The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby (REACTION)

[@scottbaker5998]

I can't believe Paul wrote and recorded this at the age of twenty-freaking-four! Pure genius!

[@raulmexb]

They were all genius! George a late bloomer match any song that John or Paul put out! What a band. Three geniuses! In music.

[@mr.snicker-doodles7081]

Things like this really set them apart from the rest of the pack, it was a whole NEW level of genius.

[@Newfie-zc7ug]

YUP !

[@mr.snicker-doodles7081]

@@Newfie-zc7ug thx friend..

[@mr.snicker-doodles7081]

@@garyfletcher1910 Thank you Sir!

[@KanyeEnjoyerr]

Nobody before or since has reached their level of genius

[@destinyreelly2974]

It’s the evolution of them that stands out for me. From where they started to where they ended…it’s just an amazingly beautiful ride. ❤❤❤

[@billc.5861]

How many decades later and this song still hits me.

[@ronaldgines171]

It's one of the saddest songs I've ever heard.... I've heard it over 100 or so times and still get really sad every time,.. it kind of hits home a little too much.

[@rogershore3128]

It's the brutality of the ending that hits you. Unheard of in a song....

[@dianesorensen2549]

It's that sad cello.

[@ezclappoggers]

@@ronaldgines171 this and nowhere man I find are pretty haunting songs

[@robertgosselin14]

George Martin, their producer, was a classical music graduate and he wrote and arranged the strings. He based his arrangement on the strings on the shower scene from Hitchcock’s movie Psycho. Also, when McCartney is signing in the song’s coda, Lennon simultaneously sings the background vocal/ hook “Aaaaaaah, look at all the lonely people” twice. The song is a masterpiece. The BeaTles were blessed to have fallen on a producer like George Martin who, as I’ve already pointed out, was a trained classical musician and graduate. So many occurrences like this happened during the groups tenure, as if everything that helped make turn them into icons were meant to be. Great video, as always, really enjoy what you’re both doing. 👍 from 🇨🇦

[@strathman7501]

Agreed. Minor corrections or callibrations: the idea for the string octet arrangement was McCartney's because "Jane Asher had turned him on to Vivaldi", as Lennon put it, specifically the strident string writing in the Four Seasons. McCartney told George Martin he wanted that sort of string rhythm with a "really biting" character. Martin sat down at the piano with McCartney and "I took note of his music", and wrote a score thinking in his own mind of the Bernard Hermann film score. The octet was recorded very close-mic'd to get the string sound McCartney wanted, much to the discomfiture of the classical players who according to Geoff Emerick kept surreptitiously moving their chairs back! As for the "Ah look at all the lonely people" counterpoint in the coda, this was sung by McCartney, not Lennon, and it was George Martin's idea to do this as a late overdub,

[@aBeatleFan4ever]

@@strathman7501 - Nice job on the corrections. I was about to write that same things - but you beat me to it. Well done.

[@ryanr5319]

Amen. Sir George Martin was the 5th Beatle. 😊

[@kimberly3131]

Thank you both for adding to my Beatles knowledge and for being respectful when you correct a story.

[@bowlingstoned2113]

I KNEW that string arrangement sounded familiar! That's amazing!

[@johnmccarthy-behindtheveil]

Revolver is the album that propelled them to the next level. Songs and lyrics were deeper. And arrangements were classic. Just 2 years removed from "She Loves You, yeah yeah yeah"

[@Torrentialdownpurr]

Crazy to think that was 2 years apart 😮

[@frederickpando9444]

4 years apart. She Loves You was released as a single in 1963 in the UK. Revolver was released in the UK in December 1966.

[@johnmccarthy-behindtheveil]

thanks for the correction, yes, 3 years apart, 63-66. Still amazing transition. @@frederickpando9444

[@DawnSuttonfabfour]

The Beatles are their own genre. There's The Beatles and then there's everyone else.

[@thomasmcgivney4519]

The Beatles had contemporaries but no competition. They operate on another level consistently.

[@neillenet291]

The Beach Boys were their competition

[@clifton8929]

Paul McCartney has so many different styles, melodies, and lyrics bouncing around in his head it's amazing. Who writes music with lyrics like this? The Beatles with Paul, nothing but net!

[@jeffmartin1026]

ahem.... Maxwell's Silver Hammer 🤔

[@papercup2517]

@@jeffmartin1026 Funnily enough, I've warmed to MSH over the years, though I disliked it when it first came out. And you have to award it points for being the only song - popular or otherwise - ever known (AFAIK) to contain the phrase 'pataphysical science'. I mean, how many people even know what that is? (And it IS a thing, I promise you - look it up!) 😀

[@79BlackRose]

Genius! No other word does this justice.

[@dbradx]

I'm really more of a John fan, but when you consider how young Paul was when he wrote this, you realize what a brilliant songwriter he is. Great choice you guys, another stellar track from my fav Beatles album. Always terrific to spend part of my day with Airplay beats - much love from Canada ☮

[@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek]

To be fair all 4 beatles had at least 1 lyric on this song

[@timbaker6540]

🇨🇦

[@MrScoop156]

John seems to have been more of a rock and and roller and without Paul the Beatles never would have explored and pushed boundaries to become the music legends that they are.

[@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek]

@@MrScoop156 joke?

[@wordsleydave]

Imagine buying this LP, playing it for the very first time on ya old record player in 1966 (yep NINETEEN SIXTY SIX) .... It's an automatic mind blown !!!!!!!

[@diogenesagogo]

I DID!! I'm very, very old ...

[@wordsleydave]

@@diogenesagogo Brilliant !!! lol

[@olly8]

And was it Mono or did Sterophonic exist then? I can't remember 😂

[@cwegers3]

I was born a year later and I'm old.

[@JB-Deadskins]

Who else would use a string quartet on a rock song in the mid 60s?

[@Tarkus7]

Exactly!

[@juanmaratuech9103]

Yeah... Except this Is not a rock song

[@17donhol]

4 Violins..2 Cello's 2 viola's

[@Friend_Of_The_Muse]

Paul says what inspired this song was as a kid he use to help out the old women in his neighborhood like run errands and such. He said he would sit and talk to them often..listening to their stories. He was thinking of them. You can hear the sadness he feels for them.

[@louisspeciale]

I love when the younger are amazed with the Beatles it brings a smile 😊😁 to my face.

[@mariaportengen2959]

The Beatles, the best band of all times! 🎶🎶🎶👍❤️

[@lesblatnyak5947]

Mozart would have loved them.

[@davidtullis2810]

Every album was a new journey for the Beatles. Each was a progression of their musical talents

[@susiedawson3349]

Their producer George Martin was a classically trained musician and brought in orchestras to add to The Beatles music. Genius. Gave it so much richness and depth.

[@YiorgosChronis]

There was a string quartet assigned to play this masterpiece. It was a suggestion from the "5th Beatle" genius producer Sir George Martin, a musician with classical background

[@CuriousGeorge1111]

Yes, and Paul was initially skeptical, and Martin based his innovative "stabbing" violin arrangement on Bernard Herrmann's psycho soundtrack. Remember the shower scene? 🙂

[@ewest14]

@@CuriousGeorge1111Paul was initially skeptical of having strings in Yesterday but not Eleanor Rigby. Paul was the one who wanted strings for this song George Martin helped arrange Paul’s piano chords for a string arrangement

[@bruinwi]

I've read that the producer, George Martin, placed the mics very close to the string players, so you could hear the bows scrape against the strings. He wanted a very raw sound from the string quartet.

[@ginapurpura1182]

Great reaction! In addition to the musical composition, I’m impressed by the subject matter. I love that these young guys, Paul in this case, were thinking about life and loneliness in such a deep way. ❤️

[@ThePittsburghToddy]

I think Revolver is the Beatles best album. At least most of the time…🖖🏼

[@briangray00]

I mostly agree.

[@beholdmessiah6526]

Agree, but love them all.

[@johnfirth6541]

yes, its the best... until I listen to any of their others! 😁.

[@kimberly3131]

johnfirth6541 - Same!

[@kevinfredettte2191]

My favorite!

[@eduardonovacki1755]

Buckle up boys!!!

[@GrimrDirge]

My favorite Beatles song, in both form and content.

[@rogershore3128]

Me too. I give it the edge just over Yesterday.

[@JB-Deadskins]

One of my favorite Beatles songs

[@willo8794]

Best Beatles album ever

[@DJ-bj8ku]

Their best album.

[@kkampy4052]

Imagine this, a hit rock song without drums, guitar, bass, keyboards etc. That's greatness right there.

[@Blue-qr7qe]

Man, i am so much on this journey. Please don't stop -

[@CuriousGeorge1111]

Amen!

[@billadkins5150]

It was time to take them seriously when this album came out. No more ya yas..

[@aprilstewart5929]

I took them pretty fucking seriously with Rubber Soul.

[@dcg4mn]

@@aprilstewart5929 Yes 😉 BUT the world of professional classical and other not-pop musicians and composers really had their eyebrows raised and started to pay attention and be impressed 🤘🏽 with this album. No one but no one from ANY genre had ever done anything like this.

