Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles is a song about the profound loneliness of an elderly woman, depicted as a solitary figure who lives a quiet, unnoticed life, attending church functions but ultimately experiencing isolation, with the lyrics highlighting her routine and the lack of connection in her life; it's considered a poignant portrayal of the unseen lonely people in society.
Nicely put. And I think also one of the most important parts of it is the parallel that it draws between her and Father MacKenzie. That's just even more heartbreaking. They probably belonged together, but instead, each lived lives of profound loneliness. 😢
the name "eleanor rigby" is a metaphor. the song is social commentary about the plague of isolation and loneliness that inflicts an apathetic modern society. this isolation plague was bad in 1966. but thanks to technology, cellphones and anti-social media its 1000 times worse today. just look at all the homelessness, all the misery so prevalent today. when i die no one will know or care. if i die at home it'll MONTHS before i'm discovered and NO ONE CARES!
@stevedahlberg8680 From the lyrics, it sounds like nobody really ever went to his church either, apart from the wedding. "Writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear". I think the lyric "Wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door" is just sooo deep! An incredible song. Dave.
The track was released in 1966 on their album "Revolver", considered one of the best albums of all time. The video is from their 1968 animated film "Yellow Submarine".
This is actually from back in the 60's. It is from The Beatles 1968 animated feature film "Yellow Submarine". The song is from their 1966 album Revolver. Beautiful song recorded with a string quartet, arranged by their producer George Martin.
Eleanor Rigby is actually from the Revolver album. It was included in the Yellow Submarine movie, and this clip from the movie ultimately became the official music video for the song.
As a 40 that smoked a lot of weed and listened to these songs in the dark I wish younger reactors would stop watching the videos that have nothing at all to do with the music. You do a great job and you mentioned you wished you hadn’t watched the visual… I just wanted to support you in that. You will get so much more out of the music.
Yes, Didn't the video accompany the song on the film "Yellow Submarine"? I certainly think it detracts from the record and is just a distraction as it has no real relevance. Dave.
Such a lovely song, released in 1966 on the REVOLVER album. It's kind of mind blowing that none of the members of the group played an instrument on this song, and yet, it's one of their classics! 😊
You just heard one of the greatest pop melodies of all time, for the first time! I was a toddler when this came out, so it was like it had always been there, just from being alive.
"Eleanor Rigby" is from the Beatles 1966 album "Revolver". I had this album. It has a lot of great songs on it such as "Yellow Submarine", "Taxman", "Here, There & Everywhere", "Good Day Sunshine", "Got To Get You Into My Life" etc.
A lot of young people who run into short songs don't realize that they are so short because at the time the radio would not play anything over about 3 minutes in length.
You have a lot of wise & understanding words floating around in your brain. But as you age things change. I was once comfortable being semi alone. Then you grow to love your own, then they pass in a blink. Time flies faster than eyes could ever see.
Ok, Rere. This is one of my 5 favorite songs by the Beatles. PAPERBACK WRITER, CAN'T BUY ME LOVE, TAXMAN, EIGHT DAYS A WEEK, and HELP! are the others. This song is prime Beatles. It tells a two person story that converges at the church. Ending with one in the ground and the other praying for her soul. Both are among the many of lonely people in the world. We're all made of feet of clay and some dreams. We're born alone, we die alone, we try to live in-between. And the words tell a perfect tale set against an orchestral canvas. No guitars. No drums. Just sheer perfection. Keep going and enjoy the music.
Ooh we all have our list of favorites, mine’s different but I like yours too. I just have to sneak in while you’re not looking and insert Drive My Car😄 Pure joy like 8 Days, same time period. 😉
To your question about the inspiration for the song Paul McCartney tells the story that John Lennon was in a taxi driving to a rehearsal session in Liverpool and saw a Priest conducting a funeral alone. The lightbulb went off and he sketched the initial lyrics on the back of the taxi driver’s receipt book as it was the only piece of paper they had. The context for Yellow Submarine is it’s the title of one of The Beatles movies and hit singles (“We All Live In A Yellow Submarine”).
Yellow Submarine was an animated movie (cartoon). It was quite surrealistic in which the Beatle characters lived in this fantasy world and the songs from their LP of the same name were used throughout the movie, Actually the video is from the movie.
Yellow Submarine is a song, that was later turned into a children's animated film (this video is from the film, when Elanor Rigby is played in the film)...the Beatles are the heroes of the film (and they travel in the yellow submarine to defeat the Blue Meanies haha).
It wasn't JUST a children's film. Yes kids love it, for the vibrant colored visuals and the music. But the dialogue is geared to adults, older teens that would go over a child's head. A lot of Liverpool humor and puns in the dialogue. ALL ages can enjoy it in different ways.
PS: a reason this riveted the attention of the world: no pop-rock song had ever been accompanied by ONLY orchestral strings 😮 This was a landmark in the rapid expansion of possibilities for pop music the Beatles led the world into. For another STUNNING example: check their “Tomorrow Never Knows” and “Within You Without You“
Not only were Lennon and McCartney two of the best songwriters, they were also two of the greatest singers. Here, Paul's voice is literally another intrument.
When Paul McCartney was a boy he did chores for elderly people as part of a "bob a job" program, and the stories some of them told, and seeing the isolation of people who'd outlived their loved ones and were now alone at the end of their lives eventually inspired him to write "Eleanor Rigby." There was a real Eleanor Rigby buried in a cemetery where John Lennon played as a child. Paul McCartney says he wasn't aware of that. He named her Eleanor after Eleanor Bron, the actress who'd starred in the Beatles' film Help, and chose the surname Rigby because it sounded stereotypically northern and he wanted the feel of a bleak northern town for the setting. Whether he'd seen the real Eleanor Rigby's grave in Liverpool and been subconsciously influenced by that we'll never know. Father McKenzie started out as Father McCartney, but they didn't want to use Paul's name in the song so he went through the phone book until he found another name that fit the same meter.
Two lonely people named in the song: Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie. Despite spending what would have been huge number of hours in and around the same church building and parish, they relate like ships in the night not knowing each other is there. Written by a young man of 23 or 24 in prime of life, fame, wealth, and supportive relationships, it shows extraordinary perception. Since this song, societies began to address loneliness as an issue, even one of the major issues of physical and mental health in western world
In the context of the time (song released in1966 when I was 8) Britain was still full of people traumatized and bereaved by two world wars and there was a crisis of faith in religion and religious institutions. Not so much for children like me, but certainly a background for the Beatles' generation which was the first to emerge from post war austerity. Helped by musicians like them Britain was finally bursting back into colour and optimism, but a song like this reflects on the loneliness and pain still felt by the previous generations.
Eleanor Rigby was a huge hit, long before Yellow Submarine, a wonderful and charming animated movie which included several original Beatles songs and some that had already been recorded and well-known, like this gem. I think it's the first time a song by a pop band used only a string quartet as backup, it's a Paul MCartney song and his arrangement, which is all the more amazing if you realize that Paul couldn't read or write music. With an ear like that, i guess you don't need to be able to read. And yeah, this made it to number 1, even though it was clearly not in any category of pop music that existed up utnil that time. Such was the power of the Beatles....if they had put out a song with the telephone bbok as lyrics, it would have been a hit.
songs in the 60s were short because they were made hoping to get played on AM radio, and AM radio wanted songs not much more than 3 minutes... the two songs that successfully broke that rule were Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone", and the Beatles "Hey Jude"
@godoggies1, I thought the sermon that no one will hear, signified that the church was always empty, apart from the odd Wedding, as her death was after that part in the song. I suppose the "Face that she keeps in a jar by the door", Is to signify that she puts on a "front" at times to cover the fact that she was alone and lonely. Fantastic lyrics. Really makes you think! Dave.
The band America wrote their song “Lonely People” as a response to this song and it is really worth a listen. They have many really good songs like “A Horse with No Name”, “Sister Golden Hair”, “Ventura Highway”, “Tin Man” and more.
You can definitely hear a big difference from the first Beatles song you guys reviewed to this one. I don't think any other band in history advanced musically as fast as the Beatles did.
One thing you might want to be aware of is the average length of The Beatles songs was 2-3 minutes. That's why each song is considered a nugget. I call their progression the "Get In, Get On, Get Out". They wasted no time. Some of their songs were recorded on the 1st take.
Part II 😁 The writing ⁉️ Paul and John couldn't help it! The observe and write it down and oops it becomes a hit!! Paul especially was a Hit Factory!! Some songs appeared in his sleep! Devine gift?? Can't wait for MORE! ☮️
This video, so to speak, is from the Beatles film "Yellow Submarine," so it's not really a video inasmuch as a small segment from the film. Yellow Submarine is a pretty surreal film, but it's always fun to watch.
Songs had to be short, back in the day, to fit into the AM radio programing. Therefore, most songs were short back then. Not until the early to mid 70's did groups like Yes, Led Zeppain, Pink Floyd etc. start experimenting with longer songs.
i used to go to the local library and check out this album and just lose my self in it! take it back when my time was up and check it right out again! i am a geek!
This song made me kind of sad and feeling empathy for people with maybe mental health problems and they feel as if there all alone within their head. That's what it made me think but everyone's different. Thanks a lot and I like that song.
This animation is taken straight from the 1968 motion picture. It was considered cutting edge at the time, much in the style of Peter Max, a famous pop artist of the day. The football scenes were repetitive and reveal the limitations of the time.
Much of the artwork in Yellow Submarine is inspired by the work of pop artist Peter Max. Max did some early work on the project, but did not do the actual art in the movie.
Back in the seventies in high school in the UK had to write an essay on this song puts it into prospective when you have to think of lines put on her face she keeps in a jar by the door
Great reaction, Rere! When I listened to your intro, I thought not only was this written and released before your birth, but most likely before your parents' (maybe grand parents'?) birth also. Love watching youth enjoy music I grew up with!
I agree Rere with not watching a video and just seeing the album cover (or, better yet, nothing) while listening to a song for the first time. I find 'videos' of songs to be really distracting for people listening to a song for the first few times. I think there is something magical about listening to a song and letting your mind paint the picture of what the song is about. A reactor may think that the video will explain what they are supposed to think. Nearly all videos (including this one) are silly and have little connection with the song. A lot of times I'll see reactors listening to great classic songs and getting preoccupied with some video. To me, it is why a dividing line starts after MTV where songs became less meaningful lyrically. People started turning their musical brains off and just watched the eye candy. Look what you have today that passes for music. Mindless stuff that is centered around some visual spectacle.
