Eleanor Rigby

The Beatles

About Eleanor Rigby

"Eleanor Rigby" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles released on their 1966 album Revolver and as a single with "Yellow Submarine". It was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song continued the transformation of the Beatles from a mainly rock and roll- and pop-oriented act to a more experimental, studio-based band. With a double string quartet arrangement by George Martin and striking lyrics about loneliness, "Eleanor Rigby" broke sharply with popular music conventions, both musically and lyrically. Richie Unterberger of AllMusic cites the band's "singing about the neglected concerns and fates of the elderly" on the song as "just one example of why the Beatles' appeal reached so far beyond the traditional rock audience". 


Year:
2000
92 
#2

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Ah look at all the lonely people
Ah look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice
In the church where a wedding has been
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window, wearing the face 
That she keeps in a jar by the door
Who is it for

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

Father McKenzie, writing the words
Of a sermon that no one will hear
No one comes near
Look at him working, darning his socks
In the night when there's nobody there
What does he care

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

Ah look at all the lonely people
Ah look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby, died in the church
And was buried along with her name
Nobody came
Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt
From his hands as he walks from the grave
No one was saved

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

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The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. They became the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed act in the history of popular music. Their best-known lineup consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, they later utilised several genres, ranging from pop ballads to psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways. In the early 1960s, their enormous popularity first emerged as "Beatlemania", but as their songwriting grew in sophistication, they came to be perceived by many fans and cultural observers as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the era's sociocultural revolutions. more »

57 fans

Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Song Creation
"Eleanor Rigby" is a song by the famous musical group "The Beatles". The song was composed primarily by Paul McCartney and produced by George Martin, but the whole band contributed to its development.
Release Date
The song was released on their 1966 album “Revolver”. The track was also released as a 45 RPM single, paired with "Yellow Submarine."
Unique Sound
"Eleanor Rigby" was different from other Beatles songs, as it did not include guitars or drums. Instead, it featured a double string quartet, a unique sound that stood out among popular music of the era.
Song Theme
The song is about loneliness and desolation, two topics not often explored in pop music in the 1960s. It tells the story of two characters, Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie, painting a picture of deep loneliness and social alienation.
Inspirations
The name Eleanor Rigby came from the combination of the name of actress Eleanor Bron, who starred in the Beatles’ movie, Help!, and a shop named Rigby & Evans Ltd, Wine & Spirit Shippers that McCartney saw.
The Grave of Eleanor Rigby
There’s a gravesite in St. Peter’s churchyard in Liverpool for an (Eleanor Rigby) who had passed away in October 1939, and is a place visited by many Beatles fans. However, McCartney maintains that he didn't know about this grave when he wrote the song.
Charts and Awards
The song reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 11 in the US. It also won Grammy Awards in 1966 for Best Contemporary (R&R) Vocal Performance and Best Vocal Performance Male, both awarded to Paul McCartney.
Recognition
The song is widely recognized as one of the greatest ever recorded, and it ranks at No. 137 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by numerous artists since its release, including Aretha Franklin, Kansas, and Ray Charles.
Used in Films
The song has also appeared in various films and shows, including the 1968 Yellow Submarine movie, and more recently, in the 2016 drama fantasy movie, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.
Monument
In 1982, a sculpture titled “Eleanor Rigby” was unveiled on Stanley Street in Liverpool. The statue by Tommy Steele is dedicated to “all the lonely people.”

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    Eleanor Rigby

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1966

    Billboard #11


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