"Eleanor Rigby" is a song that appears in Revolver. It was written by Paul McCartney but was credited as Lennon/McCartney. It was recorded on April 28-29 and June 6, 1966 and released Augeust 5 that same year.
Inspiration
Paul orginally thought up the the melody and the first line while playing with his piano.
Originally, Daisy Hawkins was the name that initially came to him until he decided to change it. The name Eleanor Rigby is a combination of two different things. Eleanor is the name of actess Eleanor Bron, who had starred in Help! a Beatles movie. Rigby is the name of a wine store in Bristol that he noticed called Rigby & Evens Ltd. Wine & Spirits Shippers. He later stated in 1984, that he "was looking for a name that sounded natural."
Father McKenzie was also originally to be named Father McCartney. But Pete Shotten, a friend of The Beatles, suggested that they change the name, thinking that people might mistake him for McCarney's real father.. So McCartney changed it to Father McKenzie, McKenzie being a name he found while flipping through the phone book.
Recording
None of The Beatles played any musical instruments and instead, a string octet of studio musicians, composed of four violins, two cellos, and two violas were used.