Yeah, I agree. The animation is really pretty amazing but to me it's really just a distraction and it doesn't really seem to have much even to do with the music. But it's creative as hell. My first encountered this song in 4th grade when I bought a Beatles single Yellow Submarine at a yard sale across the street. They had a bunch of scratched up 45 RPM singles for one penny each. But the first time I flipped it over and listened to Eleanor rigby, even though it was so scratchy, I was just transfixed instantly, this old lady that keeps a face in a jar by her door, and then all those dark and biting strings, and the hauntingly beautiful melody and harmony. Still one of my favorites today.
"Eleanor Rigby" is often thought of as revolutionary because of the string accompaniment. But it is actually revolutionary because it is sort of anti-rock and roll. Rock music is about human beings making connections with one another. Love, friendship, camaraderie, partying, having a good time, making the world a better place together. But this song is about loneliness, an absence of connection, futility, hopelessness, emptiness. "Eleanor Rigby" bears no resemblance to the musical styles that would follow, like heavy metal. But it did open the door to an exploration of subjects that rock did not previously address, but would become commonplace in the rock music of the 70's, 80's, and 90's. "Eleanor Rigby" helped rock become a much more effective platform for social commentary.
Yes, however it was also part of the Yellow Submarine soundtrack and was played in the movie with these scenes. So it became a part of the "message" of Yellow Submarine.
I’m enjoying your Beatles reactions so far. Please keep going. The best is coming. I can’t wait to see you react to Sgt Pepper’s, The White Album, Revolver, Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine, Let it Be, and lastly Abbey Road. They transformed themselves and their music from one album to the next. Consider doing The Beatles in the sequence in which the albums were released. Keep it up. I love your reactions.
Yellow Submarine is a clever adult animated flick bout the Beatles (Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band) who do battle with the repressive and nasty Blue Meanies....with lots of Beatles music. It's worth seeing.
The Beatles were a family of submariners who were really lonely because they lived in a purple, no, a greenish-yellow submarine but had no wifi, so had to do stuff like play music. I'm pretty sure they were from Peru. In fact, you sound kinda Peruvian, too. Maybe you're related?
There was a Beatle movie I saw the other day you Beatle People should know this one BIRTH OF THE BEATLES In one scene John Paul and George go walking through a graveyard and stop at one huge stone sit and drink wine what is the name on the stone RIGBY
🐑🐑🌺🐑🐑 hello. Your reaction to this historical song is very refreshing. Those of us who have been listening to the Beatles for 20 .. or 30 ....... or in my case 40 years, this song never gets old. I am so happy that you enjoyed it. Loneliness can happen even when you are around lots of people. It is a strange emotion. Really great reaction , thanks for all the Beatles songs. I am anticipating your dive into Electric Light Orchestra ( usually called E.L.O --- NOT "Eelow" .. just E ....... L ....... O ........ ) keep listening to the good stuff !
Eleanor Rigby is one of only a handful of Beatles songs where none of the Fab Four played a musical instrument. Off the top of my head I can add "She's Leaving Home" and "Good Night." That may be it. Anyone? Would love to know if there are more. Anyway, another all-time classic by The Beatles.
First (only?) Beatles tune with zero Beatles playing any instrument save their vocals... Paul wrote this song about an old woman he'd befriended according to the lore. Using a string quartet like this in a pop song was VERY unusual back then Rere!
@gregoryeatroff8608, Thanks for this. I didn't realise about the real grave. I did think however that Paul had witnessed lonely people as he was still very young when it was written, and we do tend to associate lonliness with old age. Though this isn't always the case. Didn't like the video from "Yellow Submarine" as it detracts from the theme of the song. It is a fantastic piece! Dave.
I think this is about loss and lost opportunity. Father Mckenzie and Eleanor Rigby are harboring a love that they cannot actualize. They inhabit a small realm yet the communion can never be physical. Eleanor dies. The priest has vacillated too long; hope is gone.
The year that this song was released there was a God is dead concept.This cultural development left many bereft of even God's good grace.There was also a general feeling of alienation from each other as new ideas and experiences created a counterculture totally different from the one that prevailed at that time.This song is very much a profound commentary on these new cultural developments.The lyrics,combined with their melodic arrangement,stunned not only the kids who listened to it but also intellectuals and the older generation of that time.I was 16 when it came out and was profoundly moved by it then and am still startled by it's originality.
Hey, try listening to a track called, " The Room Nobody Lives In ", by John Sebastian. I'm sure you will love it. Happy Christmas to you and those you love. I wish you rainbows.
Eleanor Rigby is actually asking from the Beatles album Revolver, which is one of their best. The Beatles got to where they had no set style. They would try about anything.
It is a new visualiser for the song. But yeah, Eleanor Rigby is a standout Beatles song because of its sadness and theme of loneliness, and being so much a classical or acoustic song. This was a McCartney track which he also sang, which only had some slight input from the other Beatles, although technically, as had been agreed years before about their songs, it was credited to Lennon & McCartney. I would again suggest going back to earlier albums, and maybe With The Beatles, as you've done Please Please Me. Then come on to this sort of stuff later, like Sgt Pepper, Yellow Submarine, The White album, etc. You really will get a better feel for their songs if you do it that way and see their progression to how they were in 1970.
