Eleanor Rigby
David Cook Lyrics


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(by The Beatles)

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?

Overall Meaning

David Cook's version of "Eleanor Rigby" is a soulful cover of The Beatles’ original 1966 classic. The song tells the story of two lonely individuals, both unconnected and unknown to each other. The first verse describes Eleanor Rigby picking up rice after a wedding. She lives in a dream state, waiting at the window for someone that never comes. She wears a mask of makeup, concealing her true self. The second verse is about Father McKenzie, who is writing a sermon that no one will hear. He works hard and mends his socks despite a life of solitude. Both are searching for connection, but their loneliness is palpable. The final verse is about Eleanor's death and her lonely funeral. Father McKenzie is by her side, but he is unable to save her or himself.


The lyrics of "Eleanor Rigby" are haunting and sad, but also reflective. The song is telling a broader story about loneliness in society. It raises the question of how many other people are out there, facing the same struggles as Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie, and how many of them pass us by unnoticed.


Line by Line Meaning

Ah, look at all the lonely people
The singer is observing people who feel alone and disconnected from others.


Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been
Eleanor Rigby is a lonely person who spends her time doing menial tasks in a place where others come to celebrate love.


Lives in a dream
Eleanor Rigby is not active in her own life; she is going through the motions without any sense of purpose or fulfillment.


Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door
Eleanor Rigby puts on a facade for others, but her true emotions are kept locked up inside.


Who is it for?
Eleanor Rigby is questioning the point of her actions and whether they are truly benefiting anyone.


All the lonely people
The singer is addressing a group of people who feel disconnected and isolated from others.


Where do they all come from ?
The singer wonders where these lonely people come from and what has led them to this point in their lives.


Father McKenzie writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear
Father McKenzie is a marginalized figure who continues to do his job despite the fact that no one is listening or paying attention.


No one comes near
Despite his efforts, Father McKenzie is unable to connect with others or draw them to him.


Look at him working. Darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there
Father McKenzie's day-to-day life revolves around mundane, solitary tasks - such as mending his socks - that are not appreciated by anyone else.


What does he care?
Father McKenzie is resigned to his solitude and does not see the point in trying to change things.


Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name
Eleanor Rigby's life ended in much the same way as it was lived - alone and disconnected from the people around her.


Nobody came
Eleanor Rigby died without anyone to mourn or honor her passing.


Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave
Father McKenzie carries out the duty of burying Eleanor Rigby, but he does so without any personal connection to her or the ceremony itself.


No one was saved
This line emphasizes the futility and isolation of these characters' lives; there is no hope or redemption for them in the end.




Contributed by Emily W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Andrew P

I went to the same high school as him and when he won, he came back and did a private concert for us. It was incredible. He did Van Halen's Hot For Teacher and he absolutely killed it!

A.L. Newman

That sounds awesome

Andrew Jackwaai27

He seems humble

Kara Brodsky

Ooo man that is so awesome. Ha, Hot for teacher, love it.

Brianna Huber

Okay, so looking at the comments, I'm apparently in a minority, but I loved this cover. After all these years, the two AI performances from David that have stuck with me are "Billie Jean" and "Eleanor Rigby." I prefer listening to the studio version of ER for the audio, but performance-wise, I love David's energy here and how stoked he seems. He's a cutie. :) And OMG, watching this now in 2015, he looks like a baby in the opening clip here! He was only one year older than I am now! He's continued to get more polished as he's gotten older and I love his versatility with his voice. He can pretty much do anything with it.

Daniel K

Agree

Andie Bunker

+Brianna Huber I am a huge Beatles fan and I like this cover way better than the original. I actually think David is one of the most underrated winners from American Idol

lejoe48

+Andie Bunker ..Beatles fan???...You are being satiric..Eleanor Rigby is a psych pop masterpiece. This cover is reactionary.

ZilchFan66

+Andie Bunker You are so right. He is so much better than Carrie Underwood (American Idol's golden girl).

Lisa Morandi

Brianna Huber I loved it too. He was so awesome on idol.

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