I think that this song can be interpreted many ways, but I'll just comment on, what I consider to be, the two most obvious interpretations. The first is based on the more superficial and tangible. The song begins and ends talking about lonely people, and asks the question, “where do they all belong”? The answer is obvious, with each other. If they were with each other they wouldn't be lonely. We all live in our own worlds. That's why Eleanor has a (public) face that she keeps in a jar by the door. We don't let others know the Real us. Why won't anyone hear the priest's sermon? It doesn't say nobody will be there, it says, “a sermon no one will hear”. The congregation will be there, they just won't hear, or understand the sermon. We tend to talk “at” each other, especially when given titles denoting authority or alleging expertise. We all live in our own world, by ourselves and that is why we are lonely.
Interpretation #2. There is no God. Lonely = alone with no invisible friends. Notice how the whole song revolves around religion. Eleanor (old church lady) is waiting for someone, “waits at the window” — this God that she has focused her whole life on. But why are we so lonely? If we truly believe in all the stories of our wonderful invisible friend who loves and cares for us so much, and is always with us, then why are we so lonely? (because it is a lie and that is what the rest of the song is about) Pay close attention to the words No One and NoBody and how they are used. The reason “no one will hear” the sermon (and not nobody, denoting physical people with bodies) is because there is no God, no spirit or ghost listening. “Eleanor Rigby died in the church” also speaks to the way the church holds us back from our potential (guilt, original sin, comparing yourself to a perfect being, constantly worshiping authority figure) and kills our individuality (“buried along with her name”). No people seemed to show up to this lonely person's funeral, except for Father McKenzie. It specifically states that no one (not a body but an entity, a ghost or spirit) was saved. If you surrender yourself to your religion's tenets, shouldn't you receive salvation? And yet, for this religious person, “No One was saved”. Well, there's a whole lifetime thrown down the toilet, which is the point of the song.
Forgot to mention "where do they all come from"? All people come from parents, who presumably love them, so why would we have so many lonely adults? By asking this question, the song makes us think about what is done in childhood to create such screwed up adults. One of the things that really messes people up is religion. Telling children there is something wrong with them (original sin) and making them compare themselves to someone that was perfect, where they will always come up short. Religion also divides us into groups, making us lonlier. Look at how many families...
Forgot to mention "where do they all come from"? All people come from parents, who presumably love them, so why would we have so many lonely adults? By asking this question, the song makes us think about what is done in childhood to create such screwed up adults. One of the things that really messes people up is religion. Telling children there is something wrong with them (original sin) and making them compare themselves to someone that was perfect, where they will always come up short. Religion also divides us into groups, making us lonlier. Look at how many families are screwed up because an abusive parent thinks they have the right to be abusive because some "holy book" says something that they can interpret into " The holy book gives me the right to abuse others".
I think that this song can be interpreted many ways, but I'll just comment on, what I consider to be, the two most obvious interpretations. The first is based on the more superficial and tangible. The song begins and ends talking about lonely people, and asks the question, “where do they all belong”? The answer is obvious, with each other. If they were with each other they wouldn't be lonely. We all live in our own worlds. That's why Eleanor has a (public) face that she keeps in a jar by the door. We don't let others know the Real us. Why won't anyone hear the priest's sermon? It doesn't say nobody will be there, it says, “a sermon no one will hear”. The congregation will be there, they just won't hear, or understand the sermon. We tend to talk “at” each other, especially when given titles denoting authority or alleging expertise. We all live in our own world, by ourselves and that is why we are lonely.
Interpretation #2. There is no God. Lonely = alone with no invisible friends. Notice how the whole song revolves around religion. Eleanor (old church lady) is waiting for someone, “waits at the window” — this God that she has focused her whole life on. But why are we so lonely? If we truly believe in all the stories of our wonderful invisible friend who loves and cares for us so much, and is always with us, then why are we so lonely? (because it is a lie and that is what the rest of the song is about) Pay close attention to the words No One and NoBody and how they are used. The reason “no one will hear” the sermon (and not nobody, denoting physical people with bodies) is because there is no God, no spirit or ghost listening. “Eleanor Rigby died in the church” also speaks to the way the church holds us back from our potential (guilt, original sin, comparing yourself to a perfect being, constantly worshiping authority figure) and kills our individuality (“buried along with her name”). No people seemed to show up to this lonely person's funeral, except for Father McKenzie. It specifically states that no one (not a body but an entity, a ghost or spirit) was saved. If you surrender yourself to your religion's tenets, shouldn't you receive salvation? And yet, for this religious person, “No One was saved”. Well, there's a whole lifetime thrown down the toilet, which is the point of the song.
Forgot to mention "where do they all come from"? All people come from parents, who presumably love them, so why would we have so many lonely adults? By asking this question, the song makes us think about what is done in childhood to create such screwed up adults. One of the things that really messes people up is religion. Telling children there is something wrong with them (original sin) and making them compare themselves to someone that was perfect, where they will always come up short. Religion also divides us into groups, making us lonlier. Look at how many families...
Forgot to mention "where do they all come from"? All people come from parents, who presumably love them, so why would we have so many lonely adults? By asking this question, the song makes us think about what is done in childhood to create such screwed up adults. One of the things that really messes people up is religion. Telling children there is something wrong with them (original sin) and making them compare themselves to someone that was perfect, where they will always come up short. Religion also divides us into groups, making us lonlier. Look at how many families are screwed up because an abusive parent thinks they have the right to be abusive because some "holy book" says something that they can interpret into " The holy book gives me the right to abuse others".