There I was in uniform
Looking at the art teacher
I was just a girl then;
Never have I loved since then

He was not that much older than I was
He had taken our class to the Metropolitan Museum
He asked us what our favorite work of art was,
But never could I tell it was him
Oh, I wish I could tell him --
Oh, I wish I could have told him

I looked at the Rubens and Rembrandts
I liked the John Singer Sargents
He told me he liked Turner
Never have I turned since then
No, never have I turned to any other man

All this having been said,
I married an executive company head
All this having been done, a Turner - I own one
Here I am in this uniformish, pant-suit sort of thing,
Thinking of the art teacher
I was just a girl then;
Never have I loved since then
No, never have I loved any other man



Lyrics submitted by anna118k

Track duration: 03:51

"The Art Teacher" as written by Rufus Wainwright

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


The Art Teacher song meanings
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16 Comments

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  • 0
    My Opinion:I like the piano on this, but I really don't like his singing.
    Flag ChubbyHuggson September 15, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I am in love with the song! I love the wit and clever wording. "He told me he liked Turner
    Never have I turned since then
    No, never have I turned to any other man" Genius! And the lines "He asked us what our favorite work of art was, But never could I tell it was him" are great too! And "here I am in this uniformish pant suit sort of thing." makes me crack up every time I hear it! Gahhh, his voice is stunning in this song!! (Well, it always is of course.) This song just makes me melt :]
    Flag StarkRavenMadon September 05, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I heard this song is from a womens point of view.Like one of the "Art Teacher"'s former female students.
    I'd rather like to think it's from Rufus's point of view,but it doesnt matter.Genius is genius!
    Flag octogirlprettyon August 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"He asked us what our favorite work of art was,
    But never could I tell it was him"
    I love that, it just so perfectly illustrates how we think when we're so in love with a person.
    And i think the end of the song is saying that no love she has now can ever compare to that pure kind of innocent love she had at that age because it was her first love, her discovery.
    Flag gfyon July 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:And I am that Art Teacher.

    haha no.

    On a more serious note, one of the most brilliant retrospective, saddening songs I have heard in all my years.
    Flag LiamTon January 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Beautiful.

    About a one true love. They've never moved on, although they pretend to. "Never have I loved since then..."
    Flag missmeon September 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Oh and this song, along with the Beatles' "Mother Nature's Son" are proof that horns don't always have to be big and brassy.
    Flag pumkinhedon June 27, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I really love this song, and thought for a long time that it was really sad. I'm not so sure anymore. I mean really-you never got over the teenage crush you had on a teacher?
    Flag Zubbyon June 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Didn't understand it?!

    ...I totally relate. :(
    Flag HibbingismyHolyLandon May 30, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:He also actually performed this song for that (straight) art teacher who was so popular with his female students. Apparently, the song went way over the teacher's head. He didn't understand it.
    Flag johndouxon May 08, 2006   Link

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