Eleanor Rigby
The Violet Burning Lyrics


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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

The song "Eleanor Rigby" by The Violet Burning is a melancholic reflection on loneliness and the isolation that can come with it. The song begins with the repeated phrase, "Ah look at all the lonely people," drawing our attention to the theme. The main character, Eleanor Rigby, is described as a woman who lives in a dream and spends her days picking up rice in the church where a wedding had taken place. She is portrayed as someone who is trapped in her own world and wears a face that she keeps in a jar by the door. This image suggests that Eleanor Rigby is someone who is hiding her true self from the world and that she is living in a fantasy rather than confronting her reality.


The second character Father McKenzie is described as working diligently on a sermon that no one will hear. He is darning his socks in the night when nobody is around. This scene portrays a man who is working hard even though he knows that there will be no recognition for his work. He is a lonely figure, who has no one but himself to rely on. The chorus then repeats, "All the lonely people, where do they all come from? Where do they all belong?" The repetitiveness of this question brings attention to the theme of the song and the struggle that many people face when it comes to loneliness.


Overall, The Violet Burning's "Eleanor Rigby" is a haunting song that reflects on the pain and isolation that can come with loneliness. It is a reminder that even though we may feel alone at times, we are not the only ones who feel this way.


Line by Line Meaning

Ah look at all the lonely people
The singer observes and points out the many individuals who are experiencing loneliness.


Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice
Eleanor Rigby is involved in cleaning up after a wedding ceremony that has recently taken place.


In the church where a wedding has been
Eleanor Rigby performs her cleaning duties in the same church where a wedding ceremony has taken place.


Lives in a dream
Eleanor Rigby's reality is so dull and mundane that she goes through life in a dreamlike state.


Waits at the window, wearing the face
Eleanor Rigby frequently spends her time waiting at her window, wearing a mask of sorts to conceal her true emotions.


That she keeps in a jar by the door
The mask Eleanor Rigby wears at her window is something that she keeps in a jar by the door, implying that she frequently wears it.


Who is it for
The singer questions who the mask that Eleanor Rigby wears is ultimately for.


All the lonely people
The artist repeats the phrase 'all the lonely people' to emphasize the theme of loneliness that permeates the entire song.


Where do they all come from?
The artist is questioning where all the lonely people originate from and why there are so many of them.


Father McKenzie, writing the words
Father McKenzie is working on writing a sermon.


Of a sermon that no one will hear
Father McKenzie is working on writing a sermon that he believes no one will hear or take an interest in.


No one comes near
Father McKenzie is isolated from others, as it seems like no one takes an interest in his work.


Look at him working, darning his socks
Father McKenzie is depicted as a lonely man who spends his nights darning his own socks because he has no one else to do it for him.


In the night when there's nobody there
Father McKenzie spends his nights alone, in isolation, where there is nobody else around.


What does he care
The singer questions whether Father McKenzie even cares about his work or his life in general, as he seems so isolated and alone.


Eleanor Rigby, died in the church
Eleanor Rigby passed away inside the church she worked at and where she found some sense of purpose, though it is not clear what her actual cause of death was.


And was buried along with her name
Eleanor Rigby was buried with only her name, implying a total lack of personal connections and family or friends who knew her well.


Nobody came
No one came to Eleanor Rigby's funeral or burial, highlighting the theme of loneliness and isolation that runs through the song.


Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt
Father McKenzie is depicted as wiping dirt off his hands after burying Eleanor Rigby.


From his hands as he walks from the grave
This line implies that Father McKenzie was the only person present at Eleanor Rigby's funeral, and that he is walking away from the grave alone.


No one was saved
This final line is somewhat open-ended, but it implies that no one was saved from the loneliness and isolation that permeate the song.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul Mccartney

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@davidbrucemusicvideo

Love this album and version so much!

@Yertle_Turtle

Used to listen to this CD on repeat over and over!

@DaveSlayer

I have that album on repeat a lot in my car in the summer! Classic stuff!

@JeffreyHolton

I still keep it on repeat play every year between Palm Sunday and Easter. Seems apropos.

@alanbrown7750

saw mike play this song - and more - at a bar in long beach almost sure before chosen came out 1996 - efing mind blowing just thinking about it - to share your convictions in song without cramming it down someone's throat people where floored

@amilisom

More, please.

@thomassterrett1905

Impressive for a cover of a Beetles song.

@timothymaynard5122

Who says that the devil has all the talent?

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