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Eleanor Rigby

"Eleanor Rigby"
Eleanor rigby single usa.jpg
US picture sleeve
Single by The Beatles
from the album Revolver
A-side "Yellow Submarine"
Released 5 August 1966 (1966-08-05)
Format 7"
Recorded 28–29 April and 6 June 1966,
EMI Studios, London
Genre Baroque pop
Length 2:08
Label
Writer(s) Lennon–McCartney
Producer(s) George Martin
The Beatles singles chronology
"Paperback Writer"
(1966)
"Eleanor Rigby"/"Yellow Submarine"
(1966)
"Strawberry Fields Forever"/"Penny Lane"
(1967)

"Eleanor Rigby" is a song by the Beatles, released on the 1966 album Revolver and as a 45 rpm single. It was written by Paul McCartney, and credited to Lennon–McCartney.

The song continued the transformation of the Beatles from a mainly rock and roll- and pop-oriented act to a more experimental, studio-based band. With a double string quartet arrangement by George Martin and striking lyrics about loneliness, "Eleanor Rigby" broke sharply with popular music conventions, both musically and lyrically.Richie Unterberger of Allmusic cites the band's "singing about the neglected concerns and fates of the elderly" on the song as "just one example of why the Beatles' appeal reached so far beyond the traditional rock audience".

Paul McCartney came up with the melody of "Eleanor Rigby" as he experimented with his piano. However, the original name of the protagonist that he chose was not Eleanor Rigby but Miss Daisy Hawkins. The singer-composer Donovan reported that he heard McCartney play it to him before it was finished, with completely different lyrics. In 1966, McCartney recalled how he got the idea for his song:

I was sitting at the piano when I thought of it. The first few bars just came to me, and I got this name in my head ... "Daisy Hawkins picks up the rice in the church". I don't know why. I couldn't think of much more so I put it away for a day. Then the name Father McCartney came to me, and all the lonely people. But I thought that people would think it was supposed to be about my Dad sitting knitting his socks. Dad's a happy lad. So I went through the telephone book and I got the name "McKenzie".

Others believe that "Father McKenzie" refers to "Father" Tommy McKenzie, who was the compere at Northwich Memorial Hall.


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Wikipedia

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