Eleanor Rigby, the famously lonely fictional character who “died in a church and was buried along with her name,” in a Beatles’ song of the same name, is finally getting some company.
From rabid music memorabilia collectors, that is.
Warrington, England–based Omega Auctions, which is staging a 250-lot “Beatles Collection” auction from Sept. 11–12, has a pair of intriguing items related to the 1966 Beatles single that appeared on Revolver.
One is the original classical score written by Beatles producer George Martin, which featured four violins, two violas, and two cellos used to produce the melody track for the Lennon-McCartney song. The score is signed by both Martin and McCartney and has a pre-auction estimate of $19,000–$33,000.
The second is a truly unbelievable (and slightly macabre) piece, which only the truly rabid Beatles fan will be able to enjoy. The lot includes a deed and receipt dated 1899—along with a Bible—for a graveyard plot at Woolton Parish Church, where an actual person named Eleanor Rigby was buried. As Rolling Stone notes, the plot was discovered in the 1980s nearby an area where a young Paul McCartney and John Lennon used to hang out. (When asked if there was any connection to his writing of the song, McCartney quipped “It was either a complete coincidence or in my subconscious.”)
As the graveyard collection isn’t truly connected to the Beatles, that fact is reflected in its pre-auction estimate of just $2,500–$6,000.
Despite its failure to hit No. 1 in the U.S., “Eleanor Rigby” was a highly influential song for other American artists. Folk artist Joan Baez recorded a version in 1967, as did future Woodstock Festival opener Richie Havens on his debut album. Ray Charles also recorded a version in 1968—and pop band The Turtles found success by writing a heavily influenced hit, “Elenore,” that same year (ironically, it charted higher than “Eleanor Rigby,” hitting No. 6 on the Billboard 100).
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