I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics


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I've grown accustomed to his face
He almost makes the day begin
I've grown accustomed
To the tune that he whistles night and noon

His smiles, his frowns
His ups, his downs
Are second nature to me now
Like breathing out and breathing in

I was serenely independent
And content before we met
Surely I could always be that way again
And yet I've grown accustomed to his look

Accustomed to his voice
Accustomed to his face
I'm so used to hearing him say
"Good morning" every day

His joys, his woes
His highs, his lows
Are second nature to me now
Like breathing out and breathing in

I'm very grateful he's a man and so easy to forget
Rather like a habit one can always break
And yet I've grown accustomed
To the trace of something in the air





Accustomed to his face

Overall Meaning

The song “I’ve Grown Accustomed to His Face” by Cassandra Wilson is a hauntingly beautiful ballad about the singer’s growing addiction to the face of her lover. She admits to having become utterly dependent on him, finding herself unable to imagine life without him. The song conveys the singer's initial reluctance and her realization that she has now adapted to her lover’s particular idiosyncrasies which have become like second nature to her.


The singer in the song begins by expressing her growing addiction to her lover’s face – she has almost started to feel that her day begins with him and his arrival. She goes on to reveal the level of familiarity she has acquired with his mannerisms and the way he presents himself to her. The singer admits that she was once self-sufficient and content before she met him, but has become accustomed to his voice, his face, his highs and lows, and his idiosyncrasies. However, she still acknowledges thankfully that he is a man and that it is easy to forget him. Still, the singer has grown accustomed to the trace of something in the air that reminds her of him.


Line by Line Meaning

I've grown accustomed to his face
I have become used to seeing his face and it has become a regular part of my routine


He almost makes the day begin
The sight of him almost signals the start of my day


I've grown accustomed to the tune that he whistles night and noon
I have become used to hearing him whistle the same tune both day and night


His smiles, his frowns
I recognize his expressions, whether happy or sad


His ups, his downs
I recognize his moods, whether positive or negative


Are second nature to me now
I have become so familiar with his emotions that they are no longer surprising to me


Like breathing out and breathing in
Recognizing him has become as natural to me as breathing


I was serenely independent
Before meeting him, I was happy and confident on my own


And content before we met
I was satisfied with my life before our paths crossed


Surely I could always be that way again
I am confident that I could return to a life of independence if need be


And yet I've grown accustomed to his look
Despite my past independence, I've become familiar with his physical appearance and find comfort in seeing him


Accustomed to his voice
I have become used to hearing his voice and it is a recognizable part of my day


I'm so used to hearing him say 'Good morning' every day
I have become accustomed to his daily greeting of 'Good morning'


His joys, his woes
I recognize his moments of happiness and sadness


His highs, his lows
I recognize his moments of success and hardship


I'm very grateful he's a man and so easy to forget
I appreciate that he is male and therefore less likely to dwell on things and become a burden to me


Rather like a habit one can always break
Like any habit, recognizing him is something that could be changed if necessary


And yet I've grown accustomed to the trace of something in the air
Despite recognizing that our relationship is something that could be changed, I've become familiar with his presence in my life




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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