Born in Liverpool, Lennon became involved in the skiffle craze as a teenager. In 1956, he formed The Quarrymen, which evolved into the Beatles in 1960. Sometimes called "the smart Beatle", Lennon initially was the group's de facto leader, a role he gradually ceded to McCartney. Through his songwriting in the Beatles, he embraced myriad musical influences, initially writing and co-writing rock and pop-oriented hit songs in the band's early years, then later incorporating experimental elements into his compositions in the latter half of the Beatles' career as his songs became known for their increasing innovation. Lennon soon expanded his work into other media by participating in numerous films, including How I Won the War, and authoring In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works, both collections of nonsense writings and line drawings. Starting with "All You Need Is Love", his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement and the larger counterculture of the 1960s. In 1969, he started the Plastic Ono Band with his second wife, multimedia artist Yoko Ono, held the two-week-long anti-war demonstration Bed-ins for Peace and left the Beatles to embark on a solo career.
Between 1968 and 1972, Lennon and Ono collaborated on many works, including a trilogy of avant-garde albums, several more films, his solo debut John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and the international top-10 singles "Give Peace a Chance", "Instant Karma!", "Imagine", and "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)". Moving to New York City in 1971, his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a three-year deportation attempt by the Nixon administration. Lennon and Ono separated from 1973 to 1975, during which time he produced Harry Nilsson's album Pussy Cats. He also had chart-topping collaborations with Elton John ("Whatever Gets You thru the Night") and David Bowie ("Fame"). Following a five-year hiatus, Lennon returned to music in 1980 with the Ono collaboration Double Fantasy. He was murdered by a Beatles fan, Mark David Chapman, three weeks after the album's release.
As a performer, writer or co-writer, Lennon had 25 number-one singles in the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Double Fantasy, his best-selling album, won the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. That year, he won the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. In 2002, Lennon was voted eighth in a BBC history poll of the 100 Greatest Britons. Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth-greatest singer and 38th greatest artist of all time. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (in 1997) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice, as a member of the Beatles in 1988 and as a solo artist in 1994).
Studio albums
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)
Imagine (1971)
Some Time in New York City (with Yoko Ono, 1972)
Mind Games (1973)
Walls and Bridges (1974)
Rock 'n' Roll (1975)
Double Fantasy (with Yoko Ono, 1980)
Milk and Honey (Posthumous with Yoko Ono, 1984)
Experimental studio albums with Yoko Ono
Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins (1968)
Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions (1969)
Wedding Album (1969)
Lennon: Eleanor Rigby
John Lennon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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?
The song "Eleanor Rigby" by John Lennon is a haunting, emotional ballad that speaks to the isolation and loneliness experienced by many people in contemporary life. The song is a portrait of two tragic figures: Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie. Eleanor Rigby, as we learn, is a woman who spends her life alone, picking up rice after a wedding ceremony, living in a dream and wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door. Father McKenzie, on the other hand, also lives a solitary existence, writing sermons that no one will hear and darning his socks in the quiet of the night. Ultimately, the two characters meet in death, as Eleanor Rigby is buried with her name and no one comes to mourn her, and Father McKenzie is left to wipe the dirt from his hands as he walks away from the grave, without anyone to save.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah look at all the lonely people
Observing the multitude of people who are living in solitude.
Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice
Eleanor collects the leftovers from weddings and events held at the church.
In the church where a wedding has been
The setting where the joyous occasion of a wedding took place.
Lives in a dream
Eleanor's life is a mere illusion, lacking love and connection.
Waits at the window, wearing the face
Eleanor gazes outside while disguising her sadness, hoping someone will approach her.
That she keeps in a jar by the door
Eleanor's mask is locked away by the entry, ready to use when venturing out.
Who is it for
Questioning the point of maintaining the facade without anyone there to impress.
All the lonely people
Acknowledging the existence of many disconnected individuals.
Where do they all come from?
Wondering about the reasons behind people's isolation and detachment.
Father McKenzie, writing the words
The priest composing a sermon to no avail.
Of a sermon that no one will hear
McKenzie's words and message falling on deaf ears due to a lack of attendees.
No one comes near
Not a soul desires religious guidance, disregarding McKenzie's effort.
Look at him working, darning his socks
McKenzie's mundane evening task of mending his garments without any company.
In the night when there's nobody there
McKenzie's lonely night routine with no interaction and companionship.
What does he care
Wondering why McKenzie bothers when no one is interested in his ministry or his personal life.
Eleanor Rigby, died in the church
Eleanor passes away, alone, in the only sanctuary she has.
And was buried along with her name
Eleanor left this world with just her name as her legacy.
Nobody came
No one attended Eleanor's funeral, the final blow to her tragic and isolated life.
Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt
The priest concluding the burial ceremony, removing the soil from his hands.
From his hands as he walks from the grave
McKenzie leaves the cemetery in a defeated and desolated state.
No one was saved
No one was rescued or comforted, and both Eleanor and McKenzie are left to suffer indefinitely.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul Mccartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mikey's Morgue
There is an Eleanor Rigby buried near where Paul grew up. He noticed one day that it said Eleanor Rigby on a tombstone.
Pete Jones
But he still insists it had nothing to do with that.. Which I find very strange because the vicar at that church where Eleanor Rigbys headstone is in the graveyard was named Father McKenzie.. Paul says he chose the name Eleanor for the song after the actress Eleanor Bron who starred with him in the Beatles film Help
Mikey's Morgue
@Pete Jones That is true. And there was another story that he got the name off of a store "Rigby's." Maybe there is a Billy!? 😱🤯😁😆
AbbyNormal777
I'm surprised that Lennon gave Paul credit for the song. He usually downgrades Paul McCartney's songs like he said that Let It Be was an awful song. He was kind of jealous of Paul's ability to write the songs like Maybe I'm Amazed and Long and Winding Road. Lennon's songs were more eccentric and darker. But together they were able to create great songs.
Monkhandle
@AbbyNormal777 let it be is not the greatest
Monkhandle
@AbbyNormal777 believe it or not Paul was also jealous of John
Dr Baptiste
Paul is a genius for writing that at such a young age. There’s nothing else quite like it.
Patricia Eddy
What a voice John had.What a mind,what a heart.💜
Willd
This song Eleanor Rigby was a Cornerstone in my musical education growing up. Professional musician for 45 years
Cindy Burrell
Eleanor Rigby defied all the norms of rock music. The powerful use of the stringed instruments (no drums), the melody and the message made for a timeless masterpiece.