Grey Gardens

"Tadzio" refers to Tadzio Smith. He was my ex-boyfriend's voice coach at college in Ohio. He knew Rufus through friends and hung out with him at a party and Rufus hit on Tadzio, who did reciprocate it since he is straight. There ya go.

I am thoroughly confused about this song, but here is what I do know: The woman's voice at the beginning is from the movie "Grey Gardens." I haven't seen it so I don't know how to apply this. Also, the name Tadzio is a reference to the Thomas Mann novel "Death in Venice," where ostensibly a man sits on a beach and falls madly in love with a young boy named Tadzio. Any ideas?

Tadzio is the name of a boy a man falls in love with in the book "Death in Venice" by Thomas man. It is the only connection I can see. Funny how I just got up from reading that book to see these lyrics.

Maybe they arne't related at all.

I read that Wainwright is a fan of the documentary 'Grey Gardens' and that it has a large cult fanbase with gay males- evidently, the young Edie Beale is sort of symbolic of the way they've been treated in the past- she's a flamboyant oddball.

Has anyone seen the film? I can't find it at the library or my local video stores.

evidently the lines:

"Trying to get my mansions green After I've Grey Gardens seen"

refer to Edie Beale (the older of the two) driving away her daughter's boyfriends and the younger girl's insistance that she would've had a lovely spouse or such if not for her mother. Tadzio refers to lost love in general, like dukegatsby and morpheus said, from Death in Venice.

I have no idea really what this song is about, but i really like it a lot.

This song is about the spectacular documentary "Grey Gardens" from the 70's by the Maysles brothers said to be a favorite of Rufus.

The Documentary follows the life of Edith Bouvier Beale, 80 yrs old, and her daughter 'little' Edith Bouvier Beale in her 60's these two eccentric former Hampton socialites from the early 1900's now live reclusive lives within there crumbling mansion Grey Gardens beach side in beautiful east Hampton.

The surrealism in this documentary will blow your mind, if you ever get the chance to view this film and your into watching surrealism at its finest I would really really recommend you view this film, that is if you can find it.

One of the main themes if you want to call it that of this film is watching these two old women re-live there past, reminiscing about memories past, both good and bad as it is all they have left in life, note the song starts off with a qoute from 'little' Edie Beale from the movie:

"its very difficult to keep the line of the past and the present, you know what I mean?"

And that is what this song is all about I believe, the Dazio refference confirms that for me, since Dazio is a character from Thomas Manns novella "Death in Venice" where an ageing man reflects on his past and falls in love with a young boy on the beach who brings him memories of his own youth now lost.

Beautiful song very very well written and on one of my favorite films of all time

beautiful fucking song... i loved when he played it on the isaac mizrahi's show.

truly wonderful.

Not only is "Grey Gardens" a wonderful documentary, but was made into a beautiful Broadway musical a few years ago. (After this song was written, though.)

Also, just a fun fact to add... Edith "Little Edie" Beale was a first cousin of Jackie Kennedy Onassis.