Wilson's repertoire includes both jazz and blues standards and renditions of pop and rock songs. Her contralto voice has been described as bluesy and sultry, and the style of her music ranges from swing to funk to bossa nova. Many of the songs she covers are by artists who usually record in other genres.
Wilson counts the late Miles Davis as one of her greatest influences. In 1989 she performed as the opening act for Davis at the JVC Jazz Festival in Chicago. In 1999 she produced Traveling Miles as a tribute to Davis. The album developed from a series of jazz concerts that she performed at Lincoln Center in November 1997 in Davis's honor and includes three selections based on Davis's own compositions, in which Wilson adapted the original themes.
A Brief Discography
Point of View (1986, JMT)
Days Aweigh (1987, JMT)
Blue Skies (1988, JMT)
Jumpworld (1989, JMT)
She Who Weeps (1990, JMT)
Live (1991, JMT)
After the Beginning Again (1992, JMT)
Dance to the Drums Again (1992, DIW/Columbia)
Blue Light 'til Dawn (1993, Blue Note)
New Moon Daughter (1995, Blue Note)
Rendezvous (with Jacky Terrasson) (1998, Blue Note)
Traveling Miles (1999, Blue Note)
Belly of the Sun (2002, Blue Note)
Glamoured (2003, Blue Note)
Thunderbird (2006, Blue Note)
Loverly (2008, Blue Note)
Silver Pony (2010, Blue Note)
Another Country (2012, eOne)
Official website: www.cassandrawilson.com
I've grown accoustomed to his face
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
Cassandra Wilson's song "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" is a melancholic ballad that explores the emotional complexities of growing attached to someone. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who has become so used to their partner's presence that it has become an integral part of their daily routine. The first verse establishes this by saying, "I've grown accustomed to his face, he almost makes the day begin." The individual has grown to depend on their partner's presence as a source of comfort and stability, and the simple act of seeing their face makes everything feel right.
However, this sense of comfort is juxtaposed with a sense of anxiety and apprehension. The individual recognizes that they were once "serenely independent and content before we met," and worries that they will lose this sense of self if their partner were to leave. They acknowledge that their ability to be independent is a "habit one can always break," and yet they still find themselves unable to shake the feeling that they are "accustomed to the trace of something in the air."
Overall, the song presents a complex and nuanced portrayal of the emotional bonds that develop between two people, and how these bonds can simultaneously be a source of comfort and anxiety.
Line by Line Meaning
I've grown accustomed to his face
I have gotten used to seeing his face and it brings a sense of comfort and familiarity. It has become a regular part of my life from the start of the day.
He almost makes the day begin
I feel that my day officially starts when I see him, as if he has a significant impact on my mood to start the day.
I've grown accustomed to the tune that he whistles night and noon
The melody that he whistles both day and night has become a constant sound in the background of my life and has become something that I have grown used to hearing.
His smiles, his frowns, his ups, his downs, are second nature to me now
I have become so familiar with his expressions of joy, sadness, and everything in between that they no longer phase me and have become a part of my daily routine.
Like breathing out and breathing in
His presence in my life has become so innate that it's almost become like an involuntary action such as breathing in and out.
Sure I was serenely independent and content before we met
Before him, I was happy and fine on my own, without needing anyone in my life as a significant other to be content.
Accustomed to his voice
I have grown used to hearing his tone, inflections, and patterns of speech to the point where it feels familiar and homey.
I'm so used to hearing him say 'Good morning' every day
Hearing his voice in the morning has become such an assumed part of my day that it almost feels like a daily ritual that I look forward to.
His joys, his woes, his highs, his lows, are second nature to me now
Every emotion that he goes through has become something that I have grown accustomed to, they are no longer surprises and have become routine in nature.
I'm very grateful he's a man and so easy to forget. Rather like a habit one can always break
While I am thankful to have him in my life, it is also easy for me to forget that he is a man who can be replaced, almost like a habit that I can end if I chose to do so.
And yet I've grown accustomed to the trace of something in the air
Despite being able to break the habit of having him around, there is something about his presence in my life that I have grown used to and almost need in my life.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN JAY LERNER, FREDERICK LOEWE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind