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
Waters Of March
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
a stick, a stone
it's the end of the road
it's the rest of the stump
it's a little alone
it's a sliver of glass
it is life, it's the sun
it's a trap, it's a gun
the oak when it blooms
a fox in the brush
the knot of the wood
the song of the thrush
the word of the wind
the cliff, a fall
a scratch, a lump
it is nothing at all
it's the wind blowing free
it's the end of a slope
it's a beam, it's a void
it's a hunch, it's a hope
and the riverbank talks
of the waters of march
it's the end of the strain
it's the joy in your heart
the foot, the ground
the flesh and the bone
the beat of the road
a slingshot stone
a truckload of bricks
in the soft morning light
the shot of the gun
in the dead of the night
a mile, a must
a thrust, a bump
its'a girl, it's a rhyme
it's a cold, it's the mumps
the plan of the house
the body in bed
and the car that got stuck
it's the mud, it's the mud
a float, a drift
a flight, a wing
a cock, a quail
oh, the promise of spring
and the riverbank talks
of the waters of march
it's the promise of life
it's the joy in your heart
a point, a grain
a bee, a bite
a blink, a buzzard
a sudden stroke of night
a pin, a needle
a sting, a pain
a snail, a riddle
a wasp, a stain
a snake, a stick
it is john, it is joe
a fish, a flash
a silvery glow
the bed of the well
the end of the line
the dismay on the face
it's a loss, it's a find
a spear, a spike
a point, a nail
a drip, a drop
the end of the day
and the river bank talks
of the waters of march
it's the promise of life
it's the joy in your heart
the end of the road
a little alone
a sliver of glass
a life, the sun
a night, a death
the end of the run
and the river bank talks
of the waters of march
it's the promise of life
it's the joy in your heart
Cassandra Wilson's song Waters of March is a poetic exploration of the fleeting, ever-changing nature of life. The lyrics describe a series of seemingly random objects and experiences, touching upon both the beautiful and the mundane. However, despite its stream-of-consciousness style, the song is ultimately an uplifting celebration of the joys of life, as represented by the "waters of march."
Each line of the song presents a different image or idea, from "a stick, a stone" to "a truckload of bricks." These disparate images are united by the refrain of "the waters of march," which refers to the arrival of spring and the promise of new life. This idea is reinforced by the mention of natural phenomena like "the oak when it blooms" and "the song of the thrush." The song's repeated emphasis on the transitory nature of life is reflected in lines like "it is nothing at all" and "the end of the road/a little alone." However, the song ultimately concludes on a hopeful note with the refrain of "it's the promise of life/it's the joy in your heart."
Line by Line Meaning
a stick, a stone
These inanimate objects signify that there is nothing left, a sense of emptiness.
it's the end of the road
Something has come to a definite finish.
it's the rest of the stump
It signifies that there are remnants left of something but it is no longer whole.
it's a little alone
A reminder of solitude and the little moments of being to oneself.
it's a sliver of glass
Something so little can cause immense pain or beauty depending on its role.
it is life, it's the sun
Life and sustenance come from the sun, tying these elements together.
it is night, it is death
The darkness and stillness of night is analogous to death.
it's a trap, it's a gun
Something harmful or painful that can be avoided with careful attention or action.
the oak when it blooms
A symbol of spring and new beginnings.
a fox in the brush
The wild in its natural habitat, elusive yet magical.
the knot of the wood
Strength, power and the natural defects and elements of the natural world.
the song of the thrush
The sweet sound of nature, not always noticed, but existing nonetheless.
the word of the wind
The presence of something inexplicably powerful, that was once thought to be intangible.
the cliff, a fall
A threat that could be seen as beautiful or dangerous, depending on the level of threat perception.
a scratch, a lump
Powerful symbols of pain, these small things can remind us of our mortality.
it is nothing at all
Sometimes life can feel insignificant and meaningless.
it's the wind blowing free
An ode to the natural movement and freedom present in the world.
it's the end of a slope
The promise of something new, the end of something difficult.
it's a beam, it's a void
Perceived emptiness, but it may also signify strength.
it's a hunch, it's a hope
A feeling or an inclination towards something that may be hopeful, yet uncertain.
and the riverbank talks
The natural world and its elements are communicating.
