The Beatles, Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton were right!

On June 25th, the Beatles took part in the first world-wide television simulcast. It was to be a 125-minute program broadcast to 26 countries with contributions from Europe, Scandinavia, North America, Central America, North Africa, Japan and Australia. They were asked to write a song that would be understood by viewers of all nationalities. John Lennon composed a song that perfectly captured the aspirations of young people around the world in the summer of 1967. Youth were upset about the Vietnam war and protested peacefully. The message and the song: "All You Need is Love." The Beatles part of the program featured the rhythm tracks that had been laid down on June 14th in the studio and the live part was mixed in as it aired. It was a festive atmosphere in Abbey Road's Studio One where the Beatles performed their part augmented by Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Keith Moon and Marianne Faithful waving placards and holding balloons while joining in on the chorus. "All You Need is Love" was released as a single on July 7th and it became the national anthem of the summer of love. Paul McCartney said, "We had been told that we'd be seen recording it by the whole world at the same time. So we had one message for the world: Love. We need more love in the world."

50 years later as we celebrate the golden anniversary of the summer of love, we find ourselves in the same situation. We are in the midst of a love drought. It isn't extinct. It's just been driven into hiding.

Politics are mean spirited. Religion has become mean spirited and intolerant. Fear is everywhere.

The antidote to hatred is love. As Marvin Gaye so prophetically sang in "What's Goin' On?, "Only Love can conquer hate."

This week's podcast (Episode 35) is the most fun I've had so far (and I've had lots of fun so far) and at the same time, the most important. Music for me is what I am most passionate about. So is love, so I combine music, a celebration of summer (my favorite season), AND a celebration of the Summer of Love, hoping to ignite that flickering flame in as many people as I can hoping that they will be proud to admit love is the answer. At the same time, I hope to spread the joy far and wide.

Please listen to this podcast. If it has the effect on you I am hoping it will, tell as many people as you can to listen. We all might be able to turn the tide of hatred one person at a time. If we don't try, then who will?

I mean, could the Beatles, Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Keith Moon and Marianne Faithful been so wrong? I don't think so.

Love, Dan-o