Say My Name (for Camille Claudel) imagines the voice of the 19th century French sculptor awaiting a release from a mental institution that never came. Claudel had been Auguste Rodin’s apprentice, model, muse, and lover, contributing to some of his best-known works and creating masterpieces of her own. After her father’s death, Claudel’s brother committed her to a mental institution while friends and doctors appealed for her release. The abandonment of Camille Claudel left a legacy of unfulfilled potential alongside master works. How long must I wait for you?
Lyrics
How long must I wait for you
How long must I wait
How long must I wait for you
How long must I wait
I wait, I wait, I wait for you
I wait, I wait, I wait for you
I wait, I wait, I wait for you
To say my name, to say my name
To say my name, my name, my name, my name
How long must I wait for you
How long must I wait
How long must I wait for you
How long must I wait
I wait, I wait, I wait for you
I wait, I wait, I wait for you
I wait, I wait, I wait for you
To say my name, to say my name
To say my name, my name, my name, my name
Your body melted mine as your hands
Taught me to sculpt, to mold
The lovers we created were betrayed
When you turned me back to stone
Locked in silence like the granite
I remain its jagged story Unscathed you continue on
To live our art, its glory
How long must I wait for you
How long must I wait
How long must I wait for you
How long must I wait
I wait, I wait, I wait for you
I wait, I wait, I wait for you
I wait, I wait, I wait for you
To say my name, to say my name
To say my name, my name, my name, my name
I gave sight to marble
My chisel tamed the stone
My tools, my freedom stolen
But my hands are mine alone
My statues will live on
Hear those stones saying my name