Rufus Wainwright: You're No Judy Garland

I pay very little attention to popular music, so when I heard that Rufus Wainwright was recreating Judy Garland's legendary 1961 Carnegie Hall concert song for song, I wasn't really sure who the hell he was. I had heard the name before: I knew that he was an openly gay singer/songwriter, and that he was the son of singer/songwriter Loudon Wainwright III. But I had never actually heard Rufus sing until I saw him in a guest appearance on "The Graham Norton Show" on BBC America.

I should have known right then that there would be trouble ahead. Wainwright's performance on that show was nasal, sloppy, and intolerable. But, hey, I thought: Maybe it was an off night. Apparently not.

I was greatly looking forward to listening to Wainright's album. As stereotypically gay as this might seem, I'm a huge Judy Garland fan, and I grew up listening to her Carnegie Hall album. It's a fascinating train-wreck of a performance, like most of the rest of Judy's career, but it's never less than entertaining. I used to listen over and over to "You Go to My Head," dumb-struck that Judy at one point goes up on her lyrics and sings:

You go to my head
And...I forgot the goll-darned words...

To Wainwright's credit, he recreates the flub when he delivers that particular song. But that's really the only thing he shares with Judy Garland. Judy wasn't really so much a great singer as she was an incredible stylist, a hell of a performer, and a tortured soul who was seemingly coming to pieces before your very ears (and eyes, as evidenced by her repeated performances of the same songs with the same orchestrations on her painful-yet-unmissable variety program, "The Judy Garland Show"). With Judy, it was all about volume and vibrato, but there was also an undeniable heart and plenty of good old-fashioned gay-diva angst.

As for Rufus Wainwright's renditions, well, to paraphrase the late Lloyd Bentsen, Rufus, you're no Judy Garland. Is this what passes for vocal quality these days? Sloppy intonation, piercing nasal resonance, and a physiological inability to form an "E" vowel? Actually all of his vowels are annoyingly imprecise, but his "E's" are especially egregious. ("Yow made may love yow, Ah didn't wanna dow et...")

I must be in the minority here, because Wainright's sold-out Carnegie Hall audience goes absolutely ape-shit at the end of every number, apparently under the mistaken impression that they're witnessing some kind of genius. But on song after song, Wainwright proves that he can't hold a candle to Garland. One possible exception is George and Ira Gershwin's "How Long Has This Been Going On?," which, while still painful, at least illuminates what Wainwright's legion adoring fans might see in him: a quirky, slurring delivery combined with a kind of smoky introspection.

The term "song stylist" is often used euphemistically about someone who, although not the best musician, delivers a song with a certain intangible something. For a terrific example of same, Wainright need look no further than his sister, Martha Wainwright, who makes a guest appearance on the album singing the hell out of Harold Arlen's "Stormy Weather." Sister Martha is no great shakes in the vocal department either, yet she imbues the song with a certain Billie Holliday-esque, whiskey-voiced pathos, a contrast that made what's wrong with her brother's vocal stylings all the more obvious.

Perhaps Rufus Wainwright has built his popularity and reputation more as a songwriter than as a performer, or maybe he's just out of his idiom with Garland's material. Chances are, I'll never find out, because I can't imagine picking up any of his other recordings. I'll stick to Judy Garland, thank you very much. And, unless you're mad for Rufus yourself, yet still want to witness him flailing ineffectually with material he has no business performing, I suggest you do the same.

Comments

[SarahB]

I join your minority. There have been tv commercials airing and I just have to run to change the channel. It's so painful to hear his voice butchering Judy's glorious songbook and epic Carnegie Hall performance.

[nathaniel r]

hmmm. i love Rufus Wainwright and I love Judy Garland and I had a ball at the first NY performance of this a long time ago.

It's true that his voice doesn't hold a candle to Garlands but I think you're kind of missing the point if you're expecting him to be as good a vocalist. He's a singer songwriter gay man who loves Judy. He's paying tribute.

Plus he's done a lot of good being so unapologetically queer for so many years now.

