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The foundation of the Abbey Road philosophy on love two years later, that “in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make,” The Beatles‘ “All You Need is Love” broadcast on this day in 1967 was a point-blank shot at simplicity.

Commissioned by the BBC to write a song representative of the United Kingdom’s presence among 26 countries for the first ever live global television program dubbed Our World, 400 million people would see the bigger-than-jesus crew play it. And the point was for every one of those 400 million people to instantaneously get it. It was propaganda in the right hands. And might not ever be surpassed.

Blending classic Beatles turn-of-phrases – “There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done” – horn flushes, tambourine shakes, the key of G and a few bonus handclaps and yelps from Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger, among others, the sing-along peaceful affirmation wasn’t a cheesy, hippie-dippie comment on the times. But rather a genuine pop song chasing the one universal thing the human condition will forever have.

British commentator Steve Race almost ruined the vibe with his hush-Wembley tennis-isms of the “youngsters” that “get on best with symphony men.” But time has shown that no amount of straight-laced British class could ruin a chorus like so:

All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need