When Paul was a young lad he knew some old ladies and he would do little jobs for them like do their shopping. He would sit and talk and listen to their stories. The song is influenced by them. Who knows, maybe the old girls gave him ideas that worked their way into other Paul McCartney songs. If you want to see an immediate change in the Beatles listen to I saw her standing there 1962 then listen to the White Album 1968 and Abbey Road. 1969 the Let it be album came out in 1970 but was made before Abbey road. Then think they changed music that much in just over 6 years. Thats why they are the still greatest inovators and band in the world 50 years after they split up.
As with many songs when first heard in the 1960's, it was HEARD ONLY, on AM radio, NO VIDEO. This accompanying "video" was really film, a clip from the famous Yellow Submarine cartoon movie done with Beatles Songs. The Beatles had a contract for 3 films I believe and needed to fulfill it, so United Artists agreed to to do this film. The Beatles had a cartoon show on ABC for several years of the Saturday morning type, silly little stories like all the cartoons, using their recordings and actors playing their voices. This song was from 1966, the film from 1968. The Beatles voices were not played by them in this film either, but actors. The Beatles appeared toward the end to sing a new song with some dialogue for laughs in the movie. Older and some newer Beatles songs were used in the film. It was a fun movie meant for children, which some morons turned into an LSD drug trip, which is total BS. Anyway the song without the video stands miles above on it's own merit.
The Beatles' producer (George Martin) brought in 8 string instruments for "Eleanor Rigby"... 4 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos. McCartney, who wrote the song, agreed with Martin's ideas for the musical backing.
Easy of my top 10 Beatles (Beee/olls) songs 😊 On another channel a comment was made " They are Soo overrated! All they did was write a couple pop tunes"! Ya,,, he became my mop!! HELP I AM THE WALRUS STRAWBERRY FIELDS NOWHERE MAN from this same soundtrack and that's a good start. Great Reaction Rere! Peace 🕊️☮️♾️😎🎸🤟🏼
Contrary to what you might think the visuals are from 1968. For me Sometimes a video doesn’t add much to the experience and although this is from Yellow Submarine the visual was more of a psychedelic one for entertainment value than as a real interpretation of what this amazing song is about…unless all those soccer (forgive me, I’m American) players were lonely people. Still she enjoyed the song so I guess it wasnt that bad
They could have taken it easy, rested on their laurels and coasted during the second half of their time as a group. Instead, they kept pushing themselves and the envelope to produce ever more inventive, complex and gorgeous music. When they couldn't do it any longer--and who could--they had to call it quits.
Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles is a song about the profound loneliness of an elderly woman, depicted as a solitary figure who lives a quiet, unnoticed life, attending church functions but ultimately experiencing isolation, with the lyrics highlighting her routine and the lack of connection in her life; it's considered a poignant portrayal of the unseen lonely people in society.
Well said.
Nicely put. And I think also one of the most important parts of it is the parallel that it draws between her and Father MacKenzie. That's just even more heartbreaking. They probably belonged together, but instead, each lived lives of profound loneliness. 😢
Wow. That wasn't a comment, it was a Wikipedia entry.
the name "eleanor rigby" is a metaphor. the song is social commentary about the plague of isolation and loneliness that inflicts an apathetic modern society. this isolation plague was bad in 1966. but thanks to technology, cellphones and anti-social media its 1000 times worse today. just look at all the homelessness, all the misery so prevalent today. when i die no one will know or care. if i die at home it'll MONTHS before i'm discovered and NO ONE CARES!
@stevedahlberg8680 From the lyrics, it sounds like nobody really ever went to his church either, apart from the wedding. "Writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear". I think the lyric "Wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door" is just sooo deep! An incredible song.
Dave.
The track was released in 1966 on their album "Revolver", considered one of the best albums of all time. The video is from their 1968 animated film "Yellow Submarine".
I was 12 yo when this was released. You can’t imagine how taken aback we were. No one had heard anything like it before. Stunning.
This is actually from back in the 60's. It is from The Beatles 1968 animated feature film "Yellow Submarine". The song is from their 1966 album Revolver. Beautiful song recorded with a string quartet, arranged by their producer George Martin.
Yes. The movie used a lot of music by The Beatles, but the band members didn't have much to do with the production of the movie otherwise.
@@Jeff_Lichtman Just a cameo at the end.
String octet, to be pedantic.
Strings arranged to evoke the horror film, Psycho, impending but as yet unseen danger and threat
'...It is from The Beatles 1968 animated feature film "Yellow Submarine"...' No it's not! It's from the album 'Revolver', side 1 second track!
The masterpiece of the Beatles and George Martin. Just violins and cellos and it’s still rock&roll !
Eleanor Rigby is actually from the Revolver album. It was included in the Yellow Submarine movie, and this clip from the movie ultimately became the official music video for the song.
As a 40 that smoked a lot of weed and listened to these songs in the dark I wish younger reactors would stop watching the videos that have nothing at all to do with the music. You do a great job and you mentioned you wished you hadn’t watched the visual… I just wanted to support you in that. You will get so much more out of the music.
There's only a few times with bands/artists where it's essential to watch the video with it, but this one and The Beatles never did, so not needed.
Agree, the third party video takes away from the songs imagery.
