Love Is Blindness
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics
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I don't want to see
Won't you wrap the night
Around me
Take my heart
Love is blindness
In a parked car
You see your love
Made complete
Thread is slipping
Love is blindness
Love is clockworks
And cold steel
Fingers too numb to feel
Squeeze the handle
Blow out the candle
Love is blindness
Love is blindness
I don't want to see
Won't you wrap the night
Around me
Oh my love
Blindness
A little death
Without mourning
No call
And no warning
Baby, a dangerous idea
That almost makes sense
Love is drowning
In a deep well
All the secrets
And no one to tell
Take de money
Honey
Blindness
Love is blindness
I don't want to see
Won't you wrap the night
Around me
Oh my love
Blindness
Cassandra Wilson's song "Love Is Blindness" is a haunting ballad that explores the complex and often destructive nature of love. The opening lines, "Love is blindness, I don't want to see," set the tone for the song's dark and brooding mood. The singer is afraid of the intensity of her feelings for someone and wants to escape from the overwhelming emotions.
The theme of escapism is reinforced in the second verse, where the singer seeks refuge in a parked car in a crowded street. She wants to be alone with her lover and shut out the rest of the world. The use of the metaphor of a slipping thread implies that their relationship is fragile and could fall apart at any moment.
The refrain of "Love is blindness" reinforces the idea that love is all-consuming and can blind us to reality. The image of clockworks and cold steel suggests that love is mechanical and unfeeling. The line "fingers too numb to feel" implies that the singer is numb to the pain of her love.
In the final verse, the song becomes more ominous, with the suggestion of danger and secrets. The line "A little death without mourning" refers to the French idiom "La petite mort," which is a euphemism for an orgasm. The final line, "Take the money honey/Blindness," adds a sense of corruption and temptation to the mix.
Overall, "Love Is Blindness" is a powerful meditation on the nature of love, with strong imagery and a haunting melody.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is blindness
Love can make people blind to reality and often prevents them from seeing things clearly.
I don't want to see
The singer wants to ignore the reality of their situation, which seems painful or difficult to confront.
Won't you wrap the night around me
The singer is desperate for comfort or escape, asking the night (or perhaps a lover) to provide solace.
Take my heart
The artist is willing to sacrifice their emotional vulnerability and give their heart to someone else.
In a parked car, in a crowded street
The scenario described is intense and possibly uncomfortable, as the lovers are confined in a small space in a public area.
You see your love made complete
The singer's love for someone else is enough to make them feel whole and fulfilled.
Thread is slipping
The relationship is in danger of unraveling or falling apart, and the singer feels helpless to stop it.
Love is clockworks and cold steel, fingers too numb to feel
Love can feel rigid and mechanical, rather than warm and fuzzy. It can also have a numbing effect on a person's emotions.
Squeeze the handle, blow out the candle, love is blindness
The artist feels like they're grasping for control, but ultimately powerless to stop the force of their own love, which can be all-consuming.
A little death without mourning, no call and no warning
The idea of giving someone your heart can be scary, as it opens you up to potential heartbreak. The phrase 'a little death' alludes to orgasm, which is sometimes referred to as 'la petite mort' in French.
Baby, a dangerous idea that almost makes sense
The singer acknowledges that love can sometimes be risky or illogical, yet those factors are part of what makes it so compelling.
Love is drowning in a deep well, all the secrets and no one to tell
Love can be all-consuming and make you feel like you're in over your head. It can also involve keeping secrets that you feel unable to share with anyone else.
Take the money, honey, blindness
It is unclear what this line refers to, but it could suggest that the singer is willing to give up something (perhaps material) in order to keep their love alive, despite the risks involved.
Oh my love blindness
The singer is acknowledging that their love makes them blind to the reality of their situation, but they cannot help how they feel.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul David Hewson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind