A Favorite

My friend and co-worker, Mike, suggested I write about my favorite songs. Like maybe a Top Ten list or something. (This suggestion has me under the sneaking suspicion that he is secretly reporting for Rolling Stone magazine.) There are so many songs I love for various reasons. I have favorite songs to listen to when I’m feeling particularly irritated, favorite songs for when I’m depressed, happy, relaxed, or mildly homicidal. I have favorite acoustic guitar songs, favorite piano songs, favorite metal songs, favorite orchestral songs…Choosing just one as an overall favorite doesn’t seem right (or possible) to me. Also, I decided to write about songs one at a time (and in no particular order), because I don’t have the time to get a Top Ten list together right now. If you would have preferred the list, just fake it by waiting until I’ve posted a few and then read them all at once.

My favorite Beatles song is Eleanor Rigby, which was released on the Revolver album in 1966. The arrangement is simple, but absolutely stunning. The first time I heard this song as a kid, I fell in love with it immediately. When I was a bit older, it helped to cement my desire to learn to play the cello (which I eventually did). People are usually surprised when I say that Eleanor Rigby is my favorite Beatles song, I guess just because there are so many good ones to choose from.

About the arrangement: Eleanor Rigby does not have a standard pop backing; none of the Beatles played instruments on it, though John Lennon and George Harrison did contribute harmony and backing vocals. Instead, McCartney used a string octet of studio musicians, composed of four violins, two cellos, and two violas all performing a score composed by producer George Martin. For the most part, the instruments "double up"—that is, they serve as two string quartets with two instruments playing each part in the quartet. Microphones were placed close to the instruments to produce a more vivid and raw sound. George Martin asked the musicians if they could play without vibrato and recorded two versions, one with and one without, the latter of which was used. (Copyright - 1966 EMI Records Ltd.)

Unfortunately I am not able to post a proper sound file for this song; I had to link to a YouTube video, sorry (believe it or not, it's the least annoying one).

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?