McCartney: A Life in Lyrics
Eleanor Rigby
Oct 4, 2023
Paul McCartney and Paul Muldoon discuss the inspirations and influences behind the song 'Eleanor Rigby', including face cream, a Bristol liquor business, and a Bernard Hermann score for a Hitchcock film. They also talk about McCartney's childhood experiences with elderly women, the process of naming the characters in the song, and McCartney's musical training.
19:01
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Quick takeaways
- Paul McCartney drew inspiration from the little old ladies he encountered in his life to create the character of Eleanor Rigby, influenced by his upbringing and his interactions with older people.
- The creation of Eleanor Rigby was influenced by various factors, including the observation of a lady cleaning after a wedding, the choice of the name Eleanor from an actress who briefly dated John Lennon, and the use of a string quartet arrangement inspired by their previous collaboration on the song 'Yesterday' and Bernard Herrmann's music for the film Psycho.
Deep dives
Inspiration from Little Old Ladies: Eleanor Rigby as a Character
Paul McCartney drew inspiration from the little old ladies he encountered in his life to create the central character of Eleanor Rigby. Raised to be gallant by his father, Paul was often encouraged to help older people, which allowed him to engage with and learn from them. The idea for Eleanor Rigby picked up the rice in the church came from observing one of these ladies cleaning after a wedding. This character served as a reference point for McCartney throughout his creative process.
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