Contents
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Lyrics
Eleanor Rigby
Lennon/McCartney
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?
Interpretation
The theme of this song is certainly
not subtle: it's about lonely people. But stating it thus doesn't
do justice to what the Beatles were really saying. A closer inspection
reveals that this song examines why the lonely people are lonely.
The song has two characters, Eleanor
Rigby and Father McKenzie. These two are connected by the church,
in this case the actual church that Father McKenzie preaches at and Eleanor
Rigby cleans. She is -- and this is not apparent immediately -- a
custodian in this church. How do we know that she's the custodian?
Well, she picks up rice after weddings...that's a clue. And she died
in the church...that's another clue.
At this point, it's good to ask students,
if Eleanor Rigby is a custodian, why did the Beatles choose the post-wedding
cleanup as the one image showing this? Students usually will quickly
come to realize that this image reflects the "dream" she lives in: she
wants to marry.
Here's where I tell my classes, artists
never choose details indiscriminately. Every description is a clue,
a symbol, a piece of the jigsaw puzzle. That is, often, the difference
between good art and mediocre art. Mediocre artists often cannot
tell you why they chose this detail or that shade of coloring; it just
felt right. Great artists know why they do what they do.
Back to the song. Eleanor's dream
is further developed in the strange line "wearing a face that she keeps
in a jar by the door." This is a great line to have students puzzle
over. Eventually, with a little nudging, they'll see that this face
is probably the face that she puts on to look beautiful, the jar being
the makeup jar from which the face comes. She waits each night by
her door, waiting for a caller, all prettied up with no one to notice.
When students see this, they really have pity for this woman.
Meanwhile, there is another pitiful
character: Father McKenzie. Though he has a higher station
in life than Eleanor Rigby (priest versus custodian), he is no more successful.
No one listens to his sermons; no one is saved by his words. And
here's something interesting: he is doing what then would be thought of
as women's work (darning his socks) while she does what men usually did
in the 1960s. It might seem that both these two should get together
but this is impossible. The church, in fact, makes it impossible
for priests cannot marry.
Having considered this much of the
song, it's appropriate to ask students: who is responsible for all the
loneliness. It is, as the chorus shows, a question the Beatles ask
("Where do they all come from?"). The quick and easy answer is that
it's no one's fault, it's just a sad reality. But there are some
troubling questions. Why doesn't Father McKenzie at least befriend
Eleanor? Shouldn't the shepherd of a church see that he has a dreaming,
lonely woman sitting back there, wedding after wedding? Doesn't he
know this woman? And at her funeral, it seems the only thing he's
concerned about is his unsuccessful sermon. "Wiping the dirt from
his hands" even seems to suggest he's washing his hands of responsibility
to this lonely woman.
With these things in mind a spirited
discussion usually develops over who is responsible for living a lonely
life. Perhaps it's the lonely people themselves. Perhaps it's
institutions such as the church. Perhaps it's the inconsiderateness
of others.
What is meant by the line "Eleanor
Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name"? This
has a twofold answer: that she is childless and friendless.
It's hard for me to tell if Lennon
and McCartney are issuing an indictment of religion in this song, but it
seems to lurk beneath the surface. One thing is certain: this seemingly
simple and beautiful song is a work of poetic art. I assure you,
your students will agree with that assessment.
Poetic devices
Repetition is a powerful device in
this poem. The word "lonely" appears 10 times in this short song.
The use of the rhetorical question is also used strongly. It suggests
that the Beatles don't have all the answers, just the observations of loneliness.
This song shows assonance to a nice
effect. The sustained "Ah" sound softens the tone, creates a tragic
effect.
Imagery is this song's strong suit
as well. Picking up rice, darning socks, wiping one's hands: these
are clear and powerful images.
"Wearing the face that she keeps in
a jar by the door" is a striking metaphor for a cosmetically-dressed up
face. "Lives in a dream" is another metaphor.
Consonance of the "L" sound is echoed
in the line "Ah, Look at aLL the LoneLy peopLe." Perhaps this is
unintentional, but it's there nonetheless.
Musical impact
This song is one where a good discussion
about the importance of musical devices is in order. Anyone can hear
the importance of the strings, both the violins and the cellos. Played
with electric guitars, this song would have been a cartoon.
The use of harmony on the chorus is
particularly striking. It's like a sad cry, a lamentation almost.
Then counterbalancing that is the solo voice in the verses. This
is clear singing, easy to hear the words and see the images.
It's interesting to point out to students
that this song has an end, a note of finality. Many rock songs just
do fade outs. By having a definite end, we are brought to a conclusion
just as Eleanor Rigby's life is terminated. The last words spoken
are a question.
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