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...").
I Can't give you anything but love
Rufus Wainwright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know what to do
Can't get you a Thunderbird
Or a penthouse with a view
Can't even buy a little present
I'm much too broke, I find
But there is a way I can save the day
And I sure hope you don't mind that
I can't give you anything but love, baby
That's the only thing I've plenty of, baby
Dream awhile, scheme awhile, you're sure to find
Happiness and I guess, all those things you've always pined for
Gee, I'd like to see you looking swell
Baby, diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell
Baby, till that lucky day
You know darn well, baby
I can't give you anything but love
Gee, I'd like to see you looking swell
Baby, diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell
Baby, till that lucky day
You know darn well, baby
I can't give you anything
I can't give you anything
I can't give you anything
But love
Happy birthday, Tony!
In Rufus Wainwright's song "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," the singer expresses lamentations about their inability to shower their lover with lavish gifts due to their financial hardship. The singer acknowledges that they can't provide their partner with material possessions such as a Thunderbird car, a penthouse with a beautiful view or a diamond bracelet found in Woolworths. Despite this, the singer is still confident in their ability to provide love to their partner as it’s the one thing they have plenty of.
The singer encourages their partner to dream, scheme and work towards their dreams, and they'll be sure to find solace and happiness. The singer reiterates that, ultimately, they can't give their partner anything else, but they will always give them their love. The song signifies the theme that love is the most important component of a relationship over material gifts.
The lyrics of the song portray a sense of timelessness as they were written in the 1920s (B.G. DeSylva and Dorothy Fields), yet they still resonate with audiences in the present day. The song is an expression of the artistry and inventiveness of the great songwriters of the pre-World War II era. The simplicity and purity of the lyrics communicate a sense of devotion and sincerity that is not often portrayed in modern love songs.
Line by Line Meaning
Now that it's your birthday
Tony's birthday is a special occasion, but the singer is unsure how to celebrate it.
I don't know what to do
The singer is uncertain how to make Tony's birthday special since they cannot afford expensive gifts.
Can't get you a Thunderbird
The singer cannot buy Tony a fancy car like a Thunderbird.
Or a penthouse with a view
The singer cannot afford to buy Tony a luxurious penthouse with a view.
Can't even buy a little present
The singer is too broke to afford even a small gift for Tony.
I'm much too broke, I find
The singer cannot afford to buy anything for Tony's birthday.
But there is a way I can save the day
Despite the lack of money, the singer thinks of a way to make Tony happy on their birthday.
And I sure hope you don't mind that
The singer hopes that Tony does not mind that they cannot afford expensive gifts on their birthday.
I can't give you anything but love, baby
The only gift the singer can give to Tony on their birthday is love and affection.
That's the only thing I've plenty of, baby
The singer has an abundance of love to give to Tony, even if they cannot afford material gifts.
Dream awhile, scheme awhile, you're sure to find
The singer encourages Tony to dream and scheme, knowing that they will find happiness.
Happiness and I guess, all those things you've always pined for
By dreaming and scheming, Tony will find happiness and the things they have always wanted.
Gee, I'd like to see you looking swell
The singer wants Tony to look and feel great on their birthday.
Baby, diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn't sell
The singer cannot afford to buy Tony a diamond bracelet from a fancy store like Woolworth.
Baby, till that lucky day
Until the day when the singer can afford to buy Tony fancy gifts, all they can give them is love.
You know darn well, baby
Tony already knows that the singer cannot afford to buy them fancy gifts, but loves them anyway.
I can't give you anything but love
Once again, the singer reiterates that love is the only gift they can give Tony on their birthday.
I can't give you anything
The singer cannot afford to buy Tony any material gifts, but still loves them.
I can't give you anything
Once again, the singer repeats that they cannot afford to buy Tony gifts.
I can't give you anything
The final repetition emphasize that the singer is unable to afford material gifts, but still wants to show their love.
But love
Despite their financial struggles, the singer can always give Tony their love.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind