Born and raised in San Diego, California, RuPaul later studied performing arts in Atlanta, Georgia. He settled in New York City, where he became a popular fixture on the LGBTQ+ nightclub scene. He achieved international fame as a drag queen with the release of his debut single, "Supermodel (You Better Work)", which was included on his debut studio album Supermodel of the World (1993). He became a spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics in 1994, raising money for the Mac AIDS Fund and becoming the first drag queen to land a major cosmetics campaign. He later received his own talk show on VH1 called The RuPaul Show, which he hosted for over 100 episodes while co-hosting the morning radio show on WKTU with Michelle Visage.
RuPaul's Drag Race was created in 2009 and has gone on to produce fourteen seasons in the United States. The show has also seen success internationally, with several international variants of the show being made, such as RuPaul's Drag Race UK and Canada's Drag Race. This has also inspired several spin-offs of the main show, including RuPaul's Drag U, RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars, and RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race. He is also featured as a host on other reality television series such as Skin Wars, Good Work, and Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul.
RuPaul has made appearances in films such as Crooklyn (1994), The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), But I'm a Cheerleader (1999), television shows such as Girlboss (2017), Broad City (2017), and Grace and Frankie (2019). He later created and starred in his own Netflix original television series AJ and the Queen (2020). In addition, he has also published three books: Lettin' It All Hang Out (1995), Workin' It! RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style (2010), and GuRu (2018).
RuPaul is considered the most commercially successful drag queen in the United States. For his work on RuPaul's Drag Race, he has received 12 Primetime Emmy Awards, becoming the most-awarded person of color in the history of the Primetime Emmys. Outside of film and television, he also continues to write and record music; he has released fourteen studio albums as of 2022, and received a Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer for the musical A Strange Loop.
Hollywood U.S.A
RuPaul Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stone cold city took a bite out of me
Love of my life said he had to leave
He said â?? I love you,but I hate it, it's not for me,
I'd rather take my chances back in Tennesseeâ??
HOLLYWOOD U.S.A HOLLYWOOD U.S.A
All alone in my room full of gloom
Livin on the dark side of the moon
A phone rings not a moment too soon
Is it you coming to my rescue?
Sacrificed our love to fulfill my dreams
But everything that glitters ain't what it seems
I miss the lovin' arms that once held me
I wanted fame but all I got was misery in
HOLLYWOOD U.S.A HOLLYWOOD U.S.A
Packin up, givin in, I can't win
Going back to start over again
Greyhound bus, gotta rush to my man
Will he still be my number one fan ?
Sell your soul to be a star - workin' in a bar
Change your name to play the game - it all remains the same
Sing your song you got the part - but don't forget your heart
You'll need it when you reach the top - and you're alone in...
HOLLYWOOD U.S.A HOLLYWOOD U.S.A
I lost my love in Hollywood
I'll say goodbye to Hollywood.
In RuPaul's song Hollywood U.S.A., the lyrics tell the story of someone who has been chewed up and spit out by the entertainment industry. The singer is from Tennessee and moves to Hollywood to pursue their dreams of fame and fortune, but ends up sacrificing their relationship to do so. The love of their life leaves them, and they are left alone in their room, living on the "dark side of the moon."
The chorus reiterates the title of the song, with an emphasis on the USA, perhaps drawing attention to the American obsession with fame and celebrity culture. They realize that everything that glitters isn't gold and that Hollywood isn't all it's cracked up to be. The singer decides to leave Hollywood and go back to Tennessee, hoping to start over with their partner. The song ends on a melancholic note, with the singer saying goodbye to Hollywood and acknowledging the loss of their love.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the struggles and sacrifices that people make in pursuit of fame and success in entertainment. It acknowledges that the industry has its dark side and that often, success comes at a steep price.
Line by Line Meaning
Stone cold city took a bite out of me
The harshness of the city has negatively affected me
Love of my life said he had to leave
The person who meant the most to me had to go
He said â?? I love you,but I hate it, it's not for me,
I'd rather take my chances back in Tennesseeâ??
They expressed that they loved me, but couldn't handle being in Hollywood and preferred to leave
HOLLYWOOD U.S.A HOLLYWOOD U.S.A
Chorus reaffirming that this is all happening in Hollywood
All alone in my room full of gloom
Feeling isolated and sad in my room
Livin on the dark side of the moon
Feeling like I'm living in a negative, isolated space
A phone rings not a moment too soon
Finally receiving a call when I need it the most
Is it you coming to my rescue?
Hopeful that the person calling can help me out of my current situation
Sacrificed our love to fulfill my dreams
Gave up love in order to pursue Hollywood dreams
But everything that glitters ain't what it seems
Hollywood is not as glamorous and wonderful as it appears
I miss the lovin' arms that once held me
Longing for the love and comfort from a past relationship
I wanted fame but all I got was misery in
HOLLYWOOD U.S.A HOLLYWOOD U.S.A
Expressing that chasing fame in Hollywood only led to a miserable experience
Packin up, givin in, I can't win
Deciding to give up and leave
Going back to start over again
Leaving Hollywood to start fresh
Greyhound bus, gotta rush to my man
Taking a Greyhound bus to see a significant other
Will he still be my number one fan ?
Wondering if the significant other still supports and loves them
Sell your soul to be a star - workin' in a bar
To become famous, one may have to give up a piece of themselves and start from the bottom
Change your name to play the game - it all remains the same
Even if you change yourself to fit in and succeed, the Hollywood experience doesn't change
Sing your song you got the part - but don't forget your heart
Even if you find success, don't lose sight of who you are
You'll need it when you reach the top - and you're alone in...
HOLLYWOOD U.S.A HOLLYWOOD U.S.A
The songwriter emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself, because even at the top, it's still Hollywood, and it's still lonely
I lost my love in Hollywood
Reflecting on how Hollywood took away something that was important to me
I'll say goodbye to Hollywood.
Saying farewell to Hollywood and moving on to something new
Lyrics © SPIRIT MUSIC GROUP
Written by: RUPAUL CHARLES, TOM TRUJILLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind