Eleanor Rigby Demo

Does anyone know about or has anyone heard of any demos that Paul may

2579qpw...

There's a fragment of a demo that circulates. It's a short snippet of
Paul singing the "All the lonely people, where do they all come from"
line twice, accompanied by acoustic guitar. It sounds similar to the
style of the White Album demos that circulate. I think this
particular Eleanor Rigby demo was sold at auction, and this is a short
sample made available prior to the auction taking place.

have made for the song Eleanor Rigby? The final version of just him
singing with a string quartet is great but I wonder how he envisioned
it initially when he wrote it. I'm sure he didn't immediately come up
with the idea of just using a string quartet (perhaps it was because of
George Martin's influence and suggestion?)

I mean, did he just come up with the melody in his head and sing it a
cappella from the very beginning evolution of the song or did he
actually make a demo of the song playing a guitar or piano for
accompaniment?

Chuck...

-H

Remember, in the Anthology video, they show him playing and singing
"Rigby" with just a guitar; taped at the time of the Anthology
interviews.

Robert...

That was the worst part of the Anthology for me. I hated the way he
sang it.

Jeff...

Sure, cause he originally sang it about 40 years earlier..with a better
voice.
Ever heard lately how the lead singer for the "Guess Who" sings
now..compared
to 1969? John Fogerty isn't too bad today though..but nothing like he
sang in the
60's.

I can't imagine hearing Eleanor Rigby any other way but I would loved
to hear how the song evolved. Any demos of this song (if it existed)
would have been perfect for the Beatles Anthology. As is, they did put
only the background string quartet version on one of the Anthology CDs.

donz5...

Can't answer the demo question, but in 1995 (March 23), Paul performed
ER with a string quartet (The Brodsky Quartet) and his guitar (strummed
only during the refrains "All the lonely people") at a benefit for the
Royal College of Music in London that was broadcast a month later.

Newly arranged by Michael Thomson, it's one of my favorite renditions
of the song.

The evening also included a new string-quartet-arranged performance of
"For No One" (with French Horn), "Lady Madonna," and the
Martin-arranged performance of "Yesterday." As well as a great
duo-guitar performance of "One After 909" with Elvis Costello.

ermitano...

that sounds interesting
do u know where can i download those songs? i'd really wanted to hear
them
maybe someone had uploaded in youtube..? it would be great
anyway, i'm gonna try to find them

A bit of trivia: this was the only Beatles song where none of the
Beatles played any instruments.

Mikael Uhlin...

What about "Within You Without You" and "Goodnight"? George may play on WYWY
but I think no Beatle plays on "Goodnight".

Jeff...

heard the rest of the instruments in his mind..and of course..Martin
helped.

Rocket Scientist...

I'd love to hear the demo. Can you give me a link to it?

Looks like my first attempt at trivia was a disaster. How about this
for people with too much time on their hands? Can you give more
examples of the following?

Beatle songs with minimal lyrics:

Robert...

Add Wild Honey Pie to that list!

And Carry That Weight...

Birthday is pretty much built around 3 phrases (the verse/chorus, the
"party, party" section, and "I would like you to dance"). OK, maybe it
doesn't count...

Sun King only has two sensible lyric phrases as the Spanish / Italian
part is nonsense.

12 Bar Original???

Flying
I Want You/She's So Heavy
You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)
Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
(No one will be watching us)
Revolution Number 9
(Number 9...and then you get naked)

Bill Kawalec...

I Wanna Be Your Man

Beatle songs that start with the bridge or portion of the bridge:

Strawberry Fields Forever
Can't Buy Me Love

donz5...

These songs actually begin with the refrain, or chorus. Add "She Loves
You" and probably others I'm too lazy to think of right now.

Bill Kawalec...

"It Won't Be Long," I think...

Rocket Scientist...

Hey, thanks for the input. I've been thinking about the Beatles songs
"Her Majesty" and "I Want You/She's So Heavy" and the way they end
abruptly. Since you are so good at this, do you know of any other
songs (Beatles or otherwise) that have abrupt endings?

I remember listening to the Abbey Road record late at night with
headphones on, lying on the couch in the dark. The way the record
ended was very surprising especially the way the song's "wind" effects
had me drifting off like I was flying. When the song ended, I felt
like I had just abruptly fallen to earth. Back then, the record just
ended and the needle lifted off the turntable and the record player
automatically turned off. (Yes, I'm that old.) Nowadays, the CD just
goes into George's "Here Comes the Sun" so that surreal experience is

sequentially...

Make yourself 1 Cd that goes up to "She's so Heavy...and another CD,
starting with "Here comes the sun. Your surreal experience will
be right back!

Rocket Scientist...

Actually, the sounds of the arm with the needle lifting off the record
and returning to its cradle along with the sound of the turntable
clicking off would be missing. Unless I recorded that sound on an
audio file and then copied it to the end of the CD...

sequentially...

Yep. Hey, Radio shack sells turntables.

Jeff

CDBaby:
Amazon:

CDBaby:
Amazon:

missing.

terra...

Try A Day In The Life.

Beatle songs that start with a intro different from the rest of the
song:

If I Fell
Here, There, and Everywhere
Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer
(Okay, this wasn't a Beatles song. Just keeping you on your toes.)

donz5...

Add "Do You Want to Know a Secret."

Bill Kawalec...

Help!