<Tr> <Th> Producer (s) </Th> <Td> George Martin </Td> </Tr> <P> "The End" is a song by the Beatles composed by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon--McCartney) for the album Abbey Road . It was the last song recorded collectively by all four Beatles, and is the final song of the medley that constitutes the majority of side two of the album . </P> <P> McCartney said, "I wanted (the medley) to end with a little meaningful couplet, so I followed the Bard and wrote a couplet ." In his 1980 interview with Playboy, John Lennon acknowledged McCartney's authorship by saying, "That's Paul again...He had a line in it,' And in the end, the love you get is equal to the love you give,' which is a very cosmic, philosophical line . Which again proves that if he wants to, he can think ." Lennon misquoted the line; the actual words are, "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make ." </P> <P> Recording began on 23 July 1969, when the Beatles recorded a one - minute, thirty - second master take that was extended via overdubs to two minutes and five seconds . At this point, the song was called "Ending ." The first vocals for the song were added on 5 August, additional vocals and guitar overdubs were added on 7 August, and bass and drums on 8 August, the day the Abbey Road cover picture was taken . Orchestral overdubs were added 15 August, and the closing piano and accompanying vocal on 18 August . </P>

Who wrote the love you take is equal to the love you make