Rufus Wainwright
Memphis Skyline
Talk. RIP Jeff !
Re; Memphis Skyline
Structurally, this is of course more of an aria than a popular song. Again, absolutely stunning in its virtuosity and swooming/swelling neo-classical arrangement. Though this is one of my top favourite pieces, I do have an issue with the studio recording in the way in which his voice is represented. I think there was a thread on the old board criticising the mix on his voice on Want Two similar to the one thats cropped up on the sound quality of RTS. His voice sounds rather raw and incredibly nasal at points which of course I cant criticise and wouldnt because he has a naturally nasal kinda sound, but it isnt treated very well on the studio recording. The reverb perhaps could be slightly better. Its an issue I have with many rufus studio tracks especailly on the Want project.. compared to the live version I would say his voice on the studio recording of MS generally kind of soars more and sounds a lot fuller. Which is the Rufus I love. Another related example is between the studio recording and the live version of Hallelujah. A striking difference.
In any case, Memphis Skyline is quite an achievement and credit to his operatic instincts. I adore the horn arrangement towards the end of the piece, and the piano part is incredibly beautiful. :)
In any case, Memphis Skyline is quite an achievement and credit to his operatic instincts. I adore the horn arrangement towards the end of the piece, and the piano part is incredibly beautiful. :)
Re
This is one of my favourite Rufus songs, I think both musically and lyrically it belongs to one of the best pieces Rufus has written so far. Here's a go at an interpretation:
In this song, Rufus compares Jeff Buckley to Orpheus. We know the Orpheus story from Ovid and Vergil: he was a singer from Thracia in Greece; who could play so beautifully on his lyre that the whole of nature would listen to him. he was married to a nymph called Eurydice. One day, she walked on a poisenous snake and died. Orpheus was heartbroken. After mourning for days, he decided to go down into the underworld itself to get her back. He went up to the gods of the Hades, Hades and Persephone, and played them a song in which he begged them to let go of Eurydice. The gods were so touched by his music that they decided he could take Eurydice with him on one condition: he could not look back. Orpheus took Eurydice by the hand and led her towards the light, but out of love and impatience he looked behind. Eurydice fell back into the shadows, and Orpheus mourned at the banks of the Styx, the underworld rivers, for 7 days. Then he went to the cold north of Greece and mourned there for seven years. He did not want to have any other woman anymore and became history's first homosexual. However, a group of Dionysus worshipping women called the Bacchiants, were so jealous because Orpheus did not spend attention on them, that they ripped him to pieces. His head drifted off on the river attached to his lyre, still singing songs and lamenting the loss of Eurydice.
I think there are two main reasons why Rufus chose this myth for the song. First of all, Orpheus is a typical opera character. Gluck, Monteverdi, Mozart all turned his story into operas. Secondly the homosexual connotation of the story fits perfectly to this love letter from Rufus to Jeff Buckley.
Never thought of Hades
Under the Mississippi
In the first lines, Rufus indicates the connection to the Orpheusmyth and relocates it.
But still I've come to sing for him
So southern furies
Prepare to walk for my harp
I have strung, and I will leave with him
Rufus is the new Orpheus, and playing his music he wants to wake Jeff Buckley from the dead. He is allowed to take him with him.
Relax the cogs of rhyme
Over the Memphis sky
Turn back the wheels of time
Under the Memphis skyline
This is still part of Rufus's song in the underworld. He asks the gods to turn back time, so Jeff would still be alive.
always hated him for the way he looked
In the gaslight of the morning
Then came hallelujah sounding like Ophelia
for me in my room living
Jeff sounds like Ophelia because after Opehlia has gone mad she only communicates in songs anymore. She drowns as well.
So kiss me, my darling stay with me till morning
Turn back and you will stay
Under the Memphis Skyline
If Rufus turns back, Jeff will stay dead and his whole song will have been in vain.
Comments are welcome :-)
In this song, Rufus compares Jeff Buckley to Orpheus. We know the Orpheus story from Ovid and Vergil: he was a singer from Thracia in Greece; who could play so beautifully on his lyre that the whole of nature would listen to him. he was married to a nymph called Eurydice. One day, she walked on a poisenous snake and died. Orpheus was heartbroken. After mourning for days, he decided to go down into the underworld itself to get her back. He went up to the gods of the Hades, Hades and Persephone, and played them a song in which he begged them to let go of Eurydice. The gods were so touched by his music that they decided he could take Eurydice with him on one condition: he could not look back. Orpheus took Eurydice by the hand and led her towards the light, but out of love and impatience he looked behind. Eurydice fell back into the shadows, and Orpheus mourned at the banks of the Styx, the underworld rivers, for 7 days. Then he went to the cold north of Greece and mourned there for seven years. He did not want to have any other woman anymore and became history's first homosexual. However, a group of Dionysus worshipping women called the Bacchiants, were so jealous because Orpheus did not spend attention on them, that they ripped him to pieces. His head drifted off on the river attached to his lyre, still singing songs and lamenting the loss of Eurydice.
I think there are two main reasons why Rufus chose this myth for the song. First of all, Orpheus is a typical opera character. Gluck, Monteverdi, Mozart all turned his story into operas. Secondly the homosexual connotation of the story fits perfectly to this love letter from Rufus to Jeff Buckley.
Never thought of Hades
Under the Mississippi
In the first lines, Rufus indicates the connection to the Orpheusmyth and relocates it.
But still I've come to sing for him
So southern furies
Prepare to walk for my harp
I have strung, and I will leave with him
Rufus is the new Orpheus, and playing his music he wants to wake Jeff Buckley from the dead. He is allowed to take him with him.
Relax the cogs of rhyme
Over the Memphis sky
Turn back the wheels of time
Under the Memphis skyline
This is still part of Rufus's song in the underworld. He asks the gods to turn back time, so Jeff would still be alive.
always hated him for the way he looked
In the gaslight of the morning
Then came hallelujah sounding like Ophelia
for me in my room living
Jeff sounds like Ophelia because after Opehlia has gone mad she only communicates in songs anymore. She drowns as well.
So kiss me, my darling stay with me till morning
Turn back and you will stay
Under the Memphis Skyline
If Rufus turns back, Jeff will stay dead and his whole song will have been in vain.
Comments are welcome :-)
Awsome
This is a definite slayer for me. Somehow it puts my mind into freeze mode and under some kind of spell.
I seem to always wander off mentally, and I can't praise it's beguiling power enough.
The posts in this thread are wonderfully revealing, both on the background to the song, and the technical recording.
Thank you for sharing those eloquent thoughts.
A truly memorable song.
Neili.
I seem to always wander off mentally, and I can't praise it's beguiling power enough.
The posts in this thread are wonderfully revealing, both on the background to the song, and the technical recording.
Thank you for sharing those eloquent thoughts.
A truly memorable song.
Neili.
memphis skyline
all i can think of is when i first saw rufus sing it live,and there was rufus on the piano under a spotlight,the rest of the stage in darkness,and it felt like there was only me in the audience and just rufus playing.everything else was blanked out,the song just blew me away.it was a mesmorising and powerful performance,and one i will treasure forever.
