Paul McCartney – ‘Eleanor Rigby’ Live At The White House!

Sir Paul Rocks The White House!

This is one of my favorite acoustic performances by Paul McCartney! ‘Eleanor Rigby’ is in my top 5 favorite Beatles songs, and Paul’s rendition at the White House is absolutely gorgeous. It’s so simple – Paul with his guitar, a backup singer to sing the harmony, and a small string section playing the rhythm in the background. Simple, but effective!

Believe it or not, The Beatles didn’t actually play instruments on ‘Eleanor Rigby’! All of the instrumentation comes from string players hired as session musicians.

I love watching Paul McCartney perform live – he still has the same passion for his career as he did early on in his career, but he’s since refined that talent into something positively legendary.

Fun Fact: The Beatles never played ‘Eleanor Rigby’ live because of the string section. On his 2002 Back In The US tour, Paul McCartney played this without the strings. Keyboards were used to compensate.

+ Eleanor Rigby lyrics +

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?