Cassiopeia

I think this is almost a lullaby, I know when I can't sleep I

"Feel the matress tense beneath me like the muscle of nonsleepy; Feathers flexing will defeat me, and it vexes me completely."

But no matter how much I can't sleep you always do.

In the first part she seems somewhat internally resistant, and the second part suddenly contrasts that with beauty and yearning. She also talks about both snores and dreams, in a way that seems to blend negative and positive feelings.

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The harp on this song is so gorgeous.

I agree with the lullaby/dream idea, and I think that this line is just flawless:

"Feel the matress tense beneath me like the muscle of nonsleepy."

This song is about an abusive lover who is killed in their sleep by the one they have been abusing. The first stanza talks about feathers, the mattres flexing as if someone is a wake and moving. This will defeat the plan to kill the abuser if they do in fact wake up. " The hexes heat covertly" This is done in secret, "His meaty mitts cant hurt Me". Her will is compounded meaning she has summed up the courage to go through with it. The steel string being used to strangle the abuser is unwound only when it is found out that they are a sleep and vulnerable. "And in store are dreams so daring that the night can't stop from staring. I'll swim sweetly as a herring" She will kill the abuser and will be at peace there after." A quiet hum is amplified by your thumb, that you suck dry" This symbolizes the struggle. Tthe room was quiet before but now after being strangled the abuser yells and begs and pleads as if he were a child sucking their thumb."Hold your breath and clasp at Cassiopeia." The abuser is losing oxygen dying moving towards the heavnes i.e. cassiopeia

These songs are drawn from deep deep down, and the motives for their creation and the way they come out are probably beyond to much analysis. But with musuc as gorgeous as this, who cares! One lovely thing with this song is the way she obviously enjoys the simple pleasure of singing the word Cassiopeia. Who wouldn't? This is the most remarkable CD I've bought since Kate Bush " A Sea of Honey." All you JN fans out there should get this..the 2nd disc is truly remarkable in a similar way to JN's work and should take your breath away. And I've still not heard Ys yet, I'm getting it for Christmas. Oh brave new world.......

is it about a really bizarre dream? it starts with her lying in her bed and drifting off into slumber it's very abstract. and her voice scares me a little.

Hi Songmeanings folks, I'm really impressed by all the thought you've evidently put into these interpretations, and I'm hoping some of you will be interested in contributing to a project related to Ms. Newsom's amazing work. You see, I am putting together a book of writings to be called “Visions of Joanna Newsom” (yes, the reference to Bob Dylan's "Visions of Johanna" is intentional). I’m looking for art, essays, poems, true stories, academic readings of songs, anecdotes, and all things related to Ms. Newsom. I’ve already secured a contribution from the novelist and Joanna-acolyte Dave Eggers, and the book will be published through a small press that I will soon be starting up here in Sacramento. This is not just a pie-in-the-sky project; it’s real and will definitely happen. I will need new work that hasn't already been posted here, because I don't want to violate copyright, but I'm sure some of you will be willing to rise to the occasion and offer your views on a particular song or album's meaning. So who am I? Well, I teach English Literature and Creative Writing full-time at the California State University, Sacramento. I’m also poet of sorts; you can read some of my poetry at my now-lapsed blog: www.miracleshirker.blogspot.com or verify my academic existence at the CSUS English Department’s web page: http://www.csus.edu/engl/. I’m also a board member at the Sacramento Poetry Center, where I co-edit The Tule Review, and I have a few books and articles out there already in various fields. You can reach me via email at buchanan@csus.edu Thanks! yours, Brad Buchanan

This song is like a lullaby. The harp arrangement is simply magical. It's very calming and beautiful. Joanna is simply amazing

this song makes me smile. cassiopoeia is my constellation. :)

aw man literally every Joanna song makes me wanna cry and I don't even know why. She's a genius no doubt.

Cassiopeia is a figure from Greek mythology who was extremely beautiful but vain. She has a constellation named after her. Personally I think this song is about beauty but the great thing about Joanna Newsom is that she makes all of her songs so vague but intricate in a special way that can be interpreted differently to anybody. I don't think this song can be deciphered exactly but that's the magic of I suppose. And I agree with the comments above--this song is a lullaby of sorts, meant to sooth and comfort.