“All You Need Is Love” was a number one single in mid-1967, becoming the unofficial hippie anthem for the Summer of Love, that brief time that ranks among the most optimistic periods in popular music and culture. It is to the Beatles’ credit that the song endures as a pop classic today, removed from its original context.
~Richie Unterberger (allmusic.com)

We kick off our countdown of The Beatles 40 best songs with “All You Need Is Love”.

Wikipedia:

“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 over 150 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.

“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.”
~Paul McCartney

Probably written ~100% by John Lennon.

Continue reading The Beatles 40 best songs: at 40 “All You Need Is Love” →