Bob Dylan's voice is annoying to some people (including me) but nobody questions his status as a great songwriter. And I bring this up because I wish more people would look past Rufus' divisive voice and hear how brilliant his own music is.

[Rhapsody]

I find it interesting that you made so many parallels between these two performers, yet were unable to see that those very similarities are what make this concert so wonderful. People tend to love Judy's singing and performing---or hate it, much as people love Rufus Wainwright's singing and performing---or hate it.

You heard the audience's reaction to Rufus' performance and were left non-plussed. Having been to numerous of his performances, I can tell you I m absolutely under the "impression that I'm witnessing some kind of genius" when I hear his compositions and soak up his performances as much as I possibly can. You're right...Rufus doesn't "hold a candle to Garland." It's more of a gigantic fireworks display to her candle.

It's just a matter of taste, I suppose. You can wax nostalgic listening to "an incredible stylist, a hell of a performer, and a tortured soul who was seemingly coming to pieces before your very ears " in "a fascinating train-wreck of a performance." Or you can listen to the man who has pulled himself together and moved forward successfully to compose and sing music that is both unique and moving--as he is.

Life isn't *always* all about pain and decay, is it? Sometimes it's about character, hope and transcending the abyss, too. Try listening to some of Rufus' own music...the diction doesn't improve, but he's well worth your time and energy. Rufus' music requires more from the listener than a cursory or casual listen.

Rufus Wainwright is no Judy Garland. True. That wasn't his intent.

Judy Garland was no Rufus Wainwright. Not by a long shot.

[chris caggiano]

To all current and future Rufus-o-files: Thanks for sharing your points of view. But I'm under no obligation, nor do I have any inclination, to get to know Rufus and his song writing. As the title of my blog implies, I'm all about musical theater. When Rufus made his foray, however tangentially, into this world, he held himself open for the obvious and unflattering comparison to Judy Garland. I'm very glad you find value in his work, and encourage you to continue to do so. I don't, and shan't.

[Buzz]

Speaking of Judy Garland, this week over at The Judy Garland Experience on Yahoo, along with all the rare Judy files from concerts, television, and radio, they are also featuring The Misty Miss Christy, June Christy herself, singing songs from the Judy Garland songbook, as well as Bobby Darin’s ultra rare performances from the Ed Sullivan show. And if that isn’t enough they are also featuring Miss Peggy Lee singing highlights from the ill fated Broadway show PEG.

If you don’t know about The Judy Garland Experience it is worth checking out. It is the liveliest and largest of all the Garland groups. The membership includes Garland family members, other celebrities, people who worked with and were friends with Judy, authors, film makers, and fans of all levels. The photo files have hundreds of never before seen photo's of Judy (many taken by our members), and the ever changing audio files always feature the rarest Judy Garland tracks anywhere.

Here’s the link:
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/thejudygarlandexperience/

[Olliebygolly]

Completely agree - thin voice, forced, without variety or range and what IS it with the e's, so irritating and silly. I felt like I was listening to a really mediocre karioke(sp?). He may well write well, maybe, but just because he's gay and singing Garland does not mean people have to lose ability to criticize - what a waste of a wonderful orchestra. Give me Nillson Schmilsson any day, far more original.

At least his sister Martha showed the real talent, while very easy on the eyes, she sounded better when I just shut mine, that way the excessively studied, almost mimicked mouthing did not leave me feeling like I was watching an impersonator.

Thank you for telling it like it is.

[D]

It took a Google search to find this blog. I've just heard clips and thought it sounded awful, and was starting to think I was the only one. Generally, I can appreciate his sleepy delivery, but it's awfully monotonous by the middle of this kind of theatrical song. I do like his songwriting, I'll grant you. But what's all this emotionalism just because he's a gay man singing Judy Garland? It's like the vaguely political idea of the event has gotten everyone so emotional they aren't listening. I remember what Maria Callas said to a sloppy singer once: if
you truly loved what you were singing, then you wouldn't treat it that way.