Nothin' you can sing that can't be sung
Nothin' you can say, but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy
No one you can save that can't be saved
Nothin' you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time
It's easy
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
There's nothin' you can know that isn't known
Nothin' you can see that isn't shown
There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be
It's easy
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
All you need is love (all together now)
All you need is love (everybody)
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Yee-hay (love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
Yesterday
(Love is all you need)
Oh
Love is all you need
Love is all you need (oh yeah)
Love is all you need
(She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
"All You Need Is Love" is a timeless classic by The Beatles, expressing the simple yet profound message that love is the most powerful force in the world. The song encourages unity and acceptance, conveying the idea that differences in language, culture, and upbringing can all be united through love.
The first verse suggests that there is nothing that cannot be accomplished through love. The line "nothin' you can say but you can learn how to play the game" may allude to the idea of life being a game that can be mastered through love. The second verse reinforces this idea by emphasizing that there is nowhere you can be that is not where you are meant to be, as love will guide us to our proper destinations.
The repetition of the phrase "love is all you need" emphasizes the importance of love in achieving true happiness and fulfillment in life. The use of the phrase "all together now" and "everybody" encourages a sense of togetherness and community, suggesting that love can bring people from all walks of life together.
Overall, "All You Need Is Love" is a hopeful ode to the power of love and has become a beloved anthem for generations.
Line by Line Meaning
Love, love, love
The song emphasizes the importance of love and spreads the message of love to the world.
There's nothin' you can do that can't be done
Anything is possible if you have love with you.
Nothin' you can sing that can't be sung
If you have love in your heart, you can express it through music.
Nothin' you can say, but you can learn how to play the game
There is no correct way to show love, but you can learn to spread love in your own way.
It's easy
Spreading love is not difficult, and it's the simplest thing to do.
Nothin' you can make that can't be made
Through love, one can create anything beautiful.
No one you can save that can't be saved
Love can heal any wound and can save any soul that is in distress.
Nothin' you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time
One can only find their true self through the power of love and with the passage of time.
All you need is love
Love is the essential requirement to make one's life beautiful.
Love is all you need
The only thing that can fulfill one's life is love.
There's nothin' you can know that isn't known
Through love, one can achieve a higher level of consciousness and understand the unknown.
Nothin' you can see that isn't shown
Through love, one can see the world in a different light and perceive things that were previously unseen.
There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be
Love always leads you to the right path and makes you feel at home wherever you are.
All you need is love (all together now)
Everyone should come together and spread love, and that's all one needs.
All you need is love (everybody)
Everyone should come together, regardless of their background or differences, and spread love.
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is the foundation of everything, and it is all that one needs to live a happy life.
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
The repetition emphasizes that love is truly all one needs.
Yee-hay (love is all you need)
An expression of joy and happiness, which can be achieved through love.
(Love is all you need)
The phrase is repeated multiple times to form a musical hook that emphasizes the message of the song.
Yesterday
A reference to another famous Beatles song to highlight that everyone has a past, but love should be the focus of the present and future.
Oh
An expression of emotion, possibly highlighting the importance of love in one's life.
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
A reference to another Beatles song, emphasizing that spreading love can inspire others and create a cycle of love.
Lyrics © Tratore, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Mother Nature's Son
A really great Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on The Night Before
A really splendid Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on P.S. I Love You
Now this is a really great Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on There's a Place
A seriously underrated Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on Do You Want to Know a Secret
A fantastic song by The Beatles.
Philip Kassabian
on When I'm Sixty-Four
A very tuneful Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
An excellent Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on I'm Looking Through You
A beautiful Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Honestly The Beatles can't stop producing good songs.
Philip Kassabian
on Michelle
A fantastic Beatles song and absolutely beautiful.