Matinee Idol

"Matinee Idol" was written by Rufus Wainwright and appears as the ninth track on his self-titled debut album, released in 1998. 3:08 in length, the song describes the rise and fall of an entertainment icon, inspired by American actor River Phoenix. It also appears as the seventh track on Live at the Fillmore, a DVD which accompanied the release of Want Two in 2004.

Lyrics


This is the day The day of the death The death of the matinee idol Still so beautiful as the angels As the angels came down from on high

So sweet and so soft So charmingly daft So young was the matinee idol Lips of crimson slightly open As the flash and all fame put to rest

Walk, walk along that wall No it is not from the academy Walk, walk along that wall From this moment you'll cease to be The undying love of the public eye

So goes one more Away from the maze Away for to sit at the table Above babel, far from this world While standing on the boulevard

Walk, walk along that wall No it is not from the academy Walk, walk along that wall From this moment on you'll cease to be

But still, whomever has looked at Looked at beauty is marked out Is marked out already by death Whomever has looked at Looked at beauty is marked out Is marked out already by death

Still so beautiful as the angels As the angels came down from on high

Source: MetroLyrics

Reception
Allmusic's Matthew Greenwald said the song's "strong and unusual" arrangement made it "one of the most powerfully strange" tracks on the album. Furthermore, he wrote: "Although set in a 1920s, cabaret musical feel, the song could easily be about a modern-day entertainment figure. Filled with both pathos and comedy, Wainwright's description of the protagonist is spot-on, and wholly engaging."

Additional Resources

 * River Phoenix at Wikipedia