Rufus Wainwright - Danny Boy

Danny Boy

Your skin is cold
But the sun shines within your hold
Your hair is gold
But you see through a goldfish bowl
I feel old, sick, and tired
We walk the streets
Gently staring, wondering what to do
The sun in sheets
Pouring down those streets to eyes green and blue
And a ship with eight sails could come round the bend
Or a heard of bulls charging stoplights red
I'd be blind

You broke my heart, danny boy
Not your fault, danny boy
I was had at the doorstep
Played, like a two to a four-set
Had, like poor job in the bible by god

Day comes, I wake
I wake with a hard heartache
I go down to your place
We sit and chat about new york
And trips to the bayou
My smile, a trick
Tricking me and trying not to scare you
And a ship with eight sails could come round the bend
Or a heard of bulls charging stoplights red
I'd be blind

You broke my heart, danny boy
Not your fault, danny boy
I was had at the doorstep
Played, like a two to a four-set
Had, like poor job in the bible by god

from Rufus Wainwright sessions at West 54th, 1998

Category:

Music

Tags:

• pop
• Rufus
• Wainwright
• Danny
• Boy

[fanofmusicandlove]

God, I love Rufus. He has the most beautiful voice I have ever heard!

[elricci]

two to a four set is a type of music set you play. job was had by god in the bible. if you read the story about job in the bible, it's about how god had basically taken everything from him. basically rufus is saying he was played by danny-boy meaning that he feels like an idiot for giving himself to someone that really didn't care for him or want the same thing from him in the end. well, that's my interpretation...

[smegely]

@islamacros It's probably a reference to an Irish folk song called Danny Boy.

[beatnikplaysatune]

@Hawkeye156 it's like he can sing the saddest song and its just his voice that melts your heart!

[beatnikplaysatune]

@junior311 haha i love it!

[latinteddybear]

Perfect song about someone pretending they like you then fucking you over...

[broadwaycakes]

@astarintheeast he said "four-step" and "had at the doorstep" ..and step and four-step are different words which is why it would pass for okay, don't you think?

[junior311]

I would turn gay for Rufus.

[Hawkeye156]

This might be weird, but I am in love with the way he hits the word, "pouring". At around 1:43. It kind of makes my heart jump with joy, as this whole song always does. :)

[islamacros]

what is the meaning of the phrase "danny boy"?

[petesemaj]

@astarintheeast I think you're right actually , what sways me is the idea of the same word used as a rhyme, i guess i always heard step twice, but four set still makes sense as a musical analogy, going to see him live in 3 weeks i'll have to listen harder this time! though i'll just be happy to be in the same room