As a teen, Tété drew his musical inspiration from the pop and rock music of the day. Using the guitar given him by his mother, he assembled small bands with friends and began experimenting with songwriting, composing mainly in English.
In 1998 Tété moved to Paris, playing cafés and busking before forming a successful trio with drummer Alberto Malo and bassist Evy Moon. Thanks to luck and a unique sound the young men were quickly signed to Sony/Epic, releasing their debut record, L'Air de Rien, in 2001.
While working on the record, Tété maintained a busy performing schedule as a solo artist, building a healthy-sized fan base via small Paris clubs and cafés. His polished, infectious live presence was captured on 2003's Par Monts et Vallons, which featured recordings from three different live shows.
A year later Tété's second studio production hit the airwaves with a series of well-liked singles. A la Favuer de l'Automne generated radio hits such as "Emma Stanton" and the title track, "A la Faveur de l'Automne."
Large venue performances and international touring the following summer brought Tété from the underground scene to the mainstream market. His 2006 release Le Sacre des Lemmings et Autres Contes de la Lisiere addressed an array of social themes, his first overtly political project.
Albums to date:
2001 L' Air de Rien
2003 Par Monts et Vallons (Live)
2004 A la Faveur de l'Automne
2004 L' Air de Rien/Par Monts et Vallons
2006 Le Sacre des Lemmings
2007 A La Faveur de l'Automne/Le Sacre des Lemmings
Eleanor Rigby
Tété Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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?
Tété’s song “Eleanor Rigby” is a mesmerizingly powerful and heart wrenching song that takes a deep dive into the concept of loneliness and the impact it has on people. In the song, Eleanor Rigby is depicted as a person who picks up rice in the church and lives in a dream, waiting by the window, wearing a face she “keeps in a jar by the door”. The singer asks who the face is for, while also questioning the audience about where all the lonely people come from and where they belong.
The song also talks about Father McKenzie who writes sermons that nobody listens to and darns his socks alone at night, knowing there’s nobody there. The song evokes a strong sense of emptiness and sadness, while also posing questions about the purpose of it all. Eleanor Rigby ultimately dies in the church, alone, and is buried with her name, with nobody attending her funeral. Father McKenzie wipes the dirt from his hands as he walks out from her grave, leaving nobody saved behind.
Overall, “Eleanor Rigby” is a well-written and thought-provoking song that underscores the fragility of human existence and the importance of love, relationships and connections. The song speaks to the universal theme of loneliness and highlights the need for people to come together, connect and support one another in times of need.
Line by Line Meaning
Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church
Eleanor Rigby is cleaning up after a wedding in the church
Where a wedding has been
The church just hosted a wedding
Lives in a dream
Eleanor Rigby leads a sad and unfulfilling life
Waits at the window, wearing the face That she keeps in a jar by the door
Eleanor Rigby waits at the window, hiding her true self from the world
Who is it for?
She wonders who she lives for
All the lonely people Where do they all come from?
The song questions where all the lonely people come from
Father McKenzie writing the words of a sermon That no one will hear
Father McKenzie, a lonely clergyman, writes sermons that no one comes to hear
No one comes near
No one comes close to Father McKenzie
Look at him working. Darning his socks in the night When there´s nobody there
Father McKenzie is alone and works on his clothes because there's no one else there
What does he care?
Father McKenzie wonders why he bothers to work on his clothes when no one else cares
Ah, look at all the lonely people
The song repeats the question of where all the lonely people come from
Eleanor Rigby died in the church And was buried along with her name
Eleanor Rigby died alone and was buried without anyone caring enough to give her a proper funeral
Nobody came
No one cared enough about Eleanor Rigby to attend her funeral
Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands As he walks from the grave No one was saved
Father McKenzie, feeling guilty, wipes dirt from his hands as he leaves Eleanor Rigby's funeral, realizing that his lonely parishioners will also suffer this fate
All the lonely people Where do they all belong?
The song repeats the question of where all the lonely people belong
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind