Turns out, this is a surprisingly tricky song. Whenever a student requests to play this song they are often surprised. The guitar chords themselves are not especially challenging, but John Lennon wrote the song with several time signature changes which will really mess you up if you don't pay close attention.
I've created this chart specifically for people who want to be able to just strum and sing the song. You may find in the books some slightly different chord symbols, but I find those would be more useful for a pianist than a guitar player. This chart is for us.
Strumming Tips
The measures where there are tricky time signature changes are indicated using slash marks "/." For example, you'll see in the first section each Em chord has three slash marks, "Em / / /" That means the chord is only given three beats. So just strum down three times on that chord.
G / / D/F# / / Em / / /
Love love love
I think the song sounds good if you just strum down on every beat, emulating the harpsichord in the original recording.
Chord Shapes
Just in case there are a few chords you are not familiar with, the D/F# is what my students call "thumb-D." That means you hold a regular D chord but stretch your thumb around to hold down the F#, second fret of the bottom string: 200232.
The walk at the end of the verses is a common way to walk down from a D chord.
D / / D/C / / D/B / / D/A /
First off, notice that the last chord has only one beat. Again, this is a Lennon's tricky time signature changes. The chords are are follows:
xx0232 x3023x x2023x x00232
Guitar Chord Chart
You can download a printable PDF of the chord chart using the link below. The chart includes the time signature indications as explained above.
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE – The Beatles
HORN INTRO, then:
G D/F# Em / / /
Love love love
G D/F# Em / / /
Love love love
D7 G D/F# / / / /
Love love love
D / / D/C / / D/B / / D/A /
VERSE:
G D/F# Em / / /
There's nothing you can do that can't be done
G D/F# Em / / /
There's nothing you can sing that can't be sung
D7 G D/F# / / / /
Nothing you can say but you can learn to play the game
D / / D/C / / D/B / / D/A /
It's easy
G D/F# Em / / /
There's nothing you can make that can't be made
G D/F# Em / / /
No one you can save that can't be saved
D7 G D/F# / / / /
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time
D / / D/C / / D/B / / D/A /
It's easy!
CHORUS:
G A7 D7
All you need is love
G A7 D7
All you need is love
G B7 Em Em7
All you need is love, love
C D7 G / /
Love is all you need
INTRO/GTR SOLO:
G D/F# Em / / /
Love love love
G D/F# Em / / /
Love love love
D7 G D/F# / / / /
Love love love
D / / D/C / / D/B / / D/A /
repeat CHORUS
VERSE 3:
G D/F# Em / / /
There's nothing you can know that isn't known
G D/F# Em / / /
Nothing you can see that isn't shown
D7 G D/F# / / / /
No where you can be that isn't where you were meant to be
D / / D/C / / D/B / / D/A /
It's easy!
> repeat CHORUS X2 <
G
Love is All you need.... etc.
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