[@17donhol]

​@@dcg4mnThat's why they stand alone in pop / rock music... No one can come close ....Their music library is vast.....

[@dcg4mn]

@@17donhol Yes of course 🤘🏽

[@markmurphy558]

Revolver snd Rubber Soul were the albums that markrd the evolution of the boys from boy band to masterpiece makers. They eere in theirid twenties.

[@scottodonnell7121]

I also think "Help" showed another turn of the knob.

[@stephenmichael8837]

What a great arrangement. I imagine George Martin had a lot to do with that. Remember 1966! Leading the way as always.

[@79BlackRose]

Yes, it was a double string quartet arrangement by George Martin.

[@CuriousGeorge1111]

And you would be right! See my comment.

[@CoolCoyote]

no drums love it

[@membysteph64]

This is another phenomenal reaction by you gentleman. One of my favorite songs by one of the greatest bands in history. Thank you so much for what you are doing ❤

[@stevedahlberg8680]

Eleanor Rigby was the first vinyl I ever bought. It was in 4th grade at a yard sale across the street and I didn't have much allowance money but they had a pile of well-played 45 rpm singles without the paper sleeves on them and they were all scratched up and there was a bit of masking tape on each one that had the one cent symbol. And side A was Yellow Submarine and of course we were already singing all that stuff on the playground in early grade school, and I loved it and lots of Beatles songs, and then this was on side B and I remember the first time I played it I was so freaked out. I mean it was all scratched up so it made it even harder to tell but you can feel those biting strings, and Paul's enunciation on this is so clear, it even made it through, and that line early in the first verse about wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door? I had never heard anything that surreal and it was a scary image to me because I could picture it so well and it was haunting. And then once you take in the whole story and put all the emotion with it that they put into this, oh my god. I fell in love with it right away.

[@johnsanjac]

No guitars, No drums, No bass....unbelievable! From 1966 !!!

[@Watchman70]

Unbelievable innovation. Unparalleled!🎉❤

[@ML-un1oi]

Thanks for a great start to the day. Excellent reaction fellas 👌

[@edwardmeradith2419]

Hey, John’s voice (and George’s) voices are in the chorus- I can slays hear John’s slight edge

[@DocRock71]

Just a string quartet and vocals. Pure musical genius.😍

[@ykmgeedee]

Incredible song off incredible album. Many successful covers have been done.

[@ws3764]

Genius....enough said.

[@kevincaulder96]

The fact that the Beatles put down their guitars and drums to record this brilliant story with a more orchestral backing is testimony to their talent. Of course, having a producer like George Martin as your Ace in the whole deserves to be mentioned. I love this song as well as PAPERBACK WRITER, I FEEL FINE, HELTER SKELTER, YELLOW SUBMARINE, NOWHERE MAN, & OH, DARLING! Enjoy

[@Jamesharris-lo9nn]

A stone cold masterpiece. One of my favorites from The Fab Four. Nice reaction fellas. 🎸👌🎸

[@Gto1927]

Its only problem was it was too short. Masterpiece nonetheless.

[@tjrivers]

So glad you’re listening to some earlier Beatles. They were great from the start! Check out Norweigen Wood.

[@BrixtonTone]

@tjrivers "earlier Beatles" ? This was their 7th album

[@t.j.payeur5331]

​@@BrixtonToneso what. Anything pre-Sargeant Pepper is early Beatles...

[@BrixtonTone]

@@t.j.payeur5331 🤣🤫

[@AllanHaskell]

I remember certain DJs refusing to play this song because it was such a radical change in music.

[@sallyh5413]

Perfect song.

[@renemokum]

One of my favorite Beatles tracks. Revolver is a great album (and so are Rubber Soul, Sgt.Peppers, the White album - and all others actually).

[@waynemoon5359]

When this was released I was a mere lad of 11 and my parents used to give money to go to the movies on Sunday afternoon. To get to the theater I had to walk past a church with a huge steeple hidden among the trees halfway up a street with a winding hill. It had a cemetery alongside with many tombstones half tipped over. It looked like the cover of a Black Sabbath album. Spooky as hell. As I walked past there AND back later I would walk quickly then trot and then sprint the whole time hearing this song in my head thinking about the lonely dead souls buried there. Wow. It's as fresh in my mind as ever.

[@lathedauphinot6820]

The cover was created by Klaus Voormann, one of their friends from Hamburg, Germany, where they had a residency at the Kaiserkeller and then Star-Club in the early days. They played 8 hours or so onstage every night for months and developed their tightness and mastery of their instruments. Klaus learned the bass after meeting them and played on Lennon, Harrison’s, and Ringo’s solo records and was a studio musician on everyone from Harry Nilsson to Lou Reed’s records, producing records and designing album covers. He still lives in Germany.

