In the new wave era, few frontmen could match the prolific songwriting of Sting. As the creative force behind The Police, he penned iconic tracks like the haunting “Every Breath You Take,” the reggae-infused “Roxanne,” and the shimmering “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” These songs, with their infectious melodies and innovative guitar work, defined the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continue to captivate audiences decades later.
Although The Police disbanded in the mid-1980s, Sting’s passion for songwriting did not fade. He launched a solo career, producing timeless tracks such as “Fields Of Gold” and “Englishman In New York.” While his solo work may not have matched the commercial success of his time with The Police, Sting’s talent for crafting memorable songs remained undeniable.
However, even a songwriter as accomplished as Sting has songs he wishes he had written, and many of these come from Paul McCartney, the legendary Beatle and one of the greatest songwriters in history. Sting’s admiration for Paul McCartney runs deep, with the former Police frontman openly acknowledging McCartney’s profound influence on his own career.
In an interview with Clash, Sting revealed that McCartney was a significant inspiration long before he began writing his own songs. He shared that McCartney was “one of the reasons he became a songwriter,” citing the Beatle’s ability, alongside John Lennon, to “conquer the world with their songs,” a feat that inspired an entire generation of working-class kids to follow in their footsteps.
Sting, being part of that generation, took this inspiration to heart and built a remarkable career. Yet, he still finds himself in awe of McCartney’s songwriting prowess. Among the many McCartney compositions he admires, one stands out above the rest: the 1966 classic “Eleanor Rigby.”
“Eleanor Rigby,” featured on The Beatles’ groundbreaking album Revolver, captivated Sting with its “compelling, mysterious, and utterly surprising” nature. The song’s haunting opening, delivered by McCartney, Lennon, and George Harrison in eerie harmony, immediately grabs the listener’s attention with the refrain, “Ah, look at all the lonely people.”
The song’s instrumentation is equally striking, consisting solely of harsh, emotive strings that amplify McCartney’s poignant lyrics. The narrative of “Eleanor Rigby” was inspired partly by Help! star Eleanor Bron and the elderly women McCartney used to assist during his youth. The lyrics, such as “Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been, lives in a dream,” paint a vivid picture of loneliness and longing, themes that resonated deeply with Sting.
Despite understanding the inspirations behind the song, Sting acknowledges that “Eleanor Rigby” retains an air of mystery and melancholy. The characters in the song, though surrounded by voices, seem isolated in their loneliness, a sentiment that McCartney and Lennon conveyed with subtlety and power. Sting described the song as “utterly surprising,” particularly for its time, as it was a darker, more experimental piece than what audiences were accustomed to from The Beatles or the radio in general.
“Eleanor Rigby” marked a significant shift in The Beatles’ musical direction, signaling the more experimental and introspective path they would explore in the years to come. Despite its somber tone, the song resonated with audiences and remains one of The Beatles’ most beloved tracks—a testament to McCartney’s songwriting genius and, perhaps, the reason it’s envied by Sting.
