Cassandra
Bonus Track | THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY (2024)
Table of Contents
Background
“Cassandra” is part of the surprise double-album, THE ANTHOLOGY, which was released on April 19, shortly after the album’s standard edition.
Lyrical Theme
Taylor’s portrayal of Cassandra is not just a recount of myth but also a commentary on modern issues like the suppression of truth and the vilification of those who dare to speak it. In a voice note to producer Aaron Dessner, she said:
«In Greek mythology, Cassandra was brought on by Apollo to always warn people of impending doom, but she was cursed to never be listened to. So, read into this what you will based on our current social and cultural climate.»
Taylor Swift
The line, “So, they killed Cassandra first ’cause she feared the worst and tried to tell the town,” emphasizes the fate of those who, despite foreseeing disaster, are silenced or disregarded by the masses. This motif resonates with feelings of frustration and helplessness, which are compounded by the violent and dismissive reactions of the public when truths are spoken. The song’s bridge, mentioning greed and a “Christian chorus line,” suggests a further critique of societal and religious hypocrisy, where moral stances are abandoned when inconvenient. The song doesn’t resolve itself at the end, instead focusing on the isolating aftermath of being ignored.
Production
Live Performance
Commercial Performance
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
I was in my new house placing daydreams
Patching up the crack along the wall
I pass it and lose track of what I’m saying
Cause that’s where I was when I got the call
[Pre-Chorus 1]
When the first stone’s thrown there’s screaming
In the streets, there’s a raging riot
When it’s ‘burn the bitch’, they’re shrieking
When the truth comes out it’s quiet
[Chorus 1]
So they killed Cassandra first
Cause she feared the worst
And tried to tell the town
So they filled my cell with snakes
I regret to say
Do you believe me now?
[Verse 2]
I was in my tower weaving nightmares
Twisting all my smiles into snarls
They say what doesn’t kill you makes you aware
What happens if it becomes who you are?
[Chorus 2]
So they killed Cassandra first
Cause she feared the worst
And tried to tell the town
So they set my life in flames
I regret to say
Do you believe me now?
[Bridge 1]
They knew, they knew, they knew the whole time
That I was onto something
The family, the pure greed, the Christian chorus line
They all said nothing
Blood’s thick but nothing like a payroll
Bet they never spared a prayer for my soul
You can mark my words that I said it first
In a mourning warning no one heard
[Verse 3]
I patched up the crack along the wall
I pass it and lose track of what I’m saying
Cause that’s where I was when I lost it all
[Final Chorus]
So they killed Cassandra first
Cause she feared the worst
And tried to tell the town
So they filled my cell with snakes
I regret to say
Do you believe me now?
[Bridge 2]
I was onto something
They all said nothing
Blood’s thick but nothing like a payroll
Bet they never spared a prayer for my soul
You can mark my words that I said it first
In a mourning warning no one heard
No one heard
Not a single word was heard
[Outro]
When the first stone’s thrown, there’s screaming
In the streets there’s a raging riot
When it’s ‘burn the bitch’, they’re shrieking
When the truth comes out it’s quiet
It’s so quiet
Hey, I love this track so, so, so much. Um, this is either called… This is either called, um… “Cassandra”, or… No, I think it’s called that. Uh, ’cause of the Greek. In Greek mythology, Cassandra was brought on by Apollo to, to, always warn people of impending doom, but she was cursed to never be listened to. So, read into this what you will based on our current social and cultural climate.
[Verse 1]
I was in my new house placing daydreams
Patching up the crack along the wall
I pass it and lose track of what I’m saying
Cause that’s where I was when I got the call
[Pre-Chorus 1]
When the first shot’s fired there’s screaming
In the street there’s a raging riot
When it’s ‘burn the bitch’, they’re shrieking
When the truth comes out it’s quiet
[Chorus 1]
So they killed Cassandra first
Cause she feared the worst
And tried to tell the town
So they filled my cell with snakes
I regret to say
Do you believe me now?
[Verse 2]
I was in my tower weaving nightmares
Twisting all my smiles into snarls
Say ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you aware
What happens if it becomes who you are?
[Chorus 2]
So they killed Cassandra first
Cause she feared the worst
And tried to tell the town
So they set my life in flames
I regret to say
Do you believe me now?
[Bridge]
They knew, they knew, they knew the whole time
That I was onto something
The family, the pure greed, the Christian chorus line
They all said nothing
Blood’s thick but nothing like a payroll
Bet they never spared a prayer for my soul
You can mark my words that I said it first
In a mourning warning no one heard
[Verse 3]
I was patching up the crack along the wall
I pass it and lose track of what I’m saying
Cause that’s where I was when I lost it all
[Chorus 3]
Yeah, they killed Cassandra first
Cause I feared the worst
And tried to tell the town
Yeah, they filled my cell with snakes
I regret to say
Do you believe me now?
[Post-Chorus]
Onto something
They all said nothing
Cause blood’s thick but nothing like a payroll
Bet they never spared a prayer for my soul
You can mark my words that I said it first
In a mourning warning no one heard
No one heard
Not a single word
No one heard
[Outro]
When the first shot’s fired there’s screaming
In the street there’s a raging riot
When it’s ‘burn the bitch’, they’re shrieking
When the truth comes out it’s quiet
It’s so quiet
Hahaha, you like it?
Artist | Taylor Swift | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Album | THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT | |||
Released | April 19, 2024 | |||
Recorded | 2022-2023 | |||
Studio | Long Pond (Hudson Valley) | |||
Genre | Folk | |||
Length | 4:00 | |||
Label | Republic Records | |||
Songwriters | Taylor Swift Aaron Dessner | |||
Producers | Aaron Dessner Taylor Swift | |||
THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT CHRONOLOGY | ||||
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