Cascade
Siouxsie AndThe Banshees Lyrics

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Oh the air was shining
Shining like a wedding ring
Barbed like sex
I felt ten thousand volts
My chest was full of eels
Pushing through my usual skin
I opened up new wounds
Pouting, shouting

Oh love, like liquid falling
Falling in cascades
Oh lovelorn victims
Laughing in cascades

The sun was rich
Rich with a song of sin
My breath melted my words
Into strange alphabets
Tormenting my tongue
Pouting, shouting

Oh love, like liquid falling
Falling in cascades
Oh lovelorn victims
Laughing in cascades

The heartbeats were echoing
Echoing the revolver
Emptying into my mouth
I pulled a face from my pocket
And smiled a leper's grin
I felt somebody close
Pouting, shouting

Oh love, like liquid falling
Falling in cascades

Oh lovelorn victims
Laughing in cascades

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Cascade" by Siouxsie and the Banshees are rich in metaphorical language and create a surrealistic experience for the listener. The opening stanza sets the scene with an image of shining air, which is almost tangible and creates a sense of anticipation. The use of barbed wire imagery and the idea of feeling ten thousand volts suggest an element of danger or risk-taking. The line "my chest was full of eels" creates a visceral image of discomfort and tension, which is intensified by the subsequent line about opening up new wounds. This is reinforced by the closing sentiment of the stanza, which suggests that the singer is pouting and shouting in response to the experience.

The second stanza introduces the theme of love, using the metaphor of liquid falling in cascades, which describes the overwhelming and all-encompassing nature of love. The use of the phrase "lovelorn victims" suggests that love is not always a happy experience and can be a source of pain and torment. The third and final stanza brings in the image of a revolver and the idea of death, which creates a bleak and chilling contrast to the image of falling liquid in the previous stanza. The line about pulling a face from the pocket and smiling a leper's grin is particularly striking, as it suggests a sense of grotesque and morbid humor in the face of death. Overall, the lyrics of "Cascade" create a surreal, intense, and emotionally charged experience for the listener.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh the air was shining
The atmosphere was radiant.

Shining like a wedding ring
Radiant like a newly-wedded couple's pure love.

Barbed like sex
Sharp and intense like sexual desire.

I felt ten thousand volts
I felt a sudden, strong surge of energy.

My chest was full of eels
My chest felt wriggly and uncomfortable.

Pushing through my usual skin
My inner emotions were overwhelming and breaking through my usual demeanor.

I opened up new wounds
I exposed my vulnerabilities and weaknesses.

Pouting, shouting
Showing petulant behavior and yelling out of frustration.

Oh love, like liquid falling
Love feels like a fluid, falling sensation.

Falling in cascades
Falling in a continuous, rapid sequence.

Oh lovelorn victims
Those who have lost in love.