But at least this one wasn't 3rd party - it was from the film release by the Beatles.
@@brianMstars
The 3rd party videos are always terrible and only distract from the beauty.
Yes, Didn't the video accompany the song on the film "Yellow Submarine"? I certainly think it detracts from the record and is just a distraction as it has no real relevance.
Dave.
Such a lovely song, released in 1966 on the REVOLVER album. It's kind of mind blowing that none of the members of the group played an instrument on this song, and yet, it's one of their classics! 😊
You just heard one of the greatest pop melodies of all time, for the first time! I was a toddler when this came out, so it was like it had always been there, just from being alive.
From the album "revolver" the Beatles growing up. Great album
"Eleanor Rigby" is from the Beatles 1966 album "Revolver". I had this album. It has a lot of great songs on it such as "Yellow Submarine", "Taxman", "Here, There & Everywhere", "Good Day Sunshine", "Got To Get You Into My Life" etc.
A lot of young people who run into short songs don't realize that they are so short because at the time the radio would not play anything over about 3 minutes in length.
Yes it was advertising time vs length of song. Beatles helped break that rule as well.
I was born the same year this album was released. One of number my favourite Beatle tracks
You have a lot of wise & understanding words floating around in your brain. But as you age things change. I was once comfortable being semi alone. Then you grow to love your own, then they pass in a blink. Time flies faster than eyes could ever see.
Ok, Rere.
This is one of my 5 favorite songs by the Beatles.
PAPERBACK WRITER,
CAN'T BUY ME LOVE,
TAXMAN,
EIGHT DAYS A WEEK,
and HELP! are the others.
This song is prime Beatles. It tells a two person story that converges at the church. Ending with one in the ground and the other praying for her soul. Both are among the many of lonely people in the world. We're all made of feet of clay and some dreams. We're born alone, we die alone, we try to live in-between.
And the words tell a perfect tale set against an orchestral canvas. No guitars. No drums. Just sheer perfection.
Keep going and enjoy the music.
Ooh we all have our list of favorites, mine’s different but I like yours too.
I just have to sneak in while you’re not looking and insert Drive My Car😄
Pure joy like 8 Days, same time period.
😉
Stands by the window wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door. Who was it for? Magical word play.
Many Beatles songs paint such beautiful pictures with the lyrics and the music that a video disrupts that beauty. I enjoyed the reaction 👍
You really need to see the film 'Yellow Submarine' by The Beatles. It is brilliant. There is, of course, an album of the same name.
To your question about the inspiration for the song Paul McCartney tells the story that John Lennon was in a taxi driving to a rehearsal session in Liverpool and saw a Priest conducting a funeral alone. The lightbulb went off and he sketched the initial lyrics on the back of the taxi driver’s receipt book as it was the only piece of paper they had.
The context for Yellow Submarine is it’s the title of one of The Beatles movies and hit singles (“We All Live In A Yellow Submarine”).
Yellow Submarine was an animated movie (cartoon). It was quite surrealistic in which the Beatle characters lived in this fantasy world and the songs from their LP of the same name were used throughout the movie, Actually the video is from the movie.
Yellow Submarine is a song, that was later turned into a children's animated film (this video is from the film, when Elanor Rigby is played in the film)...the Beatles are the heroes of the film (and they travel in the yellow submarine to defeat the Blue Meanies haha).
It wasn't a children's film.
It wasn't JUST a children's film. Yes kids love it, for the vibrant colored visuals and the music. But the dialogue is geared to adults, older teens that would go over a child's head. A lot of Liverpool humor and puns in the dialogue. ALL ages can enjoy it in different ways.
PS: a reason this riveted the attention of the world: no pop-rock song had ever been accompanied by ONLY orchestral strings 😮
This was a landmark in the rapid expansion of possibilities for pop music the Beatles led the world into.
For another STUNNING example: check their
“Tomorrow Never Knows” and
“Within You Without You“
From the Revolver album, 1966.
The (British) LP is nothing less than a masterpiece.
Not only were Lennon and McCartney two of the best songwriters, they were also two of the greatest singers. Here, Paul's voice is literally another intrument.
When Paul McCartney was a boy he did chores for elderly people as part of a "bob a job" program, and the stories some of them told, and seeing the isolation of people who'd outlived their loved ones and were now alone at the end of their lives eventually inspired him to write "Eleanor Rigby."
There was a real Eleanor Rigby buried in a cemetery where John Lennon played as a child. Paul McCartney says he wasn't aware of that. He named her Eleanor after Eleanor Bron, the actress who'd starred in the Beatles' film Help, and chose the surname Rigby because it sounded stereotypically northern and he wanted the feel of a bleak northern town for the setting. Whether he'd seen the real Eleanor Rigby's grave in Liverpool and been subconsciously influenced by that we'll never know.
Father McKenzie started out as Father McCartney, but they didn't want to use Paul's name in the song so he went through the phone book until he found another name that fit the same meter.
Two lonely people named in the song: Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie. Despite spending what would have been huge number of hours in and around the same church building and parish, they relate like ships in the night not knowing each other is there. Written by a young man of 23 or 24 in prime of life, fame, wealth, and supportive relationships, it shows extraordinary perception. Since this song, societies began to address loneliness as an issue, even one of the major issues of physical and mental health in western world
Paul McCartney was twenty four when he wrote this. Twenty four.
