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
The Very Thought Of You
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I forget to do
The little ordinary things
That anyone ought to do
I'm living in a kind of a daydream
I'm happy as a queen
And foolish though it may seem
The mere idea of you
The longing here for you
You'll never know how slow
The moments go till I'm near to you
I see your face in every flower
And your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love
I'm living in a kind of a daydream
I'm happy, I'm happy as a queen
And foolish though it may seem
To me that's everything
The mere idea of you
The longing here for you
You'll never know how slow
The moments go till I am near to you
I see your face in every flower
And your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love
My love, my love
The song "The Very Thought of You" by Cassandra Wilson is a love ballad that centers on the power of love and how it has the ability to consume and distract one's thoughts. The opening line, "The very thought of you," suggests that the mere presence of the subject is enough to draw the singer's attention and devotion away from everyday tasks. The lines "And I forget to do / The little ordinary things / That anyone ought to do" describe how the singer's thoughts are consumed by the subject, causing them to lose focus on mundane tasks.
The chorus, "I'm living in a kind of a daydream / I'm happy as a queen /And foolish though it may seem /To me that's everything" reinforces this idea of being consumed by thoughts of love. Being in a "daydream" implies a level of detachment from daily reality, as the singer's thoughts are consumed by the subject of their affection. Feeling "happy as a queen" suggests a sense of completeness and contentment. Despite others potentially viewing the singer's actions as "foolish," the singer is wholly invested in their love and devoted to the subject of their affection.
The second verse further emphasizes the singer's devotion to the subject, as they describe how the longing for their love makes time feel slower: "You'll never know how slow / The moments go till I'm near to you." The final lines of the song "It's just the thought of you / The very thought of you, my love" confirm that even the mere thought of the subject is enough to fill the singer with love and joy.
Overall, "The Very Thought of You" is a romantic ballad about the all-consuming power of love and the way it has the ability to take over one's thoughts and emotions, leaving them feeling complete and content.
Line by Line Meaning
The very thought of you
The mere thought of you is enough to make my mind drift away from reality.
And I forget to do
I forget to carry out even the little things that are expected of me.
The little ordinary things
These are simple, mundane tasks that everyone should do regularly.
That anyone ought to do
These are things that any reasonable person is expected to do without fail.
I'm living in a kind of a daydream
I'm lost in my thoughts, dwelling in a fantasy world that is too pleasant to leave.
I'm happy as a queen
I'm incredibly content with this feeling of enchantment and satisfaction.
And foolish though it may seem
Even though it may appear irrational to others, it means the world to me.
To me, that's everything
This thought is paramount and all that matters to me right now.
The mere idea of you
The simple notion of your existence fills me with joy and longing.
The longing here for you
I desire your presence and yearn for your affection right now.
You'll never know how slow
You can't imagine how painful the moments feel when I'm away from you.
The moments go till I'm near to you
Time appears to drag on until I'm close enough to feel your presence.
I see your face in every flower
Your face is etched in my memory, and every flower reminds me of you.
And your eyes in stars above
Stars in the sky resemble your eyes and make me think of you.
It's just the thought of you
It's simply the notion of you that fills me with so much happiness.
The very thought of you, my love
Just thinking of you, my dear, brings me immense joy and pleasure.
My love, my love
This thought of you is a representation of my love for you.
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Noble
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind