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The Beatles said it best: "Love is all you need," but they didn't write the best love song of all time.
Thousands of creatives have attempted to personify this indescribable feeling throughout history, and one master lyricist did it better than the rest. Three simple words make up the title of the greatest love song of all time in a phrase that has become synonymous with undying adoration.
According to a list compiled by TimeOut, the best love song ever written is Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," released in 1971. The timeless single speaks to listeners across the globe who've experienced the roller coaster that is love and have chosen to stick together despite its endless inevitable trials.
Other love songs on the list include "You Make My Dreams" by Hall & Oates, "Higher & Higher (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me)" by Jackie Wilson, "Thinkin Bout You" by Frank Ocean, and "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton to round out the top 5.
Here's what TimeOut had to say about the best love song of all time:
"The lyrics to the Reverend’s landmark 1971 love song, ‘Let’s Stay Together’ articulate the solemn vows of marriage: ‘Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad.’ But sung by Green, these promises are given wings. Covered multiple times since its release, Green’s gorgeous original was given a new lease on life in ’94, when Quentin Tarantino featured it in Pulp Fiction. But our favorite boost for the song has to be when it was sung by Barack Obama at a fund-raising event back in 2012."
Check out TimeOut's full list of the top 50 best love songs ever recorded.