The Lonely Person

 

It's a big Beatles week. Bigger than normal.

The documentary "Get Back" is coming out this week on Disney + and of course, I will be all over it.

Paul McCartney also released a collection called "The Lyrics" in which he breaks down so many of his songs. Sir Macca went to the BBC (the Beeb) and read passages from the books for a short-form podcast.

For a Beatlesophile like myself and, generally, a lover of most things McCartney, I felt I got to get this into my life.

Sorry. I had to.

As with the McCartney 3,2,1 series that he did with Rick Rubin, I'm simply the rapt audience listening to the GOAT. Funny thing about that term -- Greatest of All Time. In short, we overuse it. but, honestly (and be fair) if we can't apply to Mssrs McCartney, Lennon, Harrison, and Starkey, then exactly who can we apply it to?

Yes. Vin Scully, naturally, but I digress.

A highlight for me was the background of the dramatic sounds of "Eleanor Rigby." There has often been confusion over exactly who Eleanor Rigby was. Was she inspired by Eleanor Bron, the actress who appeared with the Lads in "Help!"?

Sort of, at least in the name. Initially "Eleanor" was going to be "Daisy Hawkins."

Equally fascinating is how he mentions Jane Asher, the actress who has dated when The Beatles exploded. He wrote many songs in the Asher's house at 57 Wimpole Street. Asher's brother, Peter, became part of the duo of Peter & Gordon and had the advantage of McCartney writing songs for them.

But I've rarely heard Paul speak of Jane Asher in any form -- and she of him -- so this was a bit of a revelation for me. Many of the early Beatle's songs that Paul wrote had to do with his relationship with Asher until he met Linda Eastman.

But McCartney and Asher were in Bristol, where she was performing. He spotted a shop sign with the name Rigby on it.

So, yeah. That happened. Paul admitted he liked the name Eleanor -- that's where Bron comes in -- and it stuck. While there is a real headstone in Liverpool with the name Eleanor Rigby on it, that's just a pure coincidence.

But the real inspiration for Eleanor Rigby was a woman who Macca knew when he was much younger. You'll have to listen to learn more.

For me, "Eleanor Rigby" holds a special place. Sean, when he was just maybe three or four, had a dream that involved the song. Plus he always loved the cat-petting scene as the song played in the "Yellow Submarine" animated movie. Additionally, I have a great-niece whose name is Eleanor and the poor thing has had to deal with me asking her where the lonely people are.

Wisely, she makes up an answer or ignores me.

Incidentally, Father McKenzie was initially "Father McCartney" but Paul -- uncomfortable with that -- found McKenzie in the phone book.

So it's fun to hear Paul throwing tidbits around in this series. For instance, he throws a bit of shade at John and Yoko, while breaking down the "diss track" called "Too Many People."

"The thing is," he says, "so much of what they held to be truth was crap. 'War is over,' well no it isn't. 

"'If enough people want war to be over it will be over?' I'm not sure that's entirely true."

"Too Many People" was an attempt -- halfhearted and almost upbeat, in pure McCartney fashion -- to respond to the digs John had taken at Paul. The most notorious version was "How Do You Sleep" in which John sings the lines 

"The only thing you done was yesterday

"And since you've gone you're just another day"

Ouch.

"F*ck you, John," McCartney blurts. It hurts to hear that but given their Northern blunt honesty that comes through it makes a lot more sense if you listen to the whole thing.

A later episode on the song "Here, Today" deals with John being gone. Having heard McCartney perform that one live -- steps from where they played at Shea Stadium in 1965, the emotion of the song is powerful.

He also gives a dig in at Bob Dylan, who he says he likes a lot but it still gave me a good laugh.

The audio series -- as well as the books -- includes passages on his solo work as well, which I've truly come to love more as time has gone by.

I don't read or listen to everything on The Beatles -- honestly, there's simply way too much -- but when Paul or Ringo speak or when Peter Jackson produces "Get Back" then I'm all ears.

And all my troubles seem so far away.

Again. I had to.