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
Killing Me Softly
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Singing my life with his words,
Killing me softly with his song,
Killing me softly with his song,
Telling my whole life with his words,
Killing me softly with his song
I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style.
And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes.
I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd,
I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud.
I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on.
He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair
And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there.
But he just came to singing, singing clear and strong.
The song "Killing Me Softly" by Cassandra Wilson is a haunting rendition of the original song by Roberta Flack. The lyrics describe the experience of being emotionally moved by a musician's performance. The singer recalls hearing about the musician's talent and decided to see him perform in person.
As the performance begins, the singer is swept up in the emotions of the music, as the performer strums his guitar and sings. The lyrics describe the feeling of being overwhelmed and consumed by the music. The singer feels as though the performer is singing her life with his words, telling her entire story through his songs.
Towards the end of the song, the singer reveals that she had written letters to the performer that he had apparently read aloud during his performance. Despite feeling embarrassed and exposed, the singer is still captivated by the performer's voice and how he seems to know her deepest, darkest feelings.
Overall, the lyrics paint a portrait of the power of music to convey feelings and emotions that often go unexpressed in other ways. The song suggests that music has the ability to cut through our defenses and reveal our true selves, even to strangers.
Line by Line Meaning
Strumming my pain with his fingers,
He plays his guitar in a way that speaks to my emotional pain, allowing me to feel heard and validated.
Singing my life with his words,
He sings lyrics so relatable to my life experiences, allowing me to feel understood and connected.
Killing me softly with his song,
His music has a profound effect on me, altering my emotions in a way that is both overwhelmingly intense but also natural.
Telling my whole life with his words,
The lyrics he sings have a direct correlation to my life and experiences, making me feel seen in ways that are rare.
I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style.
People have been saying great things about this musician's talent and unique abilities.
And so I came to see him to listen for a while.
I was curious and wanted to experience his music for myself.
And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes.
The musician was new to me and I didn't know what to expect.
I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd,
His music was so powerful and personal, it made me feel exposed in front of the audience who were listening with me.
I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud.
The lyrics felt like secrets from my life, and the singer was revealing them to the world.
I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on.
Even though I was overwhelmed with the personal nature of the song, I couldn't stop listening.
He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair
The way he sang was like he understood my deepest struggles and could relate to them on a personal level.
And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there.
Even though he seemed to relate to me on an emotional level, he didn't seem to recognize me personally.
But he just came to singing, singing clear and strong.
He continued to sing with a powerful presence, making the song even more impactful.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robin Spielberg, Norman Gimbel, Charles Fox
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dawud Abdullaah
Man, what a great arrangement. The only link to the original is the melody she's singing...and the 2nd part of the chorus. Awesome.
Godfather CHUUUCH
She slick with it 🎤
davielove11
Really nice take on this CLASSIC!
Mr. F Wright
I love this
Luis Alejandro PÄ—rez
Me gustarÃa un dúo con Buika, tienen ese color de voz parecido.
Fernando Castaño
La exquisitez hecha mujer !! Negra mi amor
Natalie vermoit
nice smooth sensual voice
Genesis Gunn
Agreed