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...").
Vibrate
Rufus Wainwright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Electroclash is karaoke too
I tried to dance Britney Spears
I guess I'm getting on in years
My phone's on vibrate for you
God knows what all these new drugs do
I guess to have no more fears
My phone's on vibrate for you
But still I never ever feel from you
Pinocchio's now a boy who wants to turn
Back into a toy
So call me, call me in the morning
Call me in the night, so call me
Call me any time you like
My phone's on vibrate for you, for you
The opening barrage of lyrics in the song "Vibrate" by Rufus Wainwright outlines his current state of mind and existence. He sings about how his phone is always on vibrate mode, just waiting for a notification or call from the one he loves. The electroclash reference is a nod to his love for electronic music – even though he's singing about waiting for someone, he's still plugged in with the world. The Britney Spears line hints at his age, suggesting he's getting older, but that he's also still youthful as he curates his music taste. All of these lyrics highlight the idea that he's waiting for something – love, connection, belonging – and that he's steeped in nostalgia for a past that's long gone.
Continuing on, Wainwright refers to new drugs that he has no idea about, admitting that he doesn't understand or partake in the latest trends or fads. However, he sings that he still can't shake his fears and anxieties – in fact, he's always ending up in tears. This highlights the idea that even as time moves on and he's more disconnected from the current happenings in the world, he's still human and vulnerable. The final few lines of the song reference the classic tale of Pinocchio, likening himself to the once-wooden toy that wanted to be human, and then yearning to be a toy again. The chorus emphasizes his desire to be connected to someone who loves him and who he can love back – his phone may be on vibrate constantly, but he still never feels from this loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
My phone's on vibrate for you
I'm waiting for your call so eagerly that I put my phone on vibrate, just in case I miss it
Electroclash is karaoke too
I like modern music trends, but they don't always satisfy me completely
I tried to dance Britney Spears
I'm not the youngest anymore, but I still try to follow mainstream pop culture every now and then
I guess I'm getting on in years
I realize that I'm growing older and losing touch with current trends and fads
God knows what all these new drugs do
I'm wary of the unknown and potentially dangerous substances that people experiment with
I guess to have no more fears
People turn to drugs to feel better, to numb the pain and the fear they experience in their lives
But still I always end up in tears
Despite our desperate attempts to feel better, we still end up feeling empty, hopeless and in despair
But still I never ever feel from you
No matter what I do, I can't seem to get the love and affection I need and desire from you
Pinocchio's now a boy who wants to turn
I feel like a lost and confused child, who wants to be something else, to change, to be loved and accepted for who I am
Back into a toy
I long for the simplicity and innocence of childhood, where everything was easier and more pure
So call me, call me in the morning
I long to hear your voice, to feel your love and attention, even if it's just a phone call
Call me in the night, so call me
I need you to be there for me, to comfort me, to listen to me, to love me, especially when I'm feeling lonely and vulnerable
Call me any time you like
I'm always waiting for you, whenever you feel like calling, whenever you need me
My phone's on vibrate for you, for you
Everything I do, I do it for you, I'm always thinking about you, hoping that you'll reach out to me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Shondrae L Crawford, Moses Iii Barrett, Rasheeda Buckner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
GoGo López
Mi teléfono está en vibración por ti
Electroclash también está en karaoke
Intento bailar Britney Spears
Supongo que me estoy haciendo viejo
Mi teléfono está en vibración por ti
Dios sabe qué hacen todas estas nuevas drogas
Supongo que hacerte dejar de tener miedo
Pero igualmente acabo siempre llorando
Mi teléfono está en vibración por ti
Pero aun así nunca te siento
Ahora Pinocho es un niño
Que quiere volver a ser un juguete
Así que llámame
Llámame por la mañana
Llámame por la noche
Así que llámame
Llámame cuando quieras
Mi teléfono está en vibración por ti
Por ti...
Angie M.
Omg, this guys voice is so amazing. I could recognize his voice out of millions.
JON SECADA
Thank you so for liking and watching and listening to my songs, your comments and constant support has brought me this far. I hope you have been well entertained over the years?
Mario König
His voice is as powerful as the sunshine shining through my lonely heart. I love him so much.
Caitlin Donnelly
His voice is beautiful
JON SECADA
Thank you so for liking and watching and listening to my songs, your comments and constant support has brought me this far. I hope you have been well entertained over the years?
Helen Rose
everytime he sings i want to cry, he's so beautiful, his voice haunts me.
Helen Tart
+Dion St. Michael aw shame theyre an ex. love Rufus hope he comes Birmingham again.
Helen Tart
+Dion St. Michael are well there you go then. a ray of sunlight after a storm.
Celius
He has the most lovely male voice I have ever heard. I actually teared up when he started singing. So, so good. Discovered him from Nip/Tuck, fun to find out his step mom is one of the Roche sisters, who are among my favorite groups of vocalists.
Sara
This is such a beautiful song and has so much truth to it...first time I heard it I cried. Still. Do. Everytime. Thank you Rufus for this masterpiece.