Autumn Nocturne
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

When autumn sings her lullaby
And green leaves turn to gold
Then I remember last September
You and I said goodbye
Whispering that we would be returning
When autumn comes again

Now autumn roams the hills once more
But you forgot your vow
Now here am I with, alone with only memories
Only lonely memories, autumn memories of you

Love, when the leaves are turning
I get a hungry yearning for your arms
Love, when a heart is so blue
It shadows bright October's golden charm

The flaming moon reminds me of
The night of love that we once knew
Each tiny star is but a prayer
That when it's fall again, love will call again
And you'll be beside me to make
My autumn dreams come true

Love, when the leaves are turning
I get a hungry yearning for your arms
Love, when a heart is so blue
It shadows bright October's golden charm

The flaming moon reminds me of
The night of love that we once knew
Each tiny star is but a prayer
That when it's fall again, love will call again




And you'll be beside me to make
My autumn dreams come true

Overall Meaning

In Cassandra Wilson's song Autumn Nocturne, the lyrics capture the emotions of nostalgia and longing for lost love. The opening lines set the theme for the entire song - the memories of a past love from the autumn season. The golden leaves signify the changing of the season, but also represent the transience of life and love. The reminiscing of last September, when the two lovers said goodbye, implies that this isn't the first autumn without their loved one. The mention of a vow to return in autumn indicates the hope that the love would be reunited, but unfortunately, that promise has been broken.


In the chorus, the lyrics describe the common experience of associating seasons with memories and emotions. The fall season is typically associated with change, reflection, and preparation for the winter season. The singer expresses a longing to be held in their lover's arms, which is a metaphor for the comfort and security that intimate relationships provide. The flaming moon and tiny stars remind the singer of the love they once shared during the autumn season, and the hope that they may experience it again. The lyrics beautifully capture the feeling of bittersweet memories of a past love that still lingers, even though the person has moved on with their life.


Line by Line Meaning

When autumn sings her lullaby
With the arrival of autumn, nature sets a serene and melancholic mood


And green leaves turn to gold
The changing of leaves signifies the inevitable change that accompanies the fall season


Then I remember last September
The singer recalls a significant moment in the past during the same time of year


You and I said goodbye
Two individuals parted ways, ending something that was once beautiful


Whispering that we would be returning
In saying goodbye, there was a promise to reunite when the autumn season returned


When autumn comes again
The promise of meeting again is tied to the arrival of fall


Now autumn roams the hills once more
The present season is a reminder of the promise that was made in the past


But you forgot your vow
One of the people involved in the promise failed to fulfill their end of the bargain


Now here am I with, alone with only memories
The singer is left to reminisce about the past, with no current company


Only lonely memories, autumn memories of you
The memories that remain of the past are somber reminders of what once was


Love, when the leaves are turning
For the singer, the fall season is tied to thoughts of love and romance


I get a hungry yearning for your arms
The singer longs for someone they once loved, feeling an emptiness without them


Love, when a heart is so blue
The melancholic feelings of fall can amplify the sadness that one feels without a loved one


It shadows bright October's golden charm
The beauty of the fall season is tinged with sadness, casting a shadow over its brightness


The flaming moon reminds me of
The singer is easily reminded of certain memories and feelings by the natural elements of autumn


The night of love that we once knew
The artist reflects on a specific moment in time when they were once in love


Each tiny star is but a prayer
The singer holds onto hope that the promise of meeting again in the fall still holds true


That when it's fall again, love will call again
The singer is hopeful that they will find love again when autumn returns


And you'll be beside me to make
The reunion with a lost love will bring fulfillment and happiness to the singer


My autumn dreams come true
The natural beauty of fall acts as a backdrop for the singer's dreams and desires to be reunited with someone they love




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOSEF MYROW, KIM GANNON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Jill G.

This is one of my absolute favorite albums. From the moment I bought it, I have remained hooked on all of the songs, not just because of Cassandra Wilson's exceptional singing & vocal qualities, but because of the arrangements, the accompaniment of her fellow musicians (Mulgrew Miller, piano; Lonnie Plaxico, acoustic bass; Terri Lye Carrington, drums), and the intense swing that characterizes the upbeat pieces. The tempo she takes on "I'm Old Fashioned," for example, is extraordinary, so much so that it is absolutely stupendous & jubilatory. Her rendition & the arrangement on "I didn't know what time it was" is just wonderful, too. These versions of both those tunes inspired me greatly & because of them, I added both songs to my repertoire as a vocal jazz apprentice in the 90s. Her voice & talent are just as admirable in rendering beauty & expressivity to the ballads, even if I personally prefer the hot swing. The only exception to that is this song, "Autumn Nocturne," which is rarely heard in vocal version. I love Sonny Rollins' exceptional instrumental version, of course, with the incredible solo sax intro, but it's a beautiful song to be sung. I have had continually renewed pleasure listening to this album, 'Blue Skies,' over the years & much pleasure singing the tunes.

yoichiro tani

@Rebecca Rebel Sorry, dear Rebecca!!
It is my Favorite album,too.
五野洋 is Hiroshi Itsuno.
He gave comment to me.

Jill G.

+五野洋 Are you Hiroshi Itsuno?

Jill G.

+yoichiro tani I'm sorry I don't understand Japanese!

yoichiro tani

@五野洋録音当時のExecutive Producer 五野洋様からのコメント、まことに恐縮いたします。
20数年ほど前に衝動買いしたJMT盤ですが、私にとっても長年、愛聴盤の一枚となっております。
 

五野洋

I'm glad you like it, because I was in the A&R studio, NYC in freezing winter of 1988. I am really proud of this album. Thanks again for your words.

Kent Hewitt

Beautiful, I lived this song, so it has so much meaning, esp. thanks to you, Cassandra, a great trio, and killer words and music. Bless you for posting this!

Skaville Music

All hail the Queen!!!!!!!!

Steve S

Damn, that's a real smooth sipper right there!

坂巻洋

😃🐥🐞🎶

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