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
Sleight Of Time
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A beautiful mystery
He is too young
I am too old
Yet we fit perfectly
How could you feel
Emotions I could never reveal
Tell me why can't he be mine
Am I a pawn in someone's game
And some grand illusion
Sent here to taunt him without shame
Causing confusion
How could he know
I had nothing; no where else to go
Sleight of hand or Sleight of time
Tell me why can't he be mine
I cried a river of regret
Indulged in misery
Why long for something I can't get
When I get it eventually
How could he see
That our love was always meant to be
Sleight of hand or Sleight of time
Tell me why can't he be mine...
Why can't he be mine
Why can't he be...
In this song, Cassandra Wilson is expressing her feelings for a younger man with whom she feels a strong connection, despite their age difference. The opening lines, "He holds the mirror to my soul, a beautiful mystery," suggests that he has a deep understanding of her innermost thoughts and desires, even though they are from different generations. The lines "He is too young, I am too old, yet we fit perfectly," explores the idea that age is just a number and that, despite their differences, they are meant to be together.
However, she is struggling with the reality that their relationship may not be possible due to social norms and expectations. The lines "Am I a pawn in someone's game and some grand illusion" questions if her feelings are genuine or if society dictates her emotions. She wonders if her feelings are just a trick of sleight of time, meaning that they may only be temporary due to the circumstances of their age and social status.
The song is about the conflict between desire and societal expectations. It is exploring the idea that love knows no boundaries, but society usually sets limits on who can love whom. The song is both personal to Wilson's own experiences as well as a general commentary on cultural norms.
Line by Line Meaning
He holds the mirror to my soul
He understands me on a deep emotional level
A beautiful mystery
Our connection is wonderful but inexplicable
He is too young
There is an age difference between us
I am too old
I am older than he is
Yet we fit perfectly
Despite the age difference, we complement each other well
How could you feel
How could you understand my emotions?
Emotions I could never reveal
The depth of my emotions is hard to express
Sleight of hand or of sleight of time
Is it magic or coincidence?
Tell me why can't he be mine
Why can't we be together?
Am I a pawn in someone's game
Is someone using me for their own purposes?
And some grand illusion
Or is this all just a dream?
Sent here to taunt him without shame
Is it unfair to tease him with something that can't be?
Causing confusion
Our situation is perplexing
How could he know
How could he understand?
I had nothing; no where else to go
I was lost without him
I cried a river of regret
I have been consumed by regret and sadness
Indulged in misery
I have allowed myself to wallow in pain
Why long for something I can't get
Is it foolish to desire what is impossible?
When I get it eventually
Perhaps one day it will happen
How could he see
How could he understand what others don't?
That our love was always meant to be
Our connection is destined
Why can't he be mine...
Why can't we be together?
Why can't he be mine
Why can't we be together?
Why can't he be...
Why can't we be together?
Contributed by Elena T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.