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
When The Sun Goes Down
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't want us to die
Don't want to live my life through you
Then sit and wonder why
How can we get our love back
Oh, got turned around
I want to see you
It's as simple as that
I want to see you when the sun goes down
No more than that
Don't want to play no games with you
Not like before
And I don't want to put no chains on you
Not anymore
Don't want to call down the rain on you
Just to hear the thunder roar
I just want to see you when the sun goes down
It's as simple as that
I just want to see you when the sun goes down
No more than that
And when the stars fall into the dawn
I'll be stirring in your arms
Come the morning when I'm feeling a flame
Well, I wonder do you feel the same way
Do you feel the same
It don't matter no way
I want to see you when the sun goes down
When the stars fall into the dawn
I'll be stirring in your arms
Come the morning when I'm feeling a flame
Well, I wonder do you feel the same way
Do you feel the same
It don't matter no way
I just want to see you when the sun goes down
Oh yes ...
The lyrics of Cassandra Wilson's song "When The Sun Goes Down" depict a complex relationship where the singer is trying to reconnect with their partner. The song is written with a hint of melancholy and longing, yet also with a desire to rekindle their love. The line "Don't want to close the door on you, don't want us to die," indicates a fear of losing the relationship, while the line, "Don't want to live my life through you, then sit and wonder why," reflects the singer's desire for a mutual and equal relationship. Despite previous painful experiences, the singer wants to restore their relationship with minimal drama or emotional gestures, as exemplified in the line "It's as simple as that, I want to see you when the sun goes down."
The lines, "Don't want to call down the rain on you, just to hear the thunder roar," indicate the singer's desire to let go of controlling their partner's behavior and attitude. Instead, they want to focus on the positive aspects of their relationship and rekindle their love. The final verse suggests that despite their uncertainty about their partner's feelings, the singer wants to take the risk to reconnect, as they sing, "I wonder do you feel the same way, do you feel the same, it don't matter no way."
Overall, the song portrays a complex emotional state where the singer is attempting to reconcile their past experiences with their desire to rebuild the relationship. The message is put forward beautifully through Cassandra Wilson's emotive and soulful voice.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't want to close the door on you
I don't want to end our relationship abruptly
Don't want us to die
I don't want our love to fade away
Don't want to live my life through you
I don't want to depend on you for my happiness
Then sit and wonder why
And then be confused when things don't work out
How can we get our love back
I am unsure how to rekindle our love
Oh, got turned around
I feel lost and disoriented
I want to see you
I desire to be with you
When the sun goes down
At nightfall
No more than that
I don't need anything more than that
Don't want to play no games with you
I don't want to deceive or manipulate you
Not like before
Not like I did in the past
And I don't want to put no chains on you
I don't want to control or limit you
Not anymore
I have realized the error in my ways
Don't want to call down the rain on you
I don't want to cause you pain or distress
Just to hear the thunder roar
Just to satisfy my own ego or desires
And when the stars fall into the dawn
When night turns into daybreak
I'll be stirring in your arms
I'll be cuddling with you
Come the morning when I'm feeling a flame
When I wake up feeling passionate
Well, I wonder do you feel the same way
I wonder if you share my feelings
Do you feel the same
Do you have the same passion for me
It don't matter no way
But it doesn't really matter
Contributed by Samantha L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.