Song · Rufus Wainwright
“April Fools” by Rufus Wainwright
From the album Rufus Wainwright (1998)
“April Fools” by Rufus Wainwright appears on 2 radio countdowns from 2 stations between 1999 and 2001. It was first released in 1998 on the album Rufus Wainwright. Its best result is #34 on the 89X Top 89 Songs of 1999. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #218 alternative song of 1999.
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Video from YouTube (RufusWainwrightVEVO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube
"April Fools" comes from Rufus Wainwright's self-titled debut, which DreamWorks released in May 1998, and the American-Canadian songwriter has said it simply arrived while he was in the bath: he stood up naked and sang it. What came out is a love song with a wink, loose enough to be about two people or about everybody at once, and it bounces and struts like a cabaret number that wandered into a rock club.
Jon Brion produced it and piles on baritone and electric guitars, Hammond organ, percussion and backing vocals. Benmont Tench hammers the piano over Jim Keltner's drums, Wainwright adds acoustic guitar under his lead, and Martha Wainwright joins the backing chorus. Bob Clearmountain mixed it, and Sophie Muller's video slipped in cameos from Gwen Stefani and Melissa Auf der Maur.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Alternative & Modern Rock
Indie & Adult Alternative
All Rock Formats
Year-end countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 34 | 89X Detroit, MI / Windsor, ON | 89X Top 89 Songs of 1999 | 89 |
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1564 | WFPK | WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time | 2000 |
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