All you need is Love
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Live performance at EMI studios on June 25 as a contribution to "One World" co-ordinated by the European Broadcasting Union. Estimated audience of 400 to 700 million people, the largest television audience up to that date. The project was conceived by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) producer Aubrey Singer. Due to the magnitude of the production, its coordination was transferred to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), with Singer as the project's head. It took ten months and ten thousand technicians, producers and performers to bring everything together. The ground rules included that no politicians or heads of state could participate in the broadcast. In addition, everything had to be live, so no use of videotape or film was permitted, all participants had to have full knowledge of what was going to be included and the sole reason for including an item would be program balance, not geographical or political concerns. As the broadcast took place at the height of the Vietnam War, the Beatles were contracted (in May) to write a song with a positive message. They topped the event with their debut performance of "All You Need Is Love". Lennon's lyrics were deliberately simplistic, to allow for the show's international audience, and captured the utopian ideals associated with the Summer of Love. They invited many of their friends to the event to create a festive atmosphere and to join in on the song's chorus. Among the friends were members of the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Marianne Faithfull, Keith Moon and Graham Nash. |