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 Don't Know What It Is
Rufus Wainwright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you got to do it
I don't know where to go
But you got to be there
I don't know where to fall
But I know that it's comfortable, well
I don't know where it is
And a bucket of rhymes I threw up somewhere
Want a locket of who made me lose
My perfunctory view of all that is around
And of all that I do
So I knock on the door, take a step that is new
Never been here before
Is there anyone else who's too
In love with beauty
Playing all of the games
And thinks three's company
Is there anyone else who has slightly mysterious bruises
I don't know what it is
Sick and looking around at friendly faces
All declaring a war on far off places
Is there anyone else who is through
With complaining about what's done unto us
So I knock on the door
And I am on a train
Going God knows where to
To get me over, to get me over
Get me heaven or hell, Calais or Dover
I was hoping the train was my big number
Docking in Santa Fe and the Atchison Topeka
But we're chugging along, done away by the crossing hands
We'll heading for Poland or limbo or Lower Manhattan
Find myself running around
I don't know what it is
To get me over
I don't know what it is
To get me over
I don't know what it is
To get me over
To get me over
You gotta do it
You gotta be there
At its core, Rufus Wainwright's "I Don't Know What It Is" is a song about uncertainty but the beauty of being alive and experiencing all the unknowns that life has to offer. In the first verse, Wainwright sings about not knowing what to do or where to go but acknowledging the need to take action in some direction. The following lines describe a sense of comfort in the unknown and a desire for something more than routine. The second verse touches on the idea of growth and learning through taking a step into the unknown. Wainwright expresses a desire to break free from mundane complaints and embrace the mystery and beauty of life.
The chorus is a repetition of the phrase "I don't know what it is, to get me over," which captures the essence of the song. The line illustrates the feeling of being stuck in a rut but recognizing that there is something more to life. In the final verse, Wainwright continues with the imagery of traveling on a train towards an unknown destination, but with the hope that it will lead to heaven or hell, Santa Fe or Lower Manhattan. The song ends with a reiteration of the need to take action and to be present in the experience of living.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know what it is
I'm not sure what exactly it is that I'm searching for.
But you got to do it
I know I have to keep searching and trying to find what it is I need.
I don't know where to go
I'm lost and uncertain about where my journey will take me.
But you got to be there
I have to stay present and open-minded to what is around me, even if I don't know where I'm headed.
I don't know where to fall
I'm not sure where my path will lead me, but I know that I will find comfort when I do.
But I know that it's comfortable, well
Even though I don't know where I'll fall, I am confident that I will find a comfortable place to rest and be at peace.
I don't know where it is
The destination of my journey is still unknown to me.
Putting all of my time in learning to care
I'm focusing my energy on building empathy and compassion for others.
And a bucket of rhymes I threw up somewhere
I have a wealth of creativity and ideas, but I've lost track of where I put them.
Want a locket of who made me lose
I wish I could understand what caused me to lose my way.
My perfunctory view of all that is around
My superficial way of looking at the world has been shattered, and I'm searching for a deeper understanding.
And of all that I do
I'm questioning everything I've done and seeking a new perspective on my choices.
So I knock on the door, take a step that is new
I'm ready to take a risk and try something different to find what I'm looking for.
Never been here before
This is completely uncharted territory for me.
Is there anyone else who's too
I wonder if there are others out there feeling lost and searching for answers.
In love with beauty
I have a deep appreciation for the beauty in the world around me.
Playing all of the games
I'm navigating the complexities of life, including societal norms, expectations, and relationships.
And thinks three's company
I prefer to surround myself with a few close friends rather than having a large group of acquaintances.
Is there anyone else who has slightly mysterious bruises
I wonder if there are others who also have unexplained pain or trauma that they've kept hidden from the world.
Sick and looking around at friendly faces
I'm feeling physically or emotionally unwell but am surrounded by people who care about me.
All declaring a war on far off places
Everyone around me is focused on issues that seem far removed from my own struggles.
Is there anyone else who is through
I wonder if anyone else is tired of constantly feeling lost and seeking answers.
With complaining about what's done unto us
I'm tired of dwelling on the negative things that have happened to me and want to move forward with my life.
And I am on a train
I'm in motion and heading somewhere, even if I don't know where that is yet.
Going God knows where to
I have no idea where this journey will ultimately take me.
To get me over, to get me over
I'm searching for something that will lift me up and help me move forward with my life.
Get me heaven or hell, Calais or Dover
I'm open to finding any kind of outcome on this journey, whether it's positive or negative.
I was hoping the train was my big number
I had high expectations for this journey, hoping it would be the solution to all of my problems.
Docking in Santa Fe and the Atchison Topeka
I had a specific destination in mind that I was hoping to reach.
But we're chugging along, done away by the crossing hands
I'm realizing that my journey may be more unpredictable and challenging than I originally thought.
We'll heading for Poland or limbo or Lower Manhattan
The destination of this journey could be anywhere, even places I've never considered before.
Find myself running around
I'm feeling lost and aimless, unsure of which direction to go next.
To get me over
I'm still searching for something to lift me up and give my life purpose.
You gotta do it
I know that I have to keep moving forward, even if I don't know where I'm headed yet.
You gotta be there
I have to stay present and open to what is around me, even if I don't know where my journey is taking me.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Rufus Wainwright
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kutsalkaanbilgin
one of the best songs ever written
@malinlundstrom5879
yes
@glammer
I cannot concur with this sentiment enough to express my wholehearted agreeability with its robust correctness.
@Moon_Fire_Water
And the Harvey girls reference is amazing and only a true Judy fan would recognize the nod!! "I was hoping the train was my big number docking the Santa fe and the Atchison Topeka"
@amerifilm1
I always loved that reference!
@kamelryke31
My favorite...
@stanandrus1139
Rufus Wainwright's music is surly proof that the mainstream will never acquire a taste for good music.
@videohut4445
Great song.
I was blown away when I first heard it in 2005.
@Ibanv10
This song surely has something special. The way it flows is magic. Pure talent!!!
@katastrophenschutzwa
Rufus Wainwright. Best performance at Glastonbury 2022 by a country mile.