Yes, amazing. And a year earlier, as a 23 year old, "Yesterday." Incredible.
@mnamhie Yeah, spot on. Don't forget he also wrote 'When I'm Sixty Four' at fifteen. Crazy, isn't it?
@@stueyday Yes! LEGEND.
@mnamhie I'm off to see him live next month. Can't wait. 😊
@ you lucky bastard! Have a great time, bud!! 😎
I really recommend starting from the beginning and move in chronological order when it comes to the Beatles. You will be amazed.
In the context of the time (song released in1966 when I was 8) Britain was still full of people traumatized and bereaved by two world wars and there was a crisis of faith in religion and religious institutions. Not so much for children like me, but certainly a background for the Beatles' generation which was the first to emerge from post war austerity. Helped by musicians like them Britain was finally bursting back into colour and optimism, but a song like this reflects on the loneliness and pain still felt by the previous generations.
Nice Beatles song. "Yellow Submarine is a wicked cool Beatles tune and film by the same name. Thanks for this glance back at better days.
The string parts overiapping and intertwining with each other are awesome
love this song its the best song ever written by the beatles 💜
Eleanor Rigby was a huge hit, long before Yellow Submarine, a wonderful and charming animated movie which included several original Beatles songs and some that had already been recorded and well-known, like this gem. I think it's the first time a song by a pop band used only a string quartet as backup, it's a Paul MCartney song and his arrangement, which is all the more amazing if you realize that Paul couldn't read or write music.
With an ear like that, i guess you don't need to be able to read.
And yeah, this made it to number 1, even though it was clearly not in any category of pop music that existed up utnil that time. Such was the power of the Beatles....if they had put out a song with the telephone bbok as lyrics, it would have been a hit.
songs in the 60s were short because they were made hoping to get played on AM radio, and AM radio wanted songs not much more than 3 minutes... the two songs that successfully broke that rule were Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone", and the Beatles "Hey Jude"
The song is actually from the revolver album but it was used on the yellow submarine animated film
Rere's perfect face with a perfect song! Great combination!! 🥰
I guess Father Mckenzie's sermon that noone would hear was for Elanor Rigby as he knew noone would attend her funeral......Brilliant writing!!
@godoggies1, I thought the sermon that no one will hear, signified that the church was always empty, apart from the odd Wedding, as her death was after that part in the song. I suppose the "Face that she keeps in a jar by the door", Is to signify that she puts on a "front" at times to cover the fact that she was alone and lonely. Fantastic lyrics. Really makes you think!
Dave.
Forget the videos, just close your eyes, and listen to the music. Your mind will create its own video.😊
Sooo many great Beatles songs, A Day in the Life, Let it Be, Get Back, In My Life, Here Comes the Sun....
You might want to listen to the Beatles' album Revolver, from which this song was taken. Every song is genius!
Its a submarine and it's yellow!
The band America wrote their song “Lonely People” as a response to this song and it is really worth a listen. They have many really good songs like “A Horse with No Name”, “Sister Golden Hair”, “Ventura Highway”, “Tin Man” and more.
You can definitely hear a big difference from the first Beatles song you guys reviewed to this one. I don't think any other band in history advanced musically as fast as the Beatles did.
Some Beatles recommendations...
A day in the life
In my life
While my guitar gently weeps
Don't let me down
The video is taken from the animated movie Yellow Submarine 1968 but the song is from 1966
One thing you might want to be aware of is the average length of The Beatles songs was 2-3 minutes. That's why each song is considered a nugget. I call their progression the "Get In, Get On, Get Out". They wasted no time. Some of their songs were recorded on the 1st take.
It's estimated that 105 million elderly people worldwide will spend Christmas alone.
Part II 😁 The writing ⁉️ Paul and John couldn't help it! The observe and write it down and oops it becomes a hit!! Paul especially was a Hit Factory!! Some songs appeared in his sleep! Devine gift?? Can't wait for MORE! ☮️
I think you would like Lady Madonna. I don’t recall which Beatles album it’s on.
One of many truly great compositions by THE BEATLES.
This video, so to speak, is from the Beatles film "Yellow Submarine," so it's not really a video inasmuch as a small segment from the film.
Yellow Submarine is a pretty surreal film, but it's always fun to watch.
Songs had to be short, back in the day, to fit into the AM radio programing. Therefore, most songs were short back then. Not until the early to mid 70's did groups like Yes, Led Zeppain, Pink Floyd etc. start experimenting with longer songs.
i used to go to the local library and check out this album and just lose my self in it! take it back when my time was up and check it right out again! i am a geek!
This song made me kind of sad and feeling empathy for people with maybe mental health problems and they feel as if there all alone within their head. That's what it made me think but everyone's different. Thanks a lot and I like that song.
This animation is taken straight from the 1968 motion picture. It was considered cutting edge at the time, much in the style of Peter Max, a famous pop artist of the day. The football scenes were repetitive and reveal the limitations of the time.
But at the same time they used that "limitation" as a metronome to exhibit the pace of the song.
Incredible Beatles song written by Paul McCartney ❤❤
You should work with a radio station. your voice would be perfect for that.
The animation is from their 'Yellow Submarine' movie.
Much of the artwork in Yellow Submarine is inspired by the work of pop artist Peter Max. Max did some early work on the project, but did not do the actual art in the movie.
Back in the seventies in high school in the UK had to write an essay on this song puts it into prospective when you have to think of lines put on her face she keeps in a jar by the door
Great reaction, Rere! When I listened to your intro, I thought not only was this written and released before your birth, but most likely before your parents' (maybe grand parents'?) birth also. Love watching youth enjoy music I grew up with!
I agree Rere with not watching a video and just seeing the album cover (or, better yet, nothing) while listening to a song for the first time. I find 'videos' of songs to be really distracting for people listening to a song for the first few times. I think there is something magical about listening to a song and letting your mind paint the picture of what the song is about. A reactor may think that the video will explain what they are supposed to think. Nearly all videos (including this one) are silly and have little connection with the song. A lot of times I'll see reactors listening to great classic songs and getting preoccupied with some video. To me, it is why a dividing line starts after MTV where songs became less meaningful lyrically. People started turning their musical brains off and just watched the eye candy. Look what you have today that passes for music. Mindless stuff that is centered around some visual spectacle.
This video is from The Beatles' 1968 film "Yellow Submarine".
Yeah, I agree. The animation is really pretty amazing but to me it's really just a distraction and it doesn't really seem to have much even to do with the music. But it's creative as hell.
My first encountered this song in 4th grade when I bought a Beatles single Yellow Submarine at a yard sale across the street. They had a bunch of scratched up 45 RPM singles for one penny each. But the first time I flipped it over and listened to Eleanor rigby, even though it was so scratchy, I was just transfixed instantly, this old lady that keeps a face in a jar by her door, and then all those dark and biting strings, and the hauntingly beautiful melody and harmony. Still one of my favorites today.
"Eleanor Rigby" is often thought of as revolutionary because of the string accompaniment. But it is actually revolutionary because it is sort of anti-rock and roll. Rock music is about human beings making connections with one another. Love, friendship, camaraderie, partying, having a good time, making the world a better place together. But this song is about loneliness, an absence of connection, futility, hopelessness, emptiness. "Eleanor Rigby" bears no resemblance to the musical styles that would follow, like heavy metal. But it did open the door to an exploration of subjects that rock did not previously address, but would become commonplace in the rock music of the 70's, 80's, and 90's. "Eleanor Rigby" helped rock become a much more effective platform for social commentary.
Oddly, this track is from the album Revolver! That came out in 1966. Yellow Submarine (the movie) came out in 1968. So, no Yellow Subs for Eleanor.
Yes, however it was also part of the Yellow Submarine soundtrack and was played in the movie with these scenes. So it became a part of the "message" of Yellow Submarine.
I’m enjoying your Beatles reactions so far. Please keep going. The best is coming. I can’t wait to see you react to Sgt Pepper’s, The White Album, Revolver, Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine, Let it Be, and lastly Abbey Road. They transformed themselves and their music from one album to the next.
Consider doing The Beatles in the sequence in which the albums were released.
Keep it up. I love your reactions.
Yellow Submarine is a clever adult animated flick bout the Beatles (Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band) who do battle with the repressive and nasty Blue Meanies....with lots of Beatles music. It's worth seeing.
The Beatles were a family of submariners who were really lonely because they lived in a purple, no, a greenish-yellow submarine but had no wifi, so had to do stuff like play music. I'm pretty sure they were from Peru. In fact, you sound kinda Peruvian, too. Maybe you're related?
There was a Beatle movie I saw the other day you Beatle People should know this one BIRTH OF THE BEATLES In one scene John Paul and George go walking through a graveyard and stop at one huge stone sit and drink wine what is the name on the stone RIGBY
This is in my top 5 Beatle songs.
Just wait until you here "Let It Be" by The Beatles. You will be singing that song all day long!
🐑🐑🌺🐑🐑 hello. Your reaction to this historical song is very refreshing. Those of us who have been listening to the Beatles for 20 .. or 30 ....... or in my case 40 years, this song never gets old. I am so happy that you enjoyed it. Loneliness can happen even when you are around lots of people. It is a strange emotion. Really great reaction , thanks for all the Beatles songs. I am anticipating your dive into Electric Light Orchestra ( usually called E.L.O --- NOT "Eelow" .. just E ....... L ....... O ........ ) keep listening to the good stuff !
Eleanor Rigby is one of only a handful of Beatles songs where none of the Fab Four played a musical instrument. Off the top of my head I can add "She's Leaving Home" and "Good Night." That may be it. Anyone? Would love to know if there are more. Anyway, another all-time classic by The Beatles.
First (only?) Beatles tune with zero Beatles playing any instrument save their vocals... Paul wrote this song about an old woman he'd befriended according to the lore.
Using a string quartet like this in a pop song was VERY unusual back then Rere!
The video distracts from a beautiful song.
I agree.
Love it myself…
I couldn’t agree more 👍
Agree, people in the video era seem to react more to that than the nuances of the song. I prefer closing my eyes and letting my imagination go wild.
@gregoryeatroff8608, Thanks for this. I didn't realise about the real grave. I did think however that Paul had witnessed lonely people as he was still very young when it was written, and we do tend to associate lonliness with old age. Though this isn't always the case. Didn't like the video from "Yellow Submarine" as it detracts from the theme of the song. It is a fantastic piece!
