Orpheus
By Sara Bareilles
“You don’t have to do a thing
just listen to me sing”
“Don’t you turn like Orpheus, just stay here”
Orpheus was a poet and prophet in Greek mythology. He was known as the best musician in Greece, inspiring this lyric comparing the singer to Orpheus. Orpheus’ most well known story involves losing his wife Eurydice. When she died, Orpheus went to the Underworld and pleaded with Hades to let him have his wife back and Hades agreed under the condition that Orpheus did not turn back until the couple exited the Underworld. He failed, losing his wife forever. This inspires the singer to write the second lyric, afraid that the person she sings about will question their relationship and they will lose each other forever.
Cassandra
By Abba
“Pity Cassandra that no one believed you
But then again you were doomed from the start”
“Sorry Cassandra I didn’t believe
You really had the power
I only saw it as dreams you would weave
Until the final hour”
Cassandra was the princess of Troy. When she rejected Apollo’s advances, the god gave her the gift of prophecy and the curse that her predictions would never be believed. This song compares the subject to Cassandra and apologizes for not believing them.
"Orpheus and Eurydice" by Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein