Cassandra – English Lyrics

• By: Florence + The Machine
• Album: Under Heaven Over Hell

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical depth of Florence + The Machine's "Cassandra" – a powerful track that uses ancient Greek mythology to articulate very modern feelings of being unheard and creatively stifled. Through its poetic narrative and Florence Welch's evocative vocal delivery, this song offers a unique opportunity to explore themes of prophecy, disbelief, and artistic frustration in English. Discover how a timeless myth can illuminate contemporary anxieties and make the language come alive with raw emotion and rich storytelling.

[English]

I used to see the future and now I see nothing

They cut out my eyes and sent me home packing

To pace around the kitchen for scraps of inspiration

Crying like Cassandra, I

Used to tell the future, but they cut out my tongue

And left me doing laundry to think in what I've done

It wasn't me, it was the song

I used to move into the future, bring it all back

Let it bleed through my fingers, a treasure in my hands

Now I creep out when there's no one about

'Cause they put crosses on the doors to try and keep me out

The garden's overgrown

And I run in the middle of the road (ooh)

Well, can you see me? I cannot see you

Everything I thought I knew has fallen out of view

In this blindness I'm condemned to

Well, can you hear me? I cannot hear you

Every song I thought I knew, I've been deafened to

And there's no one left to sing to

All the gods have been domesticated

And Heaven is now overrated

And the churches, they all closed their doors

But you can take your complaints straight to the Lord

I try to still look with wonder on the world

As the roses bloom

And the riot van still plainly in view

Well, can you see me? I cannot see you

Everything I thought I knew has fallen out of view

In this blindness I'm condemned to

Well, can you hear me? I cannot hear you

Every song I thought I knew, I've been deafened to

And there's no one left to sing to

Ooh-ooh-ooh

Ooh-ooh-ooh

Ooh-ooh-ooh, oh

Take me back

Oh, drunken gods of slaughter

You know I've always been your

Favorite daughter

Well, can you see me? I cannot see you

Everything I thought I knew is falling out of view

And if I run fast enough, could I break apart

As empires crumble and cathedrals flatten in my heart?

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
future /ˈfjuːtʃər/ A1	noun - the time that is yet to come
see /siː/ A1	verb - to perceive with the eyes
cut /kʌt/ A1	verb - to divide or sever with a sharp instrument
cry /kraɪ/ A1	verb - to shed tears, typically as an expression of emotion
Cassandra /kəˈsændrə/ C2	noun - in Greek mythology, a prophetess cursed to utter true prophecies that no one believed
tongue /tʌŋ/ A2	noun - the fleshy muscular organ in the mouth used for tasting, licking, swallowing, and speaking
song /sɒŋ/ A1	noun - a short piece of music with words
bleed /bliːd/ B1	verb - to lose blood from the body as a result of injury or illness
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot
blindness /ˈblaɪndnəs/ B2	noun - the inability to see; lack of vision
condemned /kənˈdɛmd/ C1	verb - sentenced to a particular punishment, especially death
gods /ɡɒdz/ B1	noun - supernatural beings considered divine and sacred
Heaven /ˈhevən/ B1	noun - a place regarded in various religions as the abode of God and the angels, and of the good after death
domesticated /dəˈmɛstɪkeɪtɪd/ C1	adjective - tame and kept as a pet or on a farm; (of an animal) accustomed to human contact
overrated /ˌəʊvəˈreɪtɪd/ C1	adjective - rated or valued too highly
wonder /ˈwʌndər/ B1	noun - a feeling of surprise and admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, or unfamiliar
roses /ˈrəʊzɪz/ A2	noun - flowers with prickly stems, typically red, pink, yellow, or white, grown for their scent and beauty
empires /ˈɛmpaɪərz/ B2	noun - extensive groups of states or countries under a single supreme authority
crumble /ˈkrʌmbəl/ B2	verb - to break or fall apart into small fragments
heart /hɑːt/ A1	noun - the organ that pumps blood through the body; the center of emotion