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 Can`t Stand The Rain
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bringing back sweet memories
Ican't stand the rain 'gainst my window
Cause he's not here with me
Hey window pain do you remember
How sweet it used to be
When we were together
Everything was so grand, yes it was
There's one sound that I just can't stand
Alone with the pillow
Where his head used to lay, yeah
I know you've got some sweet memories
But like a window you ain't got nothin' to say
I can't stand the rain 'gainst my window
Bringing back sweet memories, hey
I can't stand the rain, ooh
'Gainst my window, oh no no
Cause he's not here with me, uh
Alone with the pillow uh uh
Where his head used to lay, yeah
I know you've got some sweet memories
But like a window you ain't got nothin' to say, hey hey
Uh, uh, I can't stand the rain
(I can't I can't I can't can't stand the rain)
Baby, uh, uh, uh, hey hey
Ooh, ooh, uh, uh, hey
Don't you know, 't you think...
No no ooh oooohh hey hey hey hey hey, no
Dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum
Oohh ! Get off my window
(I can't I can't I can't can't stand the rain)
Get off my window now, get off my window
Get off my window nah, I can't stand the rain
I can't stand the rain, ooh, can't stand the rain, oh
The lyrics to Cassandra Wilson's version of "I Can't Stand The Rain" describe the feeling of longing and nostalgia brought on by the sound of rain against a window. The rain reminds the singer of a past love and the sweet memories they shared together. The window pain, personified as a sentient being, is called upon to remember how good things were when the couple was together. Now that they have parted, the sound of the rain is the only thing that remains and it only serves as a painful reminder of what was lost. The singer is left alone with a pillow where her lover's head used to lay and while she still holds onto her memories, the window remains silent and unable to offer any comfort or solace.
The song was originally written and recorded by Ann Peebles in 1973 and has since been covered by numerous artists including Tina Turner, Seal, and Wilson's version in 1989. Wilson's take on the song is slower and more contemplative than the original, giving it a more soulful and bluesy feel. The song's popularity led to a resurgence in Peebles' career and the original recording continues to be a staple of soul and R&B music.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't stand the rain 'gainst my window
The rain serves as a reminder of my lost love and I can no longer bear its presence on my window.
Bringing back sweet memories
The rain triggers feelings of nostalgia by reminding me of the joyous times we shared together.
Cause he's not here with me
The rain becomes unbearable because it highlights the absence of my lover who's no longer with me.
Hey window pain do you remember
I ask my window if it remembers how beautiful life used to be when my lover and I were together.
When we were together
Life was blissful and fulfilling when we were still a couple.
Everything was so grand, yes it was
Our relationship was beautiful and fulfilling before we parted ways.
Now that we've parted
Our relationship has ended, and things are no longer as beautiful and fulfilling as they used to be.
There's one sound that I just can't stand
The sound of the rain serves as a constant reminder of my lost love and becomes unbearable at times.
Alone with the pillow
I'm left alone with my thoughts and memories of my lost love as I cling to the pillow where his head used to lay.
But like a window you ain't got nothin' to say
Despite my attempts to seek solace from my window, it remains silent and indifferent to my pain.
Oohh ! Get off my window
The pain of losing my love becomes too much to bear, and I ask the rain to leave my window and stop reminding me of my pain.
Get off my window now, get off my window
I repeat my plea for the rain to stop reminding me of my lost love and leave my window immediately.
I can't stand the rain, ooh, can't stand the rain, oh
The rain remains a constant reminder of my heartbreak, and I can no longer bear it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANN PEEBLES, BERNARD MILLER, DON BRYANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind