Lyrics
Ah! Look at all the lonely people
Observation of lonely individuals in a collective sense.
Ah! Look at all the lonely people
Reiteration of the observation of loneliness in a crowd.
Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice in a church
Eleanor Rigby performing a menial task (picking up rice) after a wedding in a church.
Where a wedding has been
Reference to a recently concluded wedding.
Lives in a dream
Emphasis on Eleanor's solitary, dream-like existence.
Waits at the window, wearing the face
Depiction of Eleanor waiting at the window with a facade, represented by a face in a jar.
That she keeps in a jar by the door
The question arises: who is this facade for?
Who is it for?
Pondering the purpose or recipient of Eleanor's facade.
All the lonely people,
Reference to a group of lonely people.
Where do they all come from?
Rhetorical question about the origin of all lonely individuals.
All the lonely people,
Repetition of the theme of loneliness in a larger context.
Where do they all belong?
Rhetorical inquiry about the place where lonely people belong.
Father McKenzie, writing the words
Introduction of Father McKenzie, engaged in writing a sermon.
Of a sermon that no one will hear
The futility of the sermon as it won't be heard by anyone.
No one comes near
Highlighting the lack of audience for Father McKenzie's words.
Look at him working, darning his socks
Father McKenzie portrayed mending his socks in solitude during the night.
In the night when there's nobody there
Indication of loneliness with nobody around during the night.
What does he care?
Questioning Father McKenzie's concern or indifference to his solitary state.
All the lonely people,
Repetition of the theme of lonely people in a broader sense.
Where do they all come from?
Rhetorical question about the origin of all lonely individuals (repeated).
All the lonely people,
Rhetorical inquiry about the place where lonely people belong (repeated).
Where do they all belong?
Reiteration of the question regarding the belonging of lonely individuals.
Eleanor Rigby, died in the church
Announcement of Eleanor Rigby's death in the church.
And was buried along with her name
Reference to Eleanor's burial, emphasizing the absence of attendees by mentioning her name.
Nobody came
Highlighting the isolation of Eleanor in death; nobody attended her burial.
Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt
Depiction of Father McKenzie cleaning his hands after burying Eleanor.
From his hands as he walks from the grave
Implies that no one was saved or helped during the burial.
No one was saved
Suggesting a lack of salvation or redemption in the context of Eleanor's death.
All the lonely people,
Reiteration of the theme of lonely people.
Where do they all come from?
Rhetorical question about the origin of all lonely individuals (repeated).
All the lonely people,
Repetition of the inquiry about the place where lonely people belong (repeated).
Where do they all belong?
Final reiteration of the question regarding the belonging of lonely individuals.
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