Eleanor Rigby
Walk Off the Earth Lyrics


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(Lennon/McCartney)

I look at all the lonely people
I 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 lyrics to Walk Off the Earth's rendition of "Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles describe a deep sense of loneliness within society. The first stanza sets the scene, where the singer looks at all the lonely people and wonders where they all come from and where they belong. The second stanza then introduces the character of Eleanor Rigby, who is depicted as a woman who picks up rice after a wedding at the church and lives in a dream. She waits at the window wearing the face she keeps in a jar by the door, leaving the listener to wonder for whom she is waiting.


The third stanza introduces Father McKenzie, who is writing a sermon that no one will hear, revealing the lack of engagement with religion and spiritual welfare in society. No one comes near to Father McKenzie, and he is alone in the night, darning his socks. The fourth stanza brings the song back to the chorus, highlighting the loneliness present in society once again. The final stanza describes Eleanor Rigby's lonely death in the church, where she was buried along with her name, and no one came to mourn her. Father McKenzie walks from her grave, wiping the dirt from his hands, and no one was saved.


Line by Line Meaning

I look at all the lonely people
The singer observes and empathizes with those who are alone.


Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been
Eleanor Rigby works as a church volunteer and is reminded of the joys she never experienced herself.


Lives in a dream
Eleanor Rigby is detached from reality and is consumed by her loneliness.


Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door
Eleanor Rigby is waiting for someone to come into her life, and pretends to be someone she's not in order to impress them.


Who is it for?
Eleanor Rigby questions the purpose of her facade and who she's trying to impress.


Father McKenzie writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear
Father McKenzie feels a sense of futility as he prepares a sermon that no one will bother to listen to.


No one comes near.
Father McKenzie is isolated and almost completely cut off from the congregation of his church.


Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there
Father McKenzie does mundane tasks by himself late at night, further emphasizing his solitude.


What does he care?
Father McKenzie feels as though his efforts are pointless because nobody seems to care about his work or his contributions to the church.


Ah, look at all the lonely people
The artist once again highlights the pervasive loneliness in society.


Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name
Eleanor Rigby died alone and with little notoriety, despite her best efforts to be remembered.


Nobody came
There was nobody present to mourn or recognize Eleanor Rigby's passing.


Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave
Father McKenzie regrets not making more of an effort to connect with Eleanor Rigby and express his own loneliness, as evidenced by his presence at her funeral.


No one was saved
Despite the futility of their pursuits and the overwhelming sense of isolation and loneliness shared by so many in society, the situation remains unchanged and nobody is rescued from this fate.


All the lonely people Where do they all come from?
The singer reflects further on the root causes of the loneliness epidemic and its seemingly endless supply of sufferers.


All the lonely people Where do they all belong?
The artist laments the lack of community and support for those who experience loneliness and wonders how they will become integrated and find belonging in the larger social sphere.




Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul Mccartney

Contributed by Andrew S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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