[@t.j.payeur5331]

He plays on Cheech and Chongs "Basketball Jones" too...

[@binxbolling]

Top selling musicians of all time.

[@kingcassius2586]

During the "Ahhh look at all.." part, John & George join Paul in the vocal. The Revolver cover was the 1st to not actually have the artist(s) but instead drawn onto the cover(they had bunch of album cover 1sts as well). Also, if you look at the Revolver cover you'll notice that all of their eyes are drawn except for George's. Legend has it that the artist couldn't get George's eyes drawn right, so they used his actual eyes.

[@ohfour-seven6228]

So glad you're enjoying this album. If you look the album up on Wikipedia, it gives a song by song rundown and mentions all the studio techniques they pioneered making the album. It's my favorite Beatles album, I play it all the time.

[@gregcable3250]

The GOAT band, again--who the hell makes a pop/rock song using only a string quartet? Answer: Those guys with no peers.

[@Bekka_Noyb]

♥ Revolver!

[@steveullrich7737]

The Beatles were genius! As you said they had so many different sounds with great lyrics!

[@michaelakkerman407]

I'm only sleeping... There isn't a bad song on this record. In fact, I think this is better than St. Peppers. Just my opinion, people. Revolver and The White Album are both Master records in musicianship.

[@micv5149]

I’ve seen a general consensus in recent years that Revolver is song for song a better album than Pepper.

[@CuriousGeorge1111]

This song is proof how vital fifth Beatle George Martin was. Edit: "'All credit to Paul for Eleanor Rigby,' says Martin. 'He thought of the song in terms of a string backing, and wanted a repeat of the effectiveness of Yesterday. I told him I wanted to double the strings as I wanted a more strident sound." Martin based his innovative "stabbing" string arrangement on Bernard Herrmann's Psycho soundtrack. Remember the shower scene? 🙂 IMO you should do Rubber Soul through Magical Mystery Tour before The Beatles (White Album). The former show The Beatles at their unified peak, and the latter shows them falling apart--still brilliant, but not the same. Thanks for having me along. 🙂

[@RandyHall324]

I'd heard the story about Psycho's soundtrack before, but heard that the inspiration was Paul's who would typically communicate to Martin the sound he was going for.

[@CuriousGeorge1111]

@@RandyHall324 I heard it the other way, but genius is genius.

[@CuriousGeorge1111]

And I stand corrected--I will change this above.

[@CuriousGeorge1111]

@@RandyHall324 Correctamundo, I will correct this above. I might have heard Paul was reluctant about strings on Yesterday, or perhaps just hallucinating. 😁

[@RandyHall324]

@@CuriousGeorge1111 Glad you looked it up! I'd only heard the story recently from a 3rd hand source.

[@curtisduncanmusic7645]

I still remember hearing these songs for the first time, and they never, ever lose their power. You mentioned that with the Beatles, "nothing sounds the same." And yet, in spite of the incredible stylistic breadth, you could always tell it was the Beatles, whether it was Eleanor Rigby or Yellow Submarine. I'm so glad to see your reaction to these great records.

[@johnsrensen3366]

Awesome ❤

[@Friend_Of_The_Muse]

I believe this is 8 pieces or double String Quartet arranged by Sir George Martin the true 5th Beatle.

[@fusiliers]

Ray Charles said he didn't think too much of the Beatles at first because their songs didn't tell good stories. "Eleanor Rigby" changed his mind (a bit) and impressed him enough that he did a cover. He eventually covered "Yesterday" and "The Long and Winding Road" as well.

[@Caseydog3]

Pure poetry

[@t.j.payeur5331]

Hey, guys, great tune. It's a string quartet. 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola and cello..arranged by the genius engineer George Martin...

[@Friend_Of_The_Muse]

One of the best to show off Sir Pauls vocal prowess. Mostly clean no effects no doubling straight into the mic singing. His voice just jumps right out at you. Love the production with George Martins beautiful String arrangement. George Martin was the REAL 5th Beatle (no offense to Billy Preston) George Martin was there from the beginning. The Beatles didnt read music. Martin was the interpreter for what they heard in their heads. Martin is quoted as saying that John would ask him for an Orange sound and such.

[@RoyalBlue147]

20 years from now your kids will be listening to this, The Beatles are timeless and brilliant .

[@realbser1956]

RIP George Martin. His production brilliance on full display here.

