Canadian-American singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright has composed quite a few beautiful pieces of work during his career. He may be known for his stunning rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, but he also has a number of noteworthy songs in his discography that are sorely underrated. Let’s look at four deep cuts by Rufus Wainwright that every fan should know!
1. “Going To A Town”
“Going To A Town” was the first single from the 2007 album Release The Stars. It did pretty well chart-wise in the United Kingdom, peaking at no. 54 on the UK Singles chart. Still, we think it deserves more love. Especially the newer version from the 2023 album Folkocracy that features singer/songwriter ANOHNI.
2. “Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk”
This lovely Rufus Wainwright deep cut is the opener of the 2001 album Poses. It’s a fascinating song about decadence, desire, and the power of human compulsions. The music video is similarly dreamy with an almost Bob Dylan-esque depiction of Wainwright walking throughout New York City and playing the piano inside a warehouse. Allmusic’s Matthew Greenwald described the track as “intoxicating”, and we’re inclined to agree.
[See Rufus Wainwright Live In Concert In 2024]
3. “Heading For Home” feat. John Legend
This recent collaboration with singer John Legend was a smart one. Wainwright didn’t write this particular track; it’s a cover of a 2003 song by Peggy Seeger. Still, both Wainwright and Legend lend their respective unique touches to the song, resulting in a stunning, dreamy tune with a haunting banjo track.
4. “Montauk”
“Montauk” comes from the 2012 album Out Of The Game. The track sits in the middle of the album and is somewhat overshadowed by songs like “Out Of The Game” and “Jericho”. It’s a very sweet song about Montauk, New York that was originally dedicated to Wainwright’s daughter. The song received mixed reviews, notably because the structure of the ballad didn’t quite align with the pop stylings of the rest of the album. We think that makes the song all the more unique.
Photo by Samir Hussein
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