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...").
The Greek Song
Rufus Wainwright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You turn me on you turn me on
You have to know
You who were born where the sun she keeps her distance
You turn me on you turn me on
But so does she
You who were born there where beauty is existence
Your body heals my soul
You who were born where you shiver and you shudder
You turn me on the girl is gone so come on
Let's go
All the pearls of China
Fade astride a volta
Don't sew beelines to anybody's hide
Save your poison for a lover who is on your side
One way is Rome and the other way is Mecca
On either side on either side
Of our motorbike
One way is home and the other way is papa
On either side on either side and prepared to strike.
When I get back
I will dream in Barnes and Noble's
Oh leave me here oh leave me
Where angles fear to tread
When I get back I will bleed after my beating
Don't leave me here don't leave me here
I'm scared to death
All the pearls of China
Fade astride a volta
Don't sew beelines to anybody's hide
Save your poison for a lover who is on you side
All the pearls of China
Fade astride a volta
Don't sew beelines to anybody's hide
Save your poison for a lover who is on your side.
The lyrics to Rufus Wainwright's song "Greek Song" are full of mystical imagery that is generally open to interpretation. The song seems to be describing a woman who was born under a unique set of circumstances, including having the sun above her shoulders or living in a place where beauty is existence. This woman is described as having a powerful effect on the singer - she turns him on both physically and emotionally, and her body heals his soul.
However, these positive images are occasionally contrasted with darker sentiments. The woman also comes from a place where she shivers and shudders, and she seems to disappear at some point. The lyrics also reference "poison" and bleeding after a beating, suggesting that this relationship may not be entirely healthy. There are references to Rome, Mecca, and a motorbike, which seem to suggest a journey being taken by both the singer and the woman in question. However, the true meaning of the song remains elusive, leaving the audience to interpret it for themselves.
In terms of interesting facts about the song, there are several unique details to note. For one, the song appears on Rufus Wainwright's debut album, which was released in 1998. The album was produced by Jon Brion, who has worked with numerous other artists, including Fiona Apple and Kanye West. "Greek Song" was never released as a single, so it didn't receive much airplay or attention from mainstream audiences. However, the song has become a fan favorite and is often performed at Wainwright's concerts.
Another interesting detail is that the song's title is likely a reference to the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. In the myth, Orpheus is a musician who travels to the underworld to rescue his wife, Eurydice, who has died. The song's lyrics contain references to journeys and to a woman who disappears, which could be interpreted as references to this myth. Additionally, the song's chorus repeats the phrase "save your poison for a lover who is on your side," which could be a reference to the Greek myth of Medea, who kills her children to spite her unfaithful husband.
While it's difficult to pinpoint the exact meaning of "Greek Song," it's clear that the song is full of vivid imagery and emotional intensity. Whether describing the beauty of a woman or the darkness of a relationship, Rufus Wainwright's song captures a sense of longing and desire that is both alluring and haunting.
Chords:
Verse:
G B C G
G B C D
C B Am G
C B Am D
Chorus:
G Am Em D
G Am Em D
G Am Em D
C G/B Am D/F# Gsus4 G
Line by Line Meaning
You who were born with the sun above your shoulders
You, born with privileges and advantages, attract me
You turn me on you turn me on
You captivate me and make me desire you
You have to know
It is important that you understand
You who were born where the sun she keeps her distance
You, from a place where love and warmth are rare, still attract me
But so does she
But that place still holds a certain allure
You who were born there where beauty is existence
You, from a place where beauty is inherent and ever-present, enchant me
Your body heals my soul
Being with you rejuvenates me on a deep level
You who were born where you shiver and you shudder
You, from a place of discomfort and fear, excite me
You turn me on the girl is gone so come on
You still arouse me, despite the absence of another woman
Let's go
Let's move forward together
All the pearls of China
All the valuable things in the world
Fade astride a volta
Lose their worth over time
Don't sew beelines to anybody's hide
Don't stay committed to someone who is not good for you
Save your poison for a lover who is on your side
Preserve your strength and love for someone who reciprocates it
One way is Rome and the other way is Mecca
There are multiple paths one can take in life
On either side on either side
You have options
Of our motorbike
Of our life journey
One way is home and the other way is papa
One path leads to comfort and familiarity, the other to the unknown
On either side on either side and prepared to strike.
Both paths are viable and potentially rewarding
When I get back
When I return to reality
I will dream in Barnes and Noble's
I will escape my troubles and find solace in books
Oh leave me here oh leave me
Allow me to stay in this refuge
Where angles fear to tread
Where few are brave enough to venture
When I get back I will bleed after my beating
I will suffer, but take it as an opportunity to heal
Don't leave me here don't leave me here
Don't abandon me in my struggles
I'm scared to death
I'm terrified of what's to come
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind