Romantical Man

Album: Unfollow The Rules (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Sarah Siddons overlooking the motorway
    Paddington Green certainly isn't what it used to be
    Got a feeling London is calling me
    Or could it be that I'm simply trying to run away


    Rufus Wainwright told Mojo magazine his sweeping, orchestral ode to England's capital was "inspired by walking across London and how the city engenders itself to getting lost in its history."
  • Wainwright explained to Q magazine that the song title comes from the fact that he'll, "always be a dandy and London supplies the goods in terms of that existence!"
  • Wainwright did a lot of soul searching when writing his Unfollow The Rules album, which was produced by Mitchell Froom. He had spent the last few years immersed in writing the opera Hadrian, a rewarding was draining adventure that left him with a hankering for writing traditional pop songs. Tracks like "Romantical Man" find him looking at life in his 40s with a legacy to build on and a store of wisdom. "Many songwriters improve with age," he said, citing Leonard Cohen as an example.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

John Parr

John ParrSongwriter Interviews

John tells the "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" story and explains why he disappeared for so long.

Adam Young of Owl City

Adam Young of Owl CitySongwriter Interviews

Is Owl City on a quest for another hit like "Fireflies?" Adam answers that question and explains the influences behind many others.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith

Steven Tyler of AerosmithSongwriter Interviews

Tyler talks about his true love: songwriting. How he identifies the beauty in a melody and turns sorrow into art.

Eric Clapton

Eric ClaptonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.