About The Song
For those unfamiliar with the myth, Cassandra was a Trojan princess cursed by the god Apollo. Endowed with the gift of prophecy, she could foresee the future with chilling accuracy. However, the same god who bestowed this power ensured her pronouncements would never be believed. “Cassandra” becomes an exploration of this cruel paradox – the agony of knowing what lies ahead, yet being powerless to prevent it.
The song opens with a melancholic piano melody, setting the stage for a bittersweet lament. The lyrics, penned by Björn Ulvaeus, paint a picture of a society oblivious to the impending doom Cassandra sees. “Down in the street they’re all singing and shouting / Staying alive though the city is dead” – a stark contrast between the revelry of the masses and the protagonist’s solitary despair. The line “Pity, Cassandra that no one believed you” evokes a deep sense of empathy for the ostracized prophetess.
As the song progresses, the instrumentation builds, mirroring the growing urgency of Cassandra’s warnings. The soaring vocals of Frida resonate with a raw emotion, capturing the frustration of a voice unheard. The lyrics “Sorry Cassandra, I misunderstood” shift perspective, acknowledging the collective failure to heed the warnings. This introspective turn adds another layer to the song, prompting listeners to consider their own tendency to dismiss unwelcome truths.
“Cassandra” stands as a powerful closing chapter for ABBA. It’s a song that resonates not just with the band’s personal journey – their own impending break-up – but with the universal human experience of being unheard or misunderstood. The final verse, “So in the morning your ship will be sailing” , leaves a lingering sense of loss and acceptance. Cassandra, like ABBA themselves, is left to sail towards an uncertain future, a poignant metaphor for the ever-present undercurrent of melancholy that permeates The Visitors.