The summer of 1967 is called the “Summer of Love” and the Beatles took advantage of that by releasing an non-album song called “All You Need Is Love,” which turned out to be one of their biggest hits. It came out right after what is considered by some to be the best album ever recorded, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The song was recorded in front of a live audience at Abbey Road Studios in London. It was also televised live via satellite all over the world. It is estimated that 24 million people saw the song being recorded. If that doesn’t insure a number one song, I don’t know what will.

“All You Need Is Live” was written by John Lennon, but like all the Beatles songs, credit is given to Lennon-McCartney. The song starts with the intro to the French National Anthem “La Marseillaise.” It also contains parts of Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood” and a song by Art and Dotty Todd, “Chanson D’Amour” which was a number six song in 1956.

When the backing track was recorded, the guys played instruments that they had never played before. This shows the talent and versatility of these guys, John played the harpsichord, Paul was on a string bass, playing with a bow and George played the violin for the first time in his life. Instruments that they didn’t play normally. Ringo, of course, did what he always did, he played the drums. The session took 33 takes before they decided they had it as good as it was going to be.

For the recording and the television show, members of the orchestra were asked to wear formal attire, white dinner jackets. The Beatles wore the outfits they had become associated with the album Sgt. Pepper.

Many friends were called in to provide a background chorus for the recording. In the background are Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Keith Moon, Donovan, Graham Nash, Jane Asher, Marianne Faithfull, Patti Harrison and Gary Leeds, all friends of the Beatles.

During the week that “All You Need Is Love” was number one, their manager, Brian Epstein, died of an accidental drug overdose. John Lennon later said that he knew when Epstein died, that that was the end of the Beatles. It didn’t happen for a few more years, but it did eventually happen.

“All You Need Is Live” entered the pop charts in American on July 29, 1967 and spent one week at number one. My favorite part of the song is the very end when Paul sings, “She Loves You, ya ya ya.”