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...").
Do I Disappoint You
Rufus Wainwright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And not one of the elements that you can light your cigar on
Why does it always have to be fire?
Why does it always have to be brimstone?
Desire
Cool this body down
Do I disappoint you, in just being lonely?
Why does it always have to be water?
Why does it always have to be holy wine?
Destruction
Of all mankind
And do I disappoint you?
Do I disappoint you in just being like you?
Tired of being the reason the road has a shoulder
And it could be argued, why they all return to the order
Why does it always have to be chaos?
Why does it always have to be wanderlust?
Sensational
I'm gonna smash your bloody skull
'Cause, baby, no, you can't see inside
No, baby, no, you can't see my soul
Do I disappoint you?
Do I disappoint you?
In the song "Do I Disappoint You" by Rufus Wainwright, the lyrics express the vulnerability of being human and the fear of disappointing those around us. Wainwright asks if he disappoints his loved ones for simply being human, imperfect and flawed, instead of being one of the elements they can light their cigar on. The repetition of the question, "why does it always have to be" followed by fire, brimstone, water, and holy wine, suggests that there are always expectations placed on us, but we may not fit into those assigned roles. The desire for acceptance and love despite our shortcomings is apparent in the lyrics, and it is heartbreaking to think about disappointing someone we care about, no matter what role they may have in our lives.
The second verse discusses the loneliness of being human, once again questioning why we have to fit into specific roles or elements, and why it always has to be destruction or chaos. The line "of all mankind" suggests a deep sadness about the state of the world and the damage humans have caused. The chorus then repeats the question of whether or not Wainwright is disappointing the listener, or if he is disappointing himself by not being like them. The final verse speaks to frustration with being expected to always be the strong one, the reason the road has a shoulder, and the desire to break free from the mold, even if it means smashing someone else's expectations of him.
Overall, the lyrics to "Do I Disappoint You" are a poignant exploration of vulnerability, fear, and the desire for acceptance in a world full of expectations, both internal and external.
Line by Line Meaning
Do I disappoint you, in just being human?
Do I let you down by not being perfect or supernatural?
And not one of the elements that you can light your cigar on
Instead of being a supernatural element to fulfill your wants, I am merely human and cannot fulfill all of your desires.
Why does it always have to be fire?
Why does it always have to be something intense or destructive?
Why does it always have to be brimstone?
Why does it always have to be something seen as punishment or damnation?
Desire
Cool this body down
Although you may want intense and destructive things from me, I need to cool down and prioritize taking care of my own body and needs.
Do I disappoint you, in just being lonely?
Do I let you down by being lonely and unable to make you feel fulfilled in every way possible?
And not one of the elements that you can call your one and only
Unlike an elemental force, I am unable to fulfill all of your needs and be your sole partner.
Why does it always have to be water?
Why does it always have to be something pure or holy?
Why does it always have to be holy wine?
Why does it always have to be something symbolic of religion or purity?
Destruction
Of all mankind
Despite society prioritizing purity and holiness, the desire for destructive forces will ultimately lead to the destruction of all of society.
And do I disappoint you?
Do I disappoint you in just being like you?
Am I letting you down by simply being human like you instead of living up to unrealistic expectations?
Tired of being the reason the road has a shoulder
I am tired of being the one who consistently moves out of the way for others and is taken for granted.
And it could be argued, why they all return to the order
It is possible to argue that returning to the norm and order of things is a better option than chasing after unrealistic desires and destructive forces.
Why does it always have to be chaos?
Why does it always have to be something disruptive and lacking in order?
Why does it always have to be wanderlust?
Why does it always have to be something that makes you feel restless or not content with where you are?
Sensational
I'm gonna smash your bloody skull
The desire for something intense and sensational will ultimately lead to violence and destruction if not controlled.
'Cause, baby, no, you can't see inside
No, baby, no, you can't see my soul
Despite being human and not living up to unrealistic expectations, you cannot truly see and understand my soul and inner being.
Do I disappoint you?
Do I disappoint you?
Am I letting you down by not being able to fully meet all of your needs and expectations?
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind