Eleanor Rigby

Play Along: Guitar, Piano, Vocals

1. Speed 50%

2. Speed 75%

3. Speed 100%

Lyrics

1. Intro

[C] Ah look at all the lonely [Em] people!
[C] Ah look at all the lonely [Em] people!

2. Verse

[Em] Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has
[C] been, lives in a [Em] dream.
[Em] Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in the jar by the [C] door, who is it [Em] for?

3. Chorus

[Em7] All the lonely [Em6] people, where [C/E] do they all come [Em] from?
[Em7] All the lonely [Em6] people, where [C/E] do they all [Em] belong?

4. Verse

[Em] Father McKenzie, writing the words of a sermon that no one will [C] hear, no one comes [Em] near.
[Em] Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there’s nobody [C] there,
what does he [Em] care?

5. Chorus

6. Bridge (repeat Intro)

7. Verse

[Em] Eleanor Rigby, died in the church and was buried along with her [C] name, nobody [Em] came.
[Em] Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the [C] grave, no one was [Em] saved.

8. Chorus

Chords

1. C Major [C]
2. E Minor [Em]
3. E Minor 7 [Em7]
4. E Minor 6 [Em6]
5. E Over C [C/E]

Song

“All The Lonely People”

“The Beatles Eleanor Rigby” song opens with the line “Ah look at all the lonely people”. “Eleanor Rigby” then tells the story of two lonely people. The first person we meet is is a church going woman named “Eleanor Rigby” as she “picks up the rice in a church where a wedding has been.” We are then introduced to “Father McKenzie”, the pastor at the church, whose sermons “no one will hear”. In the climatic third verse “Eleanor Rigby” dies in the church and is buried by “Father McKenzie”, but “nobody came”.

“Eleanor Rigby” by “The Beatles” ends on a somber note after “Father McKenzie” buries “Eleanor Rigby” and the lyrics say “no one was saved”. This could be further indication of the pointless nature of “Father McKenzie’s” works, it could be further indication of “Eleanor Rigby’s” pointless efforts, or it could be a swipe at the Christian concept of being saved by Jesus.

Significance

“Eleanor Rigby” by “The Beatles” is a song that marked a significant transition in “The Beatles” evolution from a live pop band to an experimental studio band. “The Beatles” recorded and released “Eleanor Rigby” in 1966 on the album titled Revolver. The writing of “Eleanor Rigby” is credited to Lennon-McCartney, but Paul McCartney came up with the original concept and wrote most of the lyrics. The lyrics deal with loneliness and depression which is considerably different from any other song by “The Beatles”. Richie Unterberger of Allmusic said “singing about the neglected concerns and fates of the elderly” in “Eleanor Rigby” is “just one example of why ‘The Beatles’ appeal reached so far beyond the traditional rock audience.”

“Eleanor Rigby Meaning” can be interpreted in many different ways. Why is “Eleanor Rigby” picking up the rice in a church where a wedding has been? Why is “Father McKenzie” writing the words to a sermon that no one will hear? Why are they doing their small tasks, what is the point? Near the end of the song, the phrase “no one was saved” raises questions about the value of organized religion? In any case, “Eleanor Rigby” is a deep and moving song that raises very serious concerns about growing old. Writing a song about these deep issues and shining a spot light on “all the lonely people” is one of the reasons “The Beatles” music reached far beyond their traditional pop/rock audience. Even today, it feels like “The Beatles” lyrics in “Eleanor Rigby” are commenting on the alienation of people in our modern world.

“Eleanor Rigby” was released in 1966 just weeks after John Lennon caused an uproar when we said, “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that; I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now.” John Lennon’s comment (a publicity stunt meant to boost upcoming record sales) was the spark that lead delusional religious zealot Mark David Chapman to murder John Lennon on December 8, 1980.

Inspiration

“Eleanor Rigby” was a real person who lived in Liverpool, England. “Eleanor Rigby” was born on August 29, 1895, she married a man named Thomas Wood on Boxing Day, (December 26) 1930, and Rigby died on October 10, 1939 from a brain hemorrhage at the age of 44. Her body is laid to rest in the graveyard of St. Peter’s Parish Church in Woolton, Liverpool, England. Eleanor Rigby’s tombstone is a landmark for Beatle’s fans from around the world who visit Liverpool, England.

A tombstone with the last name “McKenzie” written across the top is also near “Eleanor Rigby’s” grave. with the last name “McKenzie”. This tombstone was probably the inspiration for “Father McKenzie” who also plays a significant role in “The Beatles Eleanor Rigby” song. After all, Paul McCartney and John Lennon spent time sunbathing in or near the St. Peter’s Parish Church Graveyard as teenagers. Paul McCartney admits these tombstones were probably the inspiration for the names used in the song. However, Paul McCartney did not consciously decide to use these names in the “The Beatles Eleanor Rigby” song. Paul McCartney said the strange coincidence is probably a product of his subconscious rather than an intensional decision.

In 1990 Paul McCartney donated a document to Sunbeams Music Trust originally signed by “E. Rigby” in 1911. On November 2008 the document was sold at auction for £115,000. The document is a salary register from Liverpool City Hospital that identifies Rigby as a scullerymaid.

In 2018 Paul McCartney told the origin story of the song “Eleanor Rigby” in an interview with GQ Magazine. McCartney said, “When I was really little I lived on what was called a housing estate, which is like the projects – there were a lot of old ladies and I enjoyed sitting around with these older ladies because they had these great stories, in this case about World War II. One in particular I used to visit and I’d go shopping for her – you know, she couldn’t get out. So I had that figure in my mind of a sort of lonely old lady. Over the years, I’ve met a couple of others, and maybe their loneliness made me empathize with them. But I thought it was a great character, so I started this song about the lonely old lady who picks up the rice in the church, who never really gets the dreams in her life. Then I added in the priest, the vicar, Father McKenzie. And so, there was just the two characters. It was like writing a short story, and it was basically on these old ladies that I had known as a kid.” Paul McCartney was also quoted in November 2008 edition of Observer Music Monthly saying, “These lonely old ladies were something I knew about growing up, and that was what ‘Eleanor Rigby’ was about – the fact that she died and nobody really noticed. I knew this went on.”

Writing

“The Beatles Eleanor Rigby” was written by Paul McCartney, “The Beatles Bassist” and John Lennon “The Beatles Rhythm Guitarist” who was murdered on December 8, 1980. John Lennon said in 1971 that he “wrote a good half of the lyrics or more” and later in 1980 claimed he wrote everything except the first verse. However, Paul McCartney said, “John helped me on a few words but I’d put it down 80-20 to me, something like that.” Pete Shotton, one of John Lennon’s childhood friends, who was there when the song was being written, remembers Lennon’s contribution being “absolutely nil”.

Paul McCartney wrote the first verse of “Eleanor Rigby” by himself while experimenting at his piano. Paul McCartney then played “Eleanor Rigby” for “The Beatles” at John Lennon’s home in Kenwood. “The Beatles” along with Pete Shotton listened to Paul McCartney’s work and then made suggestions which McCartney used to complete the song.

For example, George Harrison, “The Beatles Lead Guitarist”, came up with the hook: “Ah, look at all the lonely people.” Ringo Starr, “The Beatles Drummer” contributed “writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear” and suggested the priest “darn his socks”.

The original protagonist in “The Beatles Eleanor Rigby” was not named “Eleanor Rigby”. Paul McCartney used the name “Miss Daisy Hawkins” when he first played “Eleanor Rigby” for “The Beatles” at John Lennon’s house. Paul McCartney said he later came up with the name “Eleanor” from the actress Eleanor Born who had starred in “The Beatles” film named “Help!”.

Paul McCartney said he got the name “Rigby” from the name of a local company he saw while visiting his girlfriend at the time named Jane Asher. “I just like the name. I was looking for a name that sounded natural. ‘Eleanor Rigby’ sounded natural,” said Paul McCartney. However, Paul McCartney has conceded that the St. Peter’s Parish Church Graveyard which contains the grave of “Eleanor Rigby” probably subconsciously influenced his decision to name the song “Eleanor Rigby”. After all Paul McCartney and John Lennon met at the St. Peter’s Church in Liverpool on July 6, 1957. And they later spent several afternoons sunbathing in or near Eleanor Rigby’s grave as teenagers.

“The Beatles Eleanor Rigby” is written in E Minor and contains just a few chord changes (C, Em, Em7, Em6, C/E). “Eleanor Rigby” does not have “The Beatles” standard pop backing containing guitars, bass, and drums. In fact none on “The Beatles” played instruments on the original recording. Paul McCartney sang lead and John Lennon and George Harrison contributed vocal harmony. All of the instrumentation backing “The Beatles” vocals was done by a classical string ensemble of studio musicians. The classical string ensemble contained four violins, two violas, and two cellos all performing a score composed by “The Beatles” producer George Martin.

John Lennon said in 1980 that “Eleanor Rigby” was “Paul’s baby, and I helped with the education of the child… The violin backing was Paul’s idea. Jane Asher had turned him on to Vivaldi, and it was very good.”

Recording

“The Beatles Eleanor Rigby” was recorded in Abbey Road Studios on April 28, 1966 Studio 2. It was complete in Abbey Road Studios on April 29, 1966 Studio 3. The 15th take was selected as the master track.

Release

“Eleanor Rigby” by “The Beatles” was simultaneously release on August 5, 1966 on a double A-side single with “Yellow Submarine” and on the album titled “Revolver”. “Eleanor Rigby” spent four weeks at number one on the British Charts and reached number eleven on the American Charts. The song was nominated for 3 grammy awards in 1966 and won the grammy for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance. The song was reissued in 1999 on Yellow Submarine Soundtrack fully remixed in stereo with some minor fixes to the vocals.

Rolling Stone Magazine ranks “Eleanor Rigby” by “The Beatles” at 138 on their list of “The 500 Greatest Songs on All Time”. “Eleanor Rigby” marked an important evolution of “The Beatles” from a live-performance pop band to a more experimental studio band. “The Beatles Eleanor Rigby” was the first time a famous pop band had ever taken a song with a bleak message of depression and desolation to the number one spot on the pop charts.  Paul McCartney said, “I remember thinking to myself, What am I going to do when I’m thirty? Thirty was the big age. Will I still be in a group? I remember being round at John Dunbar’s house, having a very clear vision of myself in a herringbone jacket with leather elbow patches and a pipe, thinking Eleanor Rigby, this could be a way I could go, I could become a more serious writer, not so much a pop writer.”

Covers

“Eleanor Rigby” by “The Beatles” is not an easy song to cover because of the original arrangement for strings by George Martin, the varied rhythms, the mode changes, and the dissonant melody. However, many professional musicians have recorded their own renditions including pianist/singer Ray Charles, singer Aretha Franklin, soul band Brooker T. & the MGs, jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman, etc, etc, etc…