In the beginning before there were classical orchestras, chamber quartets, … Read Full Bio ↴In the beginning before there were classical orchestras, chamber quartets, jazz combos or rock n roll bands, there was only one instrument: the human voice. Today, an a cappella quartet from the Twin Cities region, called Tonic Sol-fa, is determined to take this most traditional of all musical expressions and make it the next big thing. In their ten years together, Tonic Sol-fa has established itself not only as the most in-demand vocal group in the Midwest, but also as one of the most successful independent acts in America. In addition to substantial CD sales of its own independent releases (1,000,000 copies sold), the group has toured extensively throughout the US and abroad, first building its financial base with a steady list of private, corporate shows that led eventually to numerous tours of theaters and small arenas. Whereas previous a cappella groups have followed the traditional barbershop formula, Tonic Sol-fa has taken the a cappella musical artform to a new pop plateau, building a legion of loyal fans along the way with its solid material, pop arrangements, memorable performances and cutting edge stage presence. Critics and fans alike agree on one thing: Although there are many singing a cappella, NO ONE does it like Tonic Sol-fa.

Members:
Shaun Johnson - tenor
Mark McGowan - baritone
Greg Bannwarth - tenor
Jared Dove - bass

Albums:
On Top Of The World (Holiday) Compact Disc (2007)
Christmas DVD (2006)
Boston to Beijing Compact Disc (June 2005)
By Request Compact Disc (2004)
Red Vinyl Compact Disc (2003)
Sugarue (Holiday) Compact Disc (2002)
Style Compact Disc (2001)
Left Turns (re-release) Compact Disc (2000)
Carol (Holiday) Compact Disc (1997)
Left Turns in Cross Traffic Compact Disc (1996)
4 hours and 12 days Compact Disc (1995)

Video/DVDs:
Tonic Sol-fa: Christmas (2006)
Front Row (2001)

Eleanor Rigby
Tonic Sol-fa Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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

Tonic Sol-fa’s “Eleanor Rigby” describes the loneliness of two characters, Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie, who both live hollow lives. The first verse is about Eleanor Rigby, who picks up rice at a wedding and lives in a dream world, keeping a face in a jar by the door. The question that pops up is: who is it for? Eleanor has nobody to impress or show it to. She is lonely and introspective. In the second verse, the focus shifts to Father McKenzie, who is writing a sermon that no one will hear since nobody comes near. He darns his socks alone in the night, and nobody is around to care about him. Both Eleanor and Father McKenzie lead empty lives, and they represent the many lonely people in the world who have no one.

The chorus mentions the plight of all the lonely people out there, questioning, “Where does all that loneliness come from, and where does it lead to?” The last verse talks about Eleanor’s death and her burial in the church, alongside her name. Sadly, nobody came to mourn her. Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave signifies the end of Eleanor’s story, with nobody being saved. The song stresses on the fact that despite being surrounded by people, loneliness can find its way into one's life.

Line by Line Meaning

Ah look at all the lonely people
The singer observes the crowded surroundings and notices that there are still many people who are alone, despite all the people around them.

Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice
Eleanor Rigby is a woman who works hard and is responsible for cleaning up after a recent wedding at the church.

In the church where a wedding has been
The story takes place in a church after a wedding ceremony.

Lives in a dream
Eleanor Rigby is not fully present in the world and may prefer to live in a world of her own making.

Waits at the window, wearing the face
Eleanor Rigby is always waiting for someone or something to come into her life and wears a face of contentment or happiness to mask her loneliness.

That she keeps in a jar by the door
Eleanor Rigby keeps a mask at the door to remind her to put on a happy face so that other people do not recognize her loneliness.

Who is it for
The singer wonders who Eleanor Rigby is waiting for and realizes that there may be no one or nothing coming in her life.

Father McKenzie, writing the words
Father McKenzie is scribbling in his notebook trying to create a sermon but knows that no one will come to hear it.

Of a sermon that no one will hear
Father McKenzie is putting effort into preparing a sermon, but is aware that no one will show up to listen to it or that the message of the sermon won't reach people.

No one comes near
Father McKenzie feels isolated and disconnected, and no one is nearby to comfort or console him.

Look at him working, darning his socks
Father McKenzie is working hard to repair and maintain his possessions, rather than focusing on his loneliness.

In the night when there's nobody there
Father McKenzie's loneliness intensifies at night, when he's alone with no one to talk to or share his thoughts and feelings with.

What does he care
The singer wonders if Father McKenzie even cares about his own loneliness, or if he is so used to it that it has become a part of his routine.

Eleanor Rigby, died in the church
Eleanor Rigby died alone in the church where she worked and spent most of her life.

And was buried along with her name
Eleanor Rigby's identity may only be remembered by her name on her burial site, as she had no one to carry on her legacy.

Nobody came
No one came to attend the funeral of Eleanor Rigby, emphasizing how alone she was in her life.

Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt
Father McKenzie is left alone to bury and mourn Eleanor Rigby, wiping dirt off his hands as a sign of finality and abandonment.

From his hands as he walks from the grave
Father McKenzie leaves the grave, perhaps feeling sadness or guilt for not being present in Eleanor Rigby's life and mourning for her passing.

No one was saved
No one was able to rescue Eleanor Rigby from her loneliness and isolation, and her death means that her loneliness was never resolved.

All the lonely people
The artist reflects on the theme of loneliness, which is present in the lives of many people.

Where do they all come from?
The artist wonders why so many people are lonely and where this feeling originates from in order to address the issue of loneliness.

Where do they all belong?
The artist poses a question about where lonely people can go to find their place of belonging and escape from their loneliness.

Lyrics © editionPlus Verlags GmbH, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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