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
Lies
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Those words behind your eyes
You walked into something
Sweet and smoothest and warm
You crawled under my skin
You would say that it's all in my mind
You'd never be unkind
You stole my every word
Living inside your world makes me cry
An oceanful of tears
Living inside your love is a lie
Living inside your love is a lie
Lie
Living, living, living, living inside your love.
Living inside your world makes me cry
An oceanful of tears
Living inside your love is a lie
Like a fool, I believed in your lies
Those words behind your eyes
You walked into something
Sweet and smoothest and warm
You crawled under my skin
Like a fool, I believed in your lies
In "Lies", Cassandra Wilson sings about a relationship that started off sweet and loving, but gradually turned sour as the singer realized that her partner wasn't being truthful. The song opens with the singer admitting to being foolish enough to believe in her partner's lies. She talks about how he "walked into something sweet and smoothest and warm" and how she allowed him to "crawl under my skin". However, as time went on, she began to see through his lies, despite his protests that it was all in her mind. The repeated refrain of "Living inside your love is a lie" emphasizes the singer's sense of betrayal and disillusionment.
What's interesting about "Lies" is that while the lyrics are full of pain and heartache, the music has a smooth and laid-back feel to it. This contrast creates an interesting tension that draws the listener in. Wilson's husky voice is perfectly suited to the jazzy, soulful sound of the song, and the understated instrumentation allows her vocals to shine. The use of repetition and contrast (for example, the juxtaposition of the happy-sounding refrain with the mournful verses) adds to the song's emotional impact.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a fool, I believed in your lies
I trusted the falsehoods that you told me, despite evidence to the contrary.
Those words behind your eyes
Your body language and other nonverbal cues told me that you were lying, even if your words appeared sincere.
You walked into something
You knowingly entered a relationship with me, despite knowing that it was built on false pretenses.
Sweet and smoothest and warm
Our relationship felt comfortable and inviting, even if it was based on lies.
You crawled under my skin
You became deeply ingrained in my life and my psyche, despite not being trustworthy or honest.
You would say that it's all in my mind
You would invalidate my concerns by suggesting that my suspicions were unfounded and that I was overthinking things.
You'd never be unkind
You acted as though you were a good, caring person, even though your actions and words did not reflect this.
Just like a snake wrapped around a heart of gold
You were deceptive and manipulative, covering your toxic personality with a guise of kindness and warmth.
You stole my every word
You took my expressions of love and trust and twisted them into lies that you used for your own benefit.
Living inside your world makes me cry
Being a part of your life and your lies causes me emotional pain and heartbreak.
An oceanful of tears
My heartache and sadness are overwhelming, as if I am crying an entire ocean of tears.
Living inside your love is a lie
Our relationship was built on false pretenses and deceit, making any expression of love or affection untrue.
Lie
The repeated emphasis of the word 'lie' throughout the song underscores the theme of dishonesty and betrayal.
Living, living, living, living inside your love.
The repetition of this line drives home the idea that the singer is suffering under the weight of a love that is untrue and harmful.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL ROBERTS, CHRISTOPHER WALTON, SIMON SCOTT, SEAN MCELHONE, GLENN SCULLION, GARY WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind