"'Studio 99' are a collective of highly talented and often famous session players and singers. It is not unusual for performers recorded on these albums to appear on major hits as backing musicians, singers or producers. To bring you these high quality, low price tribute albums, the names of the famous and infamous are withheld. We thank all of those who have given their time and talent to these albums and trust you will enjoy their interpretation of the world's best sellers."
- from Led Zeppelin tribute album
Eleanour Rigby
Studio 99 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
Who is it for?
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 (Ah, look at all the lonely people)
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people (Ah, look at all the lonely people)
Where do they all belong?
The song "Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles is a haunting portrait of loneliness and isolation in modern society. The two opening verses set the scene, describing the titular character as a woman who goes about her mundane life, picking up rice after a wedding ceremony and waiting alone in her home, behind a mask that she keeps by the door. The lyrics ask, "Who is it for?" indicating that the mask is used to hide her true self from the world outside. This image is juxtaposed with the description of Father McKenzie, who is equally isolated, spending his nights darning his socks in solitude, and writing a sermon that no one will hear. The song builds with the repetition of the chorus, "All the lonely people, where do they all come from?" and ending on the chilling image of Eleanor Rigby, dying alone and being buried without anyone coming to mourn her.
The song is a powerful commentary on the alienation and disconnection that can come from living in a modern, urban society. The Beatles were known for their socially conscious lyrics, and this song is a prime example of their ability to capture the loneliness and despair of the disenfranchised. The use of a string quartet in the arrangement adds to the haunting tone of the song and underscores the emotional impact of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah, look at all the lonely people
Observing the unfortunate reality of loneliness in society
Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been
Eleanor Rigby, a lonely person, cleans up after a celebration of love
Lives in a dream
Escaping the loneliness of reality through imagination
Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door
Putting on a fake persona to conceal her loneliness and anxiously waiting for someone to come
Who is it for?
Questioning the point of maintaining a facade of happiness when there is no one to share it with
All the lonely people
Highlighting the prevalence of loneliness
Where do they all come from?
Curiosity about the origins and causes of loneliness in individuals
Father McKenzie writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear
A priest, also burdened with loneliness, feels useless preaching to an empty audience
No one comes near
The isolation of both Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie
Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there
Father McKenzie fills his time with mundane tasks, trying to fill the void of loneliness
What does he care?
Questioning whether Father McKenzie's efforts are in vain, as no one is there to appreciate them
Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name
Eleanor Rigby's life ended in the same place where she spent much of it, with no meaningful connection
Nobody came
No one attended her funeral, underscoring her loneliness
Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave
Father McKenzie completes his duty of burying Eleanor Rigby, but still feels helpless in the struggle against loneliness
No one was saved
The tragic ending for both Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie, who were unable to reach each other or anyone else in their loneliness
Contributed by Nathaniel C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.