Abba - Cassandra

This performance of Cassandra is from the West German tv program Show Express broadcast live from Saarlandhalle, Saarbrucken at 7.30pm on November 11 1982. Abba performed The Day Before You Came, Cassandra and Under Attack. Cassandra was recorded on August 2 1982 and released as the B-side to 'The Day Before You Came' on 18 October 1982. Abba had originally intended to record a new album, as shown by this press release from Polar Music on June 14 1982:
"Abba have been in the studio during May and 3 new LP-tracks are finished: 'You Owe Me One', 'Just Like That' and 'I Am The City'. Abba will be back in the studio in August to record 3 or 4 new songs. Our intention is to release a new single shortly before the release of the planned double-LP with all Abba's singles. There will not be a brand new Abba-LP this year, but there will definitely be such a new LP during 1983. Even if the Abba members from time to time are doing things on their own, there is no intention whatsoever to break up the group. We wish you all a very nice and sunny summer!"
The songs recorded in August 1982 were 'Cassandra', 'Under Attack' and 'The Day Before You Came' giving 6 tracks towards their next album. 'The Day Before You Came' was the last song Abba ever recorded. Sound engineer Michael Tretow recalls that Agnetha performed the lead without the lights on and said "the mood had become sad and everybody in the studio knew that this was the end". Benny recalls: "We intended to write the musical Chess with Tim Rice for a year or two and then go back to Abba. But it all took longer than we thought and by the time we opened in the West End in Spring 1986 four years had passed. And then we said 'What's the point?' We talked to the girls and they said 'No we're fine. We think this is good.' They'd done their own albums and they were ok with it too." Bjorn recalls: "The idea was for Abba to take a break for a while and then get back together again. I think the group that never came back is something mystical and wonderful." Agnetha said: "We had reached a dividing line. It was time for all of us to go our separate ways. Perhaps in the back of our minds we thought that if Bjorn and Benny did any suitable songs we might work together again."
Cassandra means "she who entangles men" in Greek mythology. Apollo gave her the gift of prophecy in return for her love - she accepted but refused his love. Apollo then placed a curse on her so that she was doomed to tell the truth, but never to be believed. Cassandra foresaw the destruction of Troy by the Greeks when they built a huge wooden horse and pretended to sail away. Cassandra warned the Trojans the horse would be the downfall of the city but she was ignored. The Trojan pulled the giant wooden horse inside their city as a victory trophy. Late that night the Greek force crept out of the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had sailed back under cover of night, to enter and destroy the city of Troy and win the war.

Down in the street they're all singing and shouting
Staying alive though the city is dead
Hiding their shame behind hollow laughter
While you are crying alone on your bed
Pity, Cassandra that no-one believed you
But then again you were lost from the start
Now we must suffer and sell our secrets
Bargain, playing smart aching in our hearts

Sorry Cassandra I misunderstood
Now the last day is dawning
Some of us wanted but none of us would
Listen to words of warning
But on the darkest of nights
Nobody knew how to fight
And we were caught in our sleep
Sorry Cassandra I didn't believe
You really had the power
I only saw it as dreams you would weave
Until the final hour

So in the morning your ship will be sailing
Now that your father and sister are gone
There is no reason for you to linger
You're grieving deeply but still moving on
You know the future is casting a shadow
No-one else sees it but you know your fate
Packing your bags being slow and thorough
Knowing though you're late that ship is sure to wait

Sorry Cassandra I misunderstood
Now the last day is dawning
Some of us wanted but none of us would
Listen to words of warning
But on the darkest of nights
Nobody knew how to fight
And we were caught in our sleep
Sorry Cassandra I didn't believe
You really had the power
I only saw it as dreams you would weave
Until the final hour

I watched her ship leaving harbour at sunrise
Sails almost slack in the cool morning rain
She stood on deck just a tiny figure
Rigid and restrained blue eyes filled with pain

Sorry Cassandra I misunderstood
Now the last day is dawning
Some of us wanted but none of us would
Listen to words of warning
But on the darkest of nights
Nobody knew how to fight
And we were caught in our sleep
Sorry Cassandra I didn't believe
You really had the power
I only saw it as dreams you would weave
Until the final hour

Im sorry Cassandra
Im sorry Cassandra
Im sorry Cassandra...

Category:

Music

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• Abba

[TheAnniebab]

Youtube seems to have so many changes in the last few months. I've managed to see all the fascinating info you put up with your vids, but I really like to be able to see all the comments on the page with the songs. However life changes & oldies like me have to learn to keep up. Thanks again John.

[abbafanglosuk]

Yeah I'll have to get used to this new layout as well Annie. You can see all the comments in correct order for a video by clicking on "see all" in blue, which is now half way down the screen and next to "Most Recent Comments". It used to be at the bottom of the screen, which was more logical!

[TheAnniebab]

Once again a powerful video presentation of a powerful song. The girl's voices so complement each other. Thanks for posting John.

[abbafanglosuk]

Cheers Annie - the enthusiastic audience certainly help this catchy song to swing along and Agnetha looks all set for a battle! There's a description of the background to this song and lyrics underneath the video. It used to be at the side of each video and easily readable until youtube made some unwanted changes last month!

[qualqui]

Beautiful Song,....nothin' like my impossible luv Frida at the vocals, and WHAT VOCALS!!!! John boy, thanx for the info, anything about this fabulous foursome is soooooooooo INTERESTIN',....sendin' ya 5 shiny stars and thankin' ya for another AWESOME share!!! = )

[abbafanglosuk]

Thanks Jose - Cassandra was a princess in Greek mythology and Frida became one in real life, her regal voice is perfect for this catchy "call to arms" song! Had to dig back 3,000 years for this info - I wonder if Bjorn was there!

[Villeneuve27]

@abbafanglosuk so true, the unreleased bits could have been awesome

[qualqui]

@vintagerosenz yeah, i think its purple but she's got a face full of beautiful freckles!!!(sighs)

[kittybee124]

I've asked my parents to get me the CDs all of ABBA's music for Christmas this year. I'm 14 (:

[wwwonderful]

If I have a daughter I'll call her Bill, George ... anything but Sue !

[myrtlebox]

Frida! Purple Haze!

[sjj3357]

Lovely song sung by the best pop group ever, Agnetha and Frida's voices complement each other beautifully as usual :-)

[briquetaverne]

Cool song, I didn't know it existed and it's the first time I'd ever heard it... I'm so used to hearing marches from Abba that when they switched to a waltz I was blown away;

[wannamlwithu]

thank you for uploading. this was one of my favorite track from Abba. I particularly give thumbs up to Frida. her voice is like crystal :)