Cassandra
Crüxshadows Lyrics
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Stinging thoughts, born with phantoms
We danced above a world forgotten
Moments cherished...even now
A train-wrecked heart loves fairy tales
Singing from a gaping wound
However time has left unsettled
My memories play out of tune
You can't unmake a cold mistake
You can't undo the hearts you break
You can't erase the poet's fate
Not even if you try
And she had Audry Hepburn's smile
With deeper sadder eyes
The only thing she said
No one hears Cassandra cry
Because the earth is standing still
And the truth becomes a lie
A choice profound is bittersweet
No one hears Cassandra cry
A heartfelt sorrow I believe
Offered this for passion's crime
A crippled satellite trapped in orbit
My memories play out of time
You can't unmake a cold mistake
You can't undo the hearts you break
You can't erase the poet's fate
Not even if you ry...
The listless price of my descension
Where emptiness has pulled me down
Cascading from my divagation
Below the frozen winter skies
Pythonic sadness unreleased
As serpents rigid in the cold
Waiting for the warmth of Sunday
Before the cruelty of growing old
Are you listening?
Are you listening?
Are you listening now?
Like Orpheus with hope intangled
Your path was mapped about your feet
Leading backwards into forgiveness
Or forward to a foold retreat
The lyrics of the Crüxshadows song "Cassandra" paint a picture of a person whose memories are haunting them, even as they try to move forward in life. The opening lines describe the paradoxical nature of memory - it plays out like pictures, but only in reverse. The singer recalls a time when they danced with someone in a forgotten world, cherishing moments even now. But the memory is tinged with sadness, as the singer's heart is train-wrecked and their memories play out of tune.
As the song progresses, the theme of irreversible mistakes that have lasting consequences becomes clearer. The refrain emphasizes this idea, noting that "you can't unmake a cold mistake" or "undo the hearts you break". The lyrics then shift to describe the person who haunts the singer's memories - she had "Audrey Hepburn's smile" but sadder eyes. She is compared to Cassandra, a mythical figure who had the gift of foresight but was cursed to never be believed.
Despite the sadness that permeates the song, there is a glimmer of hope in the final verses. The singer implores the listener to listen closely, like Orpheus who once braved the underworld to rescue his beloved. The path forward is described as a choice between forgiveness and a "fool's retreat", suggesting that redemption is possible but may require a painful reckoning first.
Overall, "Cassandra" is a powerful exploration of memory, regret, and the ways in which our past mistakes can shape our present and future.
Line by Line Meaning
Watching backwards as life like pictures
Reflecting on the past, like watching old photos or films.
Stinging thoughts, born with phantoms
Painful memories and regrets that haunt one's mind.
We danced above a world forgotten
Feeling disconnected from the world and its people.
Moments cherished...even now
Valuing and remembering happy moments from the past.
A train-wrecked heart loves fairy tales
Being drawn to romantic fantasies despite past heartbreaks.
Singing from a gaping wound
Expressing pain and hurt through one's art or music.
However time has left unsettled
Describing how time has not been able to heal emotional wounds.
My memories play out of tune
Recalling memories that are emotionally discordant and resonate negatively.
You can't unmake a cold mistake
Reminding the listener that the past cannot be undone.
You can't undo the hearts you break
Acknowledging the pain caused to others through one's mistakes or actions.
You can't erase the poet's fate
Accepting the role of the artist/poet, whose experiences and emotions inform their work.
Not even if you try
Emphasizing the permanence of past actions and experiences.
And she had Audry Hepburn's smile
Describing the beauty of the person in question, likened to that of a famous actress.
With deeper sadder eyes
Suggesting sadness and melancholy in the person's gaze.
The only thing she said
Highlighting the person's reticence or unwillingness to communicate.
No one hears Cassandra cry
Referencing the Greek myth of Cassandra, who was cursed to foresee disasters but never be believed.
Because the earth is standing still
Indicating a feeling of stasis or stagnation in life.
And the truth becomes a lie
Perceiving the world as dishonest or deceitful.
A choice profound is bittersweet
Acknowledging the complexity and difficulty of making important decisions.
A heartfelt sorrow I believe
Expressing a deep and sincere sadness.
Offered this for passion's crime
Suggesting that one's emotions or artistic drive come with a cost.
A crippled satellite trapped in orbit
Feeling stuck or trapped in an undesirable situation.
My memories play out of time
Referencing again the disharmony and pain of past memories.
The listless price of my descension
Describing the cost of a downwards spiral or decline.
Where emptiness has pulled me down
Implying a metaphorical vacuum or void.
Cascading from my divagation
Indicating a wandering or digressive mind.
Below the frozen winter skies
Depicting a cold and uninviting landscape, both internal and external.
Pythonic sadness unreleased
Describing a deep, unexpressed sadness.
As serpents rigid in the cold
Comparing the artist's emotional state to a reptile in winter.
Waiting for the warmth of Sunday
Expressing a sense of longing or hopefulness.
Before the cruelty of growing old
Suggesting the inevitability of ageing and the pain that can bring.
Are you listening?
Posing a rhetorical question to the audience, perhaps accusing them of not paying attention.
Like Orpheus with hope intangled
Referencing the myth of Orpheus, a musician who used his gift to retrieve his beloved from the underworld.
Your path was mapped about your feet
Implying destiny or fate.
Leading backwards into forgiveness
Describing the possibility of forgiveness or redemption, even after mistakes have been made.
Or forward to a foold retreat
Possible alternate path suggested, leading to retreat or withdrawal.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BENNY GORAN BROR ANDERSSON, BJOERN K. ULVAEUS, B. NEYMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind