What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
“Eleanor Rigby” is a song about loneliness and depression representing a departure from their early pop love songs.
This is an early example of the Beatles taking risks and dabbling in other genres; in this particular example it’s baroque pop, as made evident by the string arrangements. During the Beatles' experimental phase, their producer George Martin experimented with studio techniques to satiate the Beatles' artistic desires. To achieve the aggressive punchy sound of the strings, Martin had the microphones set up really close to the instruments, much to the chagrin of the session players, who were not used to such a unique set-up.
This is the only Beatles song where none of the Beatles play an instrument. They only sing as a string ensemble plays on. There was also some debate between John Lennon and Paul McCartney as to who wrote most of the song, but the song tends to follow more of Paul’s storytelling style.
Eerily enough, the name Eleanor Rigby was found on a gravestone at the St. Peter’s Parish Church where John and Paul met as teenagers. In a 2018 interview, McCartney said that he hadn’t known of that person or the gravestone when he wrote the song.
What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
The earliest demo of the song featured the line: “There’s no one on my wavelength”—Lennon later altered “wavelength” to “tree,” either for additional strangeness or to fit the rhythm of the line better. “Tune in” carries over from the wavelength metaphor.
In his commentary on the song, Lennon said he knew he was unique, but he didn’t know whether that made him a genius or crazy:
There also may be a literal aspect to the line—according to the Magical Mystery Tour in Liverpool, there was a tree in the backyard of Lennon’s childhood home (251 Menlove Avenue) that overlooked the Strawberry Field children’s home. As a teenager, Lennon would climb this tree and peer into the grounds of the home, giving him a unique vantage point.
“Tune in” can also be a reference to Timothy Leary, a central figure in the american counterculture of the 60s who ideated the famous slogan: “Turn on, tune in, drop out”. A hymn to the psychedelic revolution to change the culture by expanding consciousness through psychedelics. Lennon become fascinated by him after reading Leary’s book “The Psychedelic Experience" in may 1966 and already quoted it in Tomorrow Never Knows" from the album Revolver.
-6
Timothy Leary’s first public mention of “Turn on, tune in, drop out” was on September 19, 1966. Lennon wrote this verse in September-October 1966 while away filming How I Won the War. So this song’s use of the phrase “tune in” may or may not have been original.
The first volume of Mark Lewisohn’s Beatles biography, which covers John’s visits to Strawberry Field, is called “Tune In”. He may have either got the title from this song, or may be planning to name each of the three planned volumes after the three parts of Leary’s phrase.
Sorry, I meant motto. The phrase also appears as a reference in the Beatles-inspired musical film Across The Universe, in Eddie Izzard’s interpretation of For The Benefit of Mr. Kite.
The “tune in” bit might also be associated with Timothy Leary and his morto of “Turn on, tune in, drop out”. Leary was very vocal about the use of LSD for expanding the consciouness, a recurring theme in this and other Beatles' songs.