Rules and Regulations – Rufus Style

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Yes, it’s Friday night – which means “music night” at The Wild Reed!

Tonight I’m happy to present “Rules and Regulations,” the second single to be released from singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright’s latest album, Release the Stars.

As with so much of Wainwright’s work, “Rules and Regulations” is a richly orchestrated, theatrical pop song inspired by the traditions of cabaret, musicals, and opera. Its accompanying video may well have you laughing out loud. Well, parts of it had that effect on me, at least! Oh yeah, and Rufus looks very cute in his long johns!

For these reasons and others, I invite you to sit back and enjoy Rufus Wainwright’s “Rules and Regulations” . . .

All my little life I’ve wanted to roam.
Even if it was just inside my own home.
Then one day I chanced to look back.
Saw you sitting there, the innocent culprit . . .

I think it’s great that, while on one hand, Rufus acknowledges that, “these are just the rules and regulations of the birds and the bees . . .” - rules that he feels compelled by others to follow, there’s nevertheless an obvious and playful subversiveness in how he sings these lyrics and, of course, in the antics that he and his friends get up to in the video. How on earth they kept a, ahem, straight face is beyond me!

Notice, too, toward the end of the video, that most of his gym buddies look as though they may actually be ballet dancers.

And finally, for a review of Rufus Wainwright’s recently released album, Release the Stars, click here.



Image 1: Paste magazine.
Image 2: TheDropOnline.com

Recommended Off-site Links:
Rufus Wainwright’s Official Site
Crystal Clear – A 2005 interview with Rufus Wainwright from The Observer.

And for more music on The Wild Reed visit:
Fleetwood Mac’s “Seven Wonders” – My Theme Song for 1987
Crackerjack Man
All at Sea
Actually, I Do Feel Like Dancing
“And A Pitcher to Go”
The Living Tree
Classic Dusty
Soul Deep
Wow!