Tuesday, April 1, 2014

April Fools

Yesterday I was doing a little spring cleaning and dusted off My Acoustic Memory. In observation of this great national holiday, April 1st, Rufus Wainwright rings in “April Fools” for us on the MAM blog.
Today as I look at my copy of Rufus’s eponymous CD, I don’t find any newspaper clippings or other souvenirs stuffed in the jewel to remind me how it landed in my collection.  My favorite Houston station KPFT played lots of Loudon Wainwright, and they likely plugged Rufus.
In 1998, the year of the CD’s release, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Sir Elton John, who apparently calls Rufus the “greatest songwriter on Earth” per this Amazon reference. That same year I saw Rufus and his sister Martha at a little acoustic venue on Richmond Road in Houston.  I distinctly recall having my toes stepped on by too many teenagers who arrived late but intent to stand right in front of a young Rufus.  Beck and I had arrived early, in spite of stopping by Taqueria La Tapatia, as was the custom when traveling down Richmond Road, usually on the way to the Menil Collection.
I didn’t like Martha’s vocals so much that night but find them interesting on this recent video of the song “April Fools.” The lyrics on some of the other songs of the CD like “Imaginary Love” keep Elton John from playing the fool with his bold claim.
Cause every kind of love, or at least my kind of love/
Must be an imaginary love to start with /
Guess that can explain the rain, waiting walking game/
Schubert broke my brain to start with
The CD sat in my teenage daughter’s room for years in Chapel Hill, Loudon’s hometown.  I was surprised to find it on my shelf today but certainly happy to have it in my possession on April Fools.
But in the stars and closer to home in any planet/
It ain’t hard for me and dear JoJo to see/
That you will believe in love/
And all that it’s supposed to be

-Rufus Wainwright, “April Fools”


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