Wainwright was born in Rhinebeck, New York, USA, to folk singers Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle (they divorced while he was a child). He began to play the piano at age six, and by age thirteen he was touring with his sister Martha Wainwright, mother Kate, and aunt Anna as the McGarrigle Sisters and Family.
His song I'm A-Runnin', which he performed in the movie Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller (in which he also played a minor character), was nominated for the 1989 Genie Award for Best Original Song and earned him a nomination for the 1990 Juno Award for Most Promising Male Vocalist.
He lived in Montreal with his mother for most of his childhood and briefly attended McGill University, where he studied both classical and 'rock' piano. Some of his songs feature his mastery of French. Wainwright still maintains a residence in Canada.
He came out as gay while still a teen.
Wainwright became interested in opera throughout his adolescent years (for instance, his track Barcelona features lyrics of Giuseppe Verdi). He also became an enthusiast of such performers as Édith Piaf, Al Jolson and Judy Garland.
After having been a fixture on the Montreal club circuit, Wainwright cut a series of demo tapes, one of which found itself in the hands of DreamWorks executive Lenny Waronker. The label signed him and he released the self-titled Rufus Wainwright album in the spring of 1998. This album received much critical acclaim in Canada, and was recognized by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the best albums of the year. Wainwright's second album, Poses (2001), brought similar acclaim.
Wainwright's first main exposure to the American public came as an opener to singer Tori Amos in 2001 and 2002. He garnered praise for his performance and began touring as a main act shortly afterwards. He has frequently toured as the opener for Sting and co-headlined with Ben Folds and Guster in the summer of 2004. He still often performs with his sister Martha Wainwright (now herself an emerging artist) on backup vocals. Despite a growing cult following and critical acclaim, Wainwright has experienced only marginal commercial success in the United States.
In addition to being a pianist, Wainwright is a guitarist, often switching between the two instruments when performing live; however, his mastery of the guitar does not approach his talent with the piano within the Piano rock genre. While some of his most moving songs feature just Wainwright with his piano, many of his songs display complex layering and harmonies, occasionally comprising hundreds of individual parts. Wainwright is an avid opera fan, and the influences on his music are evident, as well as his love of Schubert 'Lieder'; his music has been described as "Popera" (Pop Opera) or "Baroque Pop." His lyrics are filled with allusions to opera, literature, pop culture, and, more recently, politics (in songs such as Gay Messiah and Waiting for a Dream). Wainwright is a recovering crystal meth addict and a rape survivor; he uses the press to bring awareness to these societal problems.
His talent has been widely recognized and praised by such artists as Elton John, Morrissey, John Mayer, and Sting, and he continues to influence artists like Keane, Alanis Morissette, Scissor Sisters, and Ben Folds.
Wainwright's Want Two, from which four songs were released as the EP Waiting for a Want, was released by DreamWorks/Geffen on November 16, 2004. It is a companion to the 2003 release Want One. His latest, a live iTunes Sessions EP entitled Alright Already, was released March 15, 2005. A DVD entitled All I Want, featuring a biographical documentary, music videos, and live performances, was released on both sides of the Atlantic in summer 2005. The same year was also notable for two major contributions as solo vocalist to a pair of important records: the Mercury Prize winning I am a Bird Now and At This Time.
The pair of Want albums was repackaged as Want for a late November 2005 release to coincide with the start of a British tour. The version of Want One is that which contains the two extra songs Es Mus Sein and Velvet Curtain Rag. The Want (Want One and Want Two combined) package in the UK has two new extra tracks: Chelsea Hotel No. 2 and In with the Ladies, which replace Coeur de Parisienne — Reprise d'Arletty and Quand Vous Mourez de Nos Amours from 2004's augmented edition.
Rufus' fifth studio album Release the Stars was released by Geffen on May 15, 2007. The album was executive produced by Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys and featured Richard Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Martha Wainwright, Kate McGarrigle, Neil Tennant, Joan Wasser, Julianna Raye, Larry Mullins - pka Toby Dammit and Sian Phillips.[14]. It reached number 2 in the UK and debuted at number 23 in the USA. The first single of the album, "Going To A Town" was released on April 3, 2007 on the iTunes music store.
Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall is his sixth album. It is a live recording of his June 2006 tribute concert to Judy Garland. Backed by a 36-piece orchestra under the conduction of Stephen Oremus, Wainwright recreated Garland's April 23, 1961 concert, often considered "the greatest night in show business history." After overcoming many personal problems, her comeback performance of 25+ American standards spawned the double album, "Judy at Carnegie Hall."
As well as Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller, Wainwright has appeared in the films The Aviator and Heights. Rufus has music in the film Brokeback Mountain, for which he recorded The Maker Makes and King of the Road, as well as a minor cameo as a guitar player.
Wainwright released his sixth studio album All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu in March 2010. In stark contrast to the lush ornamentation of Release The Stars, the album is a simple voice and piano rendition of a song cycle that includes versions of three Shakespeare sonnets, and an excerpt from his 2009 opera Prima Donna.
The Lulu figure of the title is said by Wainwright to be "the dark, brooding, dangerous woman that lives within all of us", similar to the Dark Lady character in Shakespeare's sonnets. The first part of the title comes from the final couplet of William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 43" ("All days are nights to see till I see thee...").
A Bit of You
Rufus Wainwright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A bit of you is the only substance I cannot refuse
When I walk on Spring
Beneath the stink a bit of you is all I smell
Upon the shelves a bit of you I ask "they sell?"
When I walk on Spring
Cause there ain't no style
Cause there ain't no style
And in fact there is just one other problem
You live up in Harlem
Of course I had no knowledge of this at the time
That came après July on the Upper West Side
Waiting for the fall
When from the Battery on up to your front door
From mother ship the rocket launching twister whores
Would blow up it all
Cause there ain't no style
No there ain't no style
Cause there ain't no style...
And in fact there is just one other problem
I would have spared Harlem
Affections sent, straight to Chekov, say you need me
Don't you need me, wait I thought we were on Broadway
No, my daddy said so: "still outside of Moscow"
Affections sent, straight to Chekov, say you need me
Don't you need me, wait I thought we were on Broadway
No, my daddy said so: "still outside of Moscow"
And so the days creep up to my big final show
And not a word from you, the hours I must blow
So I walk and see
Upon the streets a faded island, press on eyes
A big old pool of you's, zillions I realize
And just one of me
Cause there ain't no style...
Cause there ain't no style
No there ain't no style
Cause there ain't no style...
And in fact there is just one other problem
You've infected Harlem
Guess I won't be waiting several hours
Before nightfall for that A train,
Just the hiss of the dumes band playing
The song A Bit of You by Rufus Wainwright is an ode to love and addiction. It begins with the confession that the only drug the singer must abuse and the only substance he cannot refuse is a bit of the person he loves. The scent of this person lingers in the air and upon the shelves, reminding the singer of their lover’s presence. However, there is an issue that threatens to keep them apart: the fact that the person lives in Harlem. The singer seems to wish that they lived somewhere else, so that they could fully indulge in their love affair.
The second verse reveals a backstory of the relationship, with the singer acknowledging that they had no knowledge of the distance between them at the beginning of the relationship, but that they have since learned the painful truth. The final verse shows the singer pining for their lover, who is not responding to their affections. Although there is a sense of loss and disappointment, the singer is determined to carry on, albeit without their lover. The final lines of the song suggest that the singer is resigned to their fate, as they listen to the sounds of the city around them.
Line by Line Meaning
A bit of you the only drug I must abuse
You are the only addiction that I need to satisfy, even if it's unhealthy for me
A bit of you is the only substance I cannot refuse
I cannot resist you and always crave you, as you bring meaning and fulfillment to my life
When I walk on Spring
During my walks when the weather is nice
Beneath the stink a bit of you is all I smell
Despite the unpleasant odors present, I can detect your scent within them
Upon the shelves a bit of you I ask "they sell?"
I wonder if there is anything related to you being sold in the stores I pass by
Cause there ain't no style
This situation lacks any sense of coolness or sophistication
And in fact there is just one other problem
The current issue is not the only obstacle in this situation
You live up in Harlem
Your place of residence is in Harlem
Of course I had no knowledge of this at the time
Initially, I was unaware of your whereabouts
That came après July on the Upper West Side
I found out after something had already happened in July on the Upper West Side
Waiting for the fall
I was anticipating a change or shift in events that would occur in the near future
When from the Battery on up to your front door
From the southernmost tip of Manhattan to your residence located in the north
From mother ship the rocket launching twister whores
An unknown group of people who are likened to spaceship crews from sci-fi movies were responsible for the uproar that ensued
Would blow up it all
They caused chaos and destruction
Affections sent, straight to Chekov, say you need me
I reached out to you through a message sent that was inspired by the works of playwright Anton Chekov to communicate my desire for your companionship
Don't you need me, wait I thought we were on Broadway
I thought our relationship was something grand and theatrical
No, my daddy said so: "still outside of Moscow"
Your father expressed that you are still out of my reach, like a location that is far away from Moscow
And so the days creep up to my big final show
The days are approaching quickly towards an important event where I will perform or present something significant
And not a word from you, the hours I must blow
You have not communicated or responded to me, leaving me with idle time to waste
Upon the streets a faded island, press on eyes
The surroundings are bleak, and my eyes feel strained due to the unremarkable view
A big old pool of you's, zillions I realize
I realize that there are many versions or elements of you present, alluding to the idea that you are everywhere
And just one of me
I feel isolated and alone in this situation
You've infected Harlem
Your mere presence has affected the community of Harlem in some way
Guess I won't be waiting several hours
I won't bother waiting for hours anymore
Before nightfall for that A train,
I won't wait until it gets dark for the train
Just the hiss of the dumes band playing
Instead, I will listen to the sound of the nearby jazz band playing their instruments
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
stella V.M.
"VOIX EXCLUSIVE", j'adore ! avec griffe ! félicitations et merci, FIP
guellrich
Very good. Many thanks!
Tieum
Je tiens seulement a dire que je survis grace au chanvre et que musicalement,the hacker c vraiment trés chiant ! Genre ....chiasse...BISOUS.