Taylor Swift Explained Why The Beatles’ ‘Eleanor Rigby’ Is Different From Her Songs
The Beatles‘ “Eleanor Rigby” doesn’t sound much like “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” Taylor Swift would probably agree. She explained the difference between her approach to songwriting and what Paul did when he penned “Eleanor Rigby.” The former Beatle revealed the melody of “Eleanor Rigby” received a lukewarm reception when he played it for another musician.
Taylor Swift said The Beatles’ ‘Eleanor Rigby’ is less personal than a lot of her music
In a 2020 article from Rolling Stone, Paul and Swift interviewed one another. Swift discussed one of Paul’s most acclaimed songs. “I also was thinking about how you write ‘Eleanor Rigby’ and go into that whole story about what all these people in this town are doing and how their lives intersect, and I hadn’t really done that in a very long time with my music,” he said. “It had always been so microscope personal.”
Of all the modern stars, Swift might be the most well-known for working her personal life into her music. Her tracks often deal with her love life, including her relationships with fellow celebrities. Part of Swift’s appeal is getting a peek into her mind through her lyrics. While listening to her discography, fans can see how she has grown and changed since she released her self-titled debut album in 2006.
Paul McCartney wanted to write a character song for The Beatles
Paul responded by elaborating more on “Eleanor Rigby.” “When you’ve got a formula, break it,” he said. “I don’t have a formula. It’s the mood I’m in. So I love the idea of writing a character. “And, you know, trying to think, ‘What am I basing this on?'” Obviously, many Beatles songs are named after fictional characters, including “Mean Mr. Mustard,” “Michelle,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” and “Doctor Robert.”
“So ‘Eleanor Rigby’ was based on old ladies I knew as a kid,” Paul recalled. “For some reason or other, I got great relationships with a couple of local old ladies. I was thinking the other day, I don’t know how I met them, it wasn’t like they were family. I’d just run into them, and I’d do their shopping for them.”
What Paul McCartney thought of ‘Eleanor Rigby’ in the 1980s
During a 1989 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Paul named his favorites among his own songs. His list included “Let It Be,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Penny Lane,” and “Eleanor Rigby.” While explaining his love for the latter, Paul said the track reminded him of taking piano lessons. He played the melody of the track for his piano teacher, who paid it no mind.
Paul started writing the lyrics of “Eleanor Rigby” when he thought up the image of rice lying on the ground during a wedding. Afterward, Paul had the idea to make “Eleanor Rigby” about loneliness. On many occasions, writing the first line of a song helped him understand what he was trying to accomplish musically.
Swift knows how to write a pop tune even if she thinks a lot of her work is different from “Eleanor Rigby.”