Dave.
You may have done it already but react to "She's Leaving Home" which is a brilliant song!!!
beautiful reaction and thoughts about the theme, Rere 💖
A song I bet you'd vibe to is "Bad Company" by the band also named Bad Company.
I think this is about loss and lost opportunity. Father Mckenzie and Eleanor Rigby are harboring a love that they cannot actualize. They inhabit a small realm yet the communion can never be physical. Eleanor dies. The priest has vacillated too long; hope is gone.
A SUBMARINE IS A BOAT THAT FLOWS BENEATH THE OCEAN FLOOR! WITH A PERISCOPE!
(HER)
WHATS A PERISCOPE?
(ME)
IDK I DIDNT MAJOR IN "AQUATIC SCIENCE"!
James Paul is a genius.
The year that this song was released there was a God is dead concept.This cultural development left many bereft of even God's good grace.There was also a general feeling of alienation from each other as new ideas and experiences created a counterculture totally different from the one that prevailed at that time.This song is very much a profound commentary on these new cultural developments.The lyrics,combined with their melodic arrangement,stunned not only the kids who listened to it but also intellectuals and the older generation of that time.I was 16 when it came out and was profoundly moved by it then and am still startled by it's originality.
Hey, try listening to a track called, " The Room Nobody Lives In ", by John Sebastian.
I'm sure you will love it.
Happy Christmas to you and those you love.
I wish you rainbows.
Eleanor Rigby is actually asking from the Beatles album Revolver, which is one of their best. The Beatles got to where they had no set style. They would try about anything.
Songs were short😂 Paul met those old maids in his youth. Brite lost like 500k men in ww2
It is a new visualiser for the song. But yeah, Eleanor Rigby is a standout Beatles song because of its sadness and theme of loneliness, and being so much a classical or acoustic song. This was a McCartney track which he also sang, which only had some slight input from the other Beatles, although technically, as had been agreed years before about their songs, it was credited to Lennon & McCartney.
I would again suggest going back to earlier albums, and maybe With The Beatles, as you've done Please Please Me. Then come on to this sort of stuff later, like Sgt Pepper, Yellow Submarine, The White album, etc. You really will get a better feel for their songs if you do it that way and see their progression to how they were in 1970.
When Paul was a young lad he knew some old ladies and he would do little jobs for them like do their shopping. He would sit and talk and listen to their stories. The song is influenced by them.
Who knows, maybe the old girls gave him ideas that worked their way into other Paul McCartney songs.
If you want to see an immediate change in the Beatles listen to I saw her standing there 1962 then listen to the White Album 1968 and Abbey Road. 1969 the Let it be album came out in 1970 but was made before Abbey road.
Then think they changed music that much in just over 6 years. Thats why they are the still greatest inovators and band in the world 50 years after they split up.
Yes. Definitely listen to it again *without* the distracting, irrelevant video.
Nice thoughts.
Well said✌️🙂
As with many songs when first heard in the 1960's, it was HEARD ONLY, on AM radio, NO VIDEO. This accompanying "video" was really film, a clip from the famous Yellow Submarine cartoon movie done with Beatles Songs. The Beatles had a contract for 3 films I believe and needed to fulfill it, so United Artists agreed to to do this film. The Beatles had a cartoon show on ABC for several years of the Saturday morning type, silly little stories like all the cartoons, using their recordings and actors playing their voices. This song was from 1966, the film from 1968. The Beatles voices were not played by them in this film either, but actors. The Beatles appeared toward the end to sing a new song with some dialogue for laughs in the movie. Older and some newer Beatles songs were used in the film. It was a fun movie meant for children, which some morons turned into an LSD drug trip, which is total BS. Anyway the song without the video stands miles above on it's own merit.
In the town where I was born
The Beatles recorded this in coordination with the London Symphony Orchestra. Great musicians, not just "pop stars".
The Beatles' producer (George Martin) brought in 8 string instruments for "Eleanor Rigby"... 4 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos. McCartney, who wrote the song, agreed with Martin's ideas for the musical backing.
Easy of my top 10 Beatles (Beee/olls) songs 😊 On another channel a comment was made " They are Soo overrated! All they did was write a couple pop tunes"! Ya,,, he became my mop!!
HELP
I AM THE WALRUS
STRAWBERRY FIELDS
NOWHERE MAN from this same soundtrack and that's a good start. Great Reaction Rere! Peace 🕊️☮️♾️😎🎸🤟🏼
Contrary to what you might think the visuals are from 1968.
For me Sometimes a video doesn’t add much to the experience and although this is from Yellow Submarine the visual was more of a psychedelic one for entertainment value than as a real interpretation of what this amazing song is about…unless all those soccer (forgive me, I’m American) players were lonely people. Still she enjoyed the song so I guess it wasnt that bad
The visual was made in the 60s
The Beatles did videos and films throughout their career... maybe something else they invented
They could have taken it easy, rested on their laurels and coasted during the second half of their time as a group. Instead, they kept pushing themselves and the envelope to produce ever more inventive, complex and gorgeous music. When they couldn't do it any longer--and who could--they had to call it quits.
Eleanor Rigby died 10/10/1939 aged 44
Yep. Very old video from the 60s. The Beatles pretty much invented videos for song releases.