of the waters of march
The waters of change that come with the impending arrival of spring.
it's the end of the strain
A celebration and release from an element in one's life that was holding them back.
it's the joy in your heart
The immense happiness that comes along with the freshness of life.
the foot, the ground
Connectedness and cohesion with the earth and natural world.
the flesh and the bone
The physicality and capability of the human body.
the beat of the road
The sound and rhythm of the travels in one's life.
a slingshot stone
A reminder of the violence present in the world, but also the power of human tools to channel it.
a truckload of bricks
The strength and industry of humankind, the building blocks of our society.
in the soft morning light
An innocent and pure moment of the day, full of gentle hopefulness.
the shot of the gun
The violence and destruction that humans are capable of.
in the dead of the night
A time of fear and uncertainty, where darkness and silence reign supreme.
a mile, a must
Something that is necessary, with a sense of urgency attached to it.
a thrust, a bump
Sudden impact and forward movement.
its'a girl, it's a rhyme
Sudden unexpected moments, that are sometimes sweet.
it's a cold, it's the mumps
The unpleasantness of the world's natural elements, and its ability to hurt us even with small things.
the plan of the house
The design and thought put into creating one's own personal space.
the body in bed
A moment of reflection and sleep, where the body can repair and refresh itself.
and the car that got stuck
Our material possessions that can feel like a burden or get in the way of our progress.
it's the mud, it's the mud
The complications and messiness of life's movements.
a float, a drift
Ease of movement and lightness, without connection to land or earth.
a flight, a wing
The power and freedom of flight, and the emotions that come with those experiences.
a cock, a quail
The beauty in nature and the earth grown creatures.
oh, the promise of spring
The expectations and hopefulness that comes with the changing of the seasons.
a point, a grain
Something small, yet its presence can be felt and impactful.
a bee, a bite
Life's small pleasures and pains, our interaction with the natural world.
a blink, a buzzard
The brevity of existence and the existence of life and death in every moment.
a sudden stroke of night
An abrupt end to a time of light and life.
a pin, a needle
Tools of pain and their small, yet powerful effects.
a sting, a pain
The harshness and pain present in life.
a snail, a riddle
The complexities that exist in the natural world.
a wasp, a stain
The unpleasantness that exists in the natural world, including the stains we leave behind.
a snake, a stick
The good and evil that exists in the natural world.
it is john, it is joe
Every human has their own identity and story, no two are alike.
a fish, a flash
The suddenness and unpredictability of life's movements and events.
a silvery glow
Beauty and wonder can be found even in ordinary and common moments.
the bed of the well
A symbol of the depths of life and the world's mysteries.
the end of the line
The conclusive end of something, no more progression forward after.
the dismay on the face
The pain and emotions that are present in significant moments of life.
it's a loss, it's a find
The good and bad present in any situation, often not clear until later.
a spear, a spike
Symbols of violence and harm.
a point, a nail
Perceived pain or sharpness.
a drip, a drop
Life's most basic elements, coming together to make something greater.
the end of the day
The resting point after life's struggles, a sense of accomplishment.
and the river bank talks
The sounds and whispers of nature, never truly silent.
of the waters of march
The waters represent life's movement, ever-changing and always there.
it's the promise of life
The hope and potential that life can bring, even in difficult times.
it's the joy in your heart
The happiness and warmth that comes with life's sweetest moments.
the end of the road
A conclusion point, a time to take stock and reflect on what came before.
a little alone
A reminder of solitude, a source of strength or a source of pain, depending on context.
a sliver of glass
Something small that can cause harm or be a thing of beauty.
a life, the sun
The sun is the sustainer of all life in the natural world.
a night, a death
The darkness of the night is an element in the natural world that signifies death.
the end of the run
The finish line, the end of a journey or task.
it's the promise of life
The hope and potential that life can bring, even in difficult times.
it's the joy in your heart
The happiness and warmth that comes with life's sweetest moments.
and the riverbank talks
The natural world is alive and communicating.
of the waters of march
The approaching change of the seasons and the current movement of life's moments.
it's the promise of life
The hope and potential that life can bring, even in difficult times.
it's the joy in your heart
The happiness and warmth that comes with life's sweetest moments.
Contributed by Jordyn J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.