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...").
Liberty Cabbage
Rufus Wainwright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
with your stars and stripes
and sometimes, sometimes your Liberty Cabbage goes dry
but still your arms are strong
your blood runs furies inside me.
Cities of gold, mountains of purple,
Hot dogs and hamburgers eaten on your laps,
While you sit and watch them kill me with their stars and stripes
and sometimes, sometimes your liberty cabbage goes dry
but tears do flow from those eyes blue as the pacific
your table cloths checkered as chessboards
And your smile is wider than the Continental Drift
But why do you,
Why do you sit and let them stone my friends and loved ones?
Sometimes I think you're trying to kill me
with your stars and strips
and sometimes, sometimes I think you might succeed
Rufus Wainwright's song Liberty Cabbage is a critique on American patriotism and nationalism. "Liberty Cabbage" was a term used during World War I to refer to sauerkraut, which was renamed to lessen the association with Germany. The lyrics suggest that the United States is sometimes overly aggressive in its nationalistic fervor, and that this can have negative consequences. Wainwright sings, "Sometimes I think you're trying to kill me with your stars and stripes," suggesting that the strong sense of nationalism in the US can be overwhelming and oppressive.
The lyrics also contain references to iconic American symbols such as cities of gold and mountains of purple, suggesting that the country is focused on materialism and luxury. The line "Hot dogs and hamburgers eaten on your laps" further emphasizes the idea that Americans are too focused on consumption and pleasure.
Wainwright also highlights the contradictions inherent in American patriotism. On the one hand, there is a sense of pride in the country's freedoms and values, represented by the term "liberty," but on the other hand, there is a willingness to overlook the mistreatment of minorities and marginalized groups. The line "Why do you sit and let them stone my friends and loved ones?" is a powerful indictment of American complacency in the face of injustice.
Overall, Liberty Cabbage is a thought-provoking critique on American patriotism, highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of this cultural phenomenon.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I think You're trying to kill me
with your stars and stripes
At times, I feel like the USA is deliberately harming me, with the way they display their flag and represent their country.
and sometimes, sometimes your Liberty Cabbage goes dry
but still your arms are strong
Occasionally, the pride and symbolism of America may be diminished, but the country remains a powerful force.
your blood runs furIes inside me.
The passion of the United States ignites a fiery spirit within me.
Cities of gold, mountains of purple,
Hot dogs and hamburgers eaten on your laps,
The USA is full of wealth and natural beauty; it is a place where simple pleasures, such as eating fast-food, are enjoyed in the midst of splendor.
While you sit and watch them kill me with their stars and stripes
while you sit and watch them kill me with their stars and stripes
The USA observes the many injustices done to me, despite their motto of freedom and democracy.
and sometimes, sometimes your liberty cabbage goes dry
but tears do f low from those eyes blue as the pacific
Sometimes, the feeling of freedom and justice perpetuated by Americans is weakened or ruined, but this causes sadness and regret for the harm done.
your table cloths checkered as chessboards
And your smile is wider than the Continental Drift
The lively spirit of the USA is represented by its iconic visuals - such as checkered tablecloths and wide smiles - which exude excitement and opportunity.
But why do you,
Why do you sit and let them stone my friends and loved ones?
Americans may understand the horrors and abuse done to my loved ones, yet do nothing to stop it - leading me to question their integrity.
Sometimes I think you're trying to kill me
with your stars and stripes
and sometimes, sometimes I think you might succeed
Ultimately, the actions of the USA - both good and bad - can lead to feelings of hostility and danger towards myself and others.
Contributed by Elijah P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jcorn2
Thanks for uploading. Rufus sings with all of his heart.
@MontgomeryMonteiro
Thank you, this song is very special to me. I saw Rufus sing it in Toronto... and ever drive me to tears.
@zezequintas
A great song...I knew this and everytime I hear it...so beautiful...
@cearbhaill
The people who really need to hear this song wouldn't get it if they did. I think that is the saddest part of the whole piece.
@brontedesk
simply stunning
@Marina3m
Sometimes I think you're trying to kill me with these songs
@whisperingfox
"Why do you sit and watch them stone my friends and loved ones" 😢
@laurencelebacq4294
❤👌
@quavermuffin
First time I heard it too, thankyou x
@peachbot
i had this on a cd, im not quite sure how..