[@Chris-kj7de]

Love watching you guys do reactions. Paul's a poet. "....wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door" is magic.

[@Cheshirecat-nx9zn]

The Beatles reinvented themselves whenever they felt like it and it always worked.

[@dianesorensen2549]

Such a bittersweet piece.

[@thomasjacques5286]

The Beatles opened minds....they still do

[@joebersik9846]

John harmonizes during and answers Paul at the end

[@Gothmog8ap]

Eleanor Rigby is my favorite song so..

[@romacassel9636]

Rubber Soul is my favorite, can't go wrong with pre Soul material Remember their song list is over 200. Great stuff

[@terriertz5134]

This is one of my favorite Beatles songs.

[@darrenmaxwell1085]

Chi, great point, they always sounded different. And they were always first with their sounds, arrangements and instrument choices. That’s songs brilliantly simple yet creatively complex.

[@slezakvit]

When I see all these videos of first reaction to some Beatles songs I would like to wake up tomorrow without knowing them all and have a chance to discover all of them for one more time. There couldn't be anything more beatiful.

[@notyourbusiness393]

It's beautifully arranged. Leaves you wanting more. I wish it was like 10 minutes long.

[@albertscanlon2005]

Beatles...so so innovative and brilliant. As i have got older i now realise how much of a gift they were to music and the world. Love your reviews chaps..you seem so knowledgeable and musical with your analysis. Really enjoy your videos. Thanks again

[@AirplayBeats]

Thanks for rocking with us!!

[@dannygriffith6185]

8 strings ( instruments ) to be exact. A string octet 4 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos... usually. A great background produced & arranged by their brilliant producer George Martin.

[@martinford1644]

Love this song. It makes me feel sad but also glad that I've heard it again. Genius songwriting. This great album also has another of my all time favourite Beatles tracks "And Your Bird Can Sing"

[@stevemd6488]

Revolver=greatest work of music ever

[@dlguitar64]

It was a Double Quartet (4 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos)

[@t.j.payeur5331]

Not what I read. It's a quartet. Just listen.

[@dlguitar64]

@@t.j.payeur5331 you are wrong. It is common knowledge that it is an octet. Clean out your ears snd listen again.

[@dlguitar64]

@t.j.payeur5331 The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions April 28 1966 p77 "This time there were eight-a double string quartet"

[@dlguitar64]

@@t.j.payeur5331 Don't EVER question my Beatles knowledge!

[@carol-mariefleming8689]

This is one of my favorite Paul songs. Love Revolver ❤

[@RicoCosta317]

I'm pretty sure the Beatles, under the guidance of the great George Martin, were the first rock/pop act that incorporated orchestration into their music. Innovative, eclectic and incredibly talented and creative, there will never be another band like them ever.

[@TheJm129]

Save some superlatives for "Here there and everywhere" and "Got to get you into my life".

[@ReactarooSkidoo]

This channel is my favorite thing of 2024 so far

[@neilmartin99]

George Martin doesn't get enough credit for the Beatles success as far as I'm concerned. Also, Paul McCartney and Paul Simon (of Simon and Garfunkel) are two of the best melody writers and lyricists in the history of music. Right up there with Gershwin, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, etc.

[@williamweiss6128]

So many great Beatles songs. Another great lp.

[@onsesejoo2605]

George Harrison and John Lennon sang backing vocals.

[@RuthKing-wm9nw]

Always evolving their music just kept getting better and better.

[@markstokes1401]

There is an awesome live version of this with Paul and a string orchestra. Well worth watching.

[@carojayess1723]

One of my favorite Beatles songs… just beautiful!!

[@Youtubechannel-po8cz]

Lennon and McCartney were story telling genius’s.

[@Stacy55ish]

One of the Beatles' greatest tunes.

[@kingcassius2586]

"I'm Only Sleeping" should be your next Revolver reaction. They just came out with a video for it too.

[@elegantirony78]

Revolver & Rubber Soul are my two favorite Beatles albums

[@KellyKasia]

these guys were really changing the world of music with their innovations. so many people were at the time, but in a way, they were in a class by themselves

[@peterjoslyn1]

I mean come on guys. This is 5 star banger. The high water mark for pop music.

[@salmuscles]

Hi La and Che … Dan peek from the group “America” wrote their hit song “lonely people” .. he loved the Beatles

[@mark-be9mq]

The feel you get from the story & how its 'told' is so powerful.

[@markbarnwell942]

this album is in my top tops of all time. they just shook the world. they transformed pop music, to an art form, during this period and on to sgt pepper. i hop yall love this as much as i do. comment made before view.