Spinner

The 25 Most Exquisitely Sad Songs in the Whole World: No. 3

'Eleanor Rigby'
The Beatles (1966)

The Breakdown: The cute Beatle writes a timeless, devastating ode to the futility of life, set to a grieving string octet.

The Waterworks: "Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name/Nobody came."

Casualty Count: One spinster, one pair of socks.

All Sad Songs


Listen to 'Eleanor Rigby'

All the AOL Music info you want to know

Bon Iver + the Roots Turn 'Perth' Into…

Spinner

NBC Well, this is surprising. Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, the man who could not…

Miranda Lambert's Cause for the Paws…

The Boot

Rick Diamond, Getty Images for CMT Due to its growing size, Miranda Lambert's…

Wale 'Slight Work' Video: Chris…

The Boombox

Prince Williams | Chris McKay, Getty As The BoomBox previously reported, Wale…

See all AOL Music »

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

84 Comments

Filter by:
Caitlyn

I like the picture of Paul McCartney playing his acoustic guitar in his bed. Paul is my favortie Beatle and My favortie song of his were Yesterday, I've Just Seen A Face, Let It Be, The Long and Winding Road, Maybe I'm Amazed, Eleanor Rigby, Hey Jude, Blackbird, I Will, Michelle and My Love

Love you Paul!

November 20 2010 at 9:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Caitlyn

I like the picture of Paul McCartney playing his guitar in his bed. Paul McCartney is my very favortie Beatle. My favortie sad song of his were Yesterday, I've Just Seen A Face, Eleanor Rigby, Hey Jude, Let It Be, The Long and Winding Road, Maybe I'm Amazed and My Love

I love you Paul!

November 20 2010 at 9:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Caitlyn

I love Paul McCartney and He is my favorite Beatle. My favortie sad song of his were Yesterday, Let it Be, Eleanor Rigby, I've Just Seen a Face, I Will, Hey Jude, The Long and Winding Road, Maybe I'm Amazed, Blackbird, My Love and Little Lamb Dragonfly.

Love you Paul!

Love,
Caitlyn,

November 20 2010 at 9:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Travis

"For No One", "Julia", "I'm So Tired", "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away", and yes, "Yesterday", all much more deserving if you're going to put in a Beatles song. I would pick "Julia", possibly the most heart-wrenching ballad ever penned. The bridge is a thing of such sheer beauty and dreamy sadness that Beethoven himself would surely appreciate...

April 13 2010 at 3:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Travis's comment
Travis

Oh, forgot "Nowhere Man" and "In My Life". Rubber Soul is a pretty haunting album overall, lots of shades of gray in there, darker places than had been seen on previous records by the Beatles. You could tell Lennon's suburban melancholy was really starting to kick in there...

April 13 2010 at 4:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Skppygddss

I protest to listing the socks as a casualty. He was darning them, they were saved not lost. Did the writer of this article realize McCartney got the idea from a headstone in a local churchyard? Eleanor Rigby was a real person, don't know if she did live like that.

November 26 2009 at 10:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kelsey

This is one of my favorite songs by The Beatles.

August 06 2009 at 10:59 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Angela L.

Anyone who has experienced the loss of a beloved pet can truly relate to the very SAD song "Shannon", about the loss of a dog written by Henry Gross about the passing of Beach Boy, Carl Wilson's Irish Setter of the same name. "Shannon" only made it to #6 in 1976 but stayed in the Top 40 for appx. 13 weeks). The lyrics are below:

SHANNON - Words and music by Henry Gross

ANOTHER DAY IS AT END
MAMA SAYS SHE'S TIRED AGAIN
NO ONE CAN EVEN BEGIN TO TELL HER

I HARDLY KNOW WHAT TO SAY
BUT MAYBE IT'S BETTER THAT WAY
IF PAPA WERE HERE I'M SURE HE'D TELL HER

SHANNON IS GONE I HOPE SHE'S DRIFTING OUT TO SEA
SHE ALWAYS LOVED TO SWIM AWAY
MAYBE SHE'LL FIND AN ISLAND WITH A SHADY TREE
JUST LIKE THE ONE IN OUR BACKYARD

MAMA TRIES HARD TO PRETEND THINGS WILL GET
BETTER AGAIN
SOMEHOW SHE'S KEEPING IT ALL INSIDE HER

BUT FINALLY THE TEARS FILL OUR EYES
AND I KNOW THAT SOMEWHERE TONIGHT
SHE KNOWS HOW MUCH WE REALLY MISS HER

SHANNON IS GONE I HOPE SHE'S DRIFTING OUT TO SEA
SHE ALWAYS LOVED TO SWIM AWAY
MAYBE SHE'LL FIND AN ISLAND WITH A SHADY TREE
JUST LIKE THE ONE IN OUR BACKYARD

JUST LIKE THE ONE IN OUR BACKYARD

August 01 2007 at 12:07 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Angela L.'s comment
Caitlyn

Hi Angela,

Do you like The Beatles? I love the Beatles and My favorite Beatle person is Paul McCartney. My favortie sad song of his were Yesterday, Let It Be, Eleanor Rigby, The Long and Winding Road, Hey Jude, I've Just Seen A Face, Maybe I'm Amazed, My Love and Little Lamb Dragonfly.

Love,
Caitlyn,

November 20 2010 at 9:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Pie

Love this song, and the Beatles!
I don't think it's their saddest, but it's still a great song.

July 29 2007 at 3:48 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
emilia

yeaah

July 24 2007 at 11:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
PeopleDisapointMe

I must say whoever made this list is not all there... Honestly After such a devastating song like Hurt and Dance with my father, how can you possibly put such a lively upbeat song. Whatabout Hey Jude. That would be more appropriate. Ugh.

July 23 2007 at 2:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply