“Eleanor Rigby” sketches out two people; the titular character and Father McKenzie. Their fates intertwine in the song’s third verse. It’s a masterclass in songwriting by Paul McCartney; one of The Beatles’ most lyrically powerful songs. One fact that eluded me until I read it (and it was followed by an “oh, duh” moment) is that all of the music is provided by a string quartet, meaning that “Eleanor Rigby” (minus some vocal harmonies by John & George) is essentially a McCartney solo tune.   

Also, shout out to my friends Shane (who hosts the Everybody Plays The Fool radio show) and Ruth! Their cats are named Eleanor and Rigby. It took much longer for me to make that association than it should have.