Sarah
McLachlan
.
I only recently
discovered Sarah's music from her '98 'Surfacing' album. It's a stunning
and compelling album. The songs just took my breath away - stopped my heart.
I just had to keep listening to the music - it was like watching a movie
- I wanted to hear what was going to happen next. She doesn't give answers,
only talks of life with a truth that feels so close to home. Something
expressing in words and music just how you're feeling. The words
you tried to think of but they would never come to mind.
You'll find
you've heard a lot of Sarah's music on tv and film: 'Felicity' (eg. Angel,
I Will Remember You), 'Dawson's Creek' (eg. Angel), 'Roswell'
(eg. I Love You, Fear), 'La Femme Nikita' (eg. Do What
You Have To Do), 'Melrose Place' (eg. I Will Remember You),
'Due South' (eg. Song For a Winter's Night, Possession),
'The X-Files' (Black) and the film 'City of Angels', to name just
a few.
.
.
Building
A Mystery
you come out at night
that's when the energy comes
and the dark side's light
and the vampires roam
you strut your rasta wear
and your suicide poem
and a cross from a faith
that died before Jesus came
you're building a mystery
you live in a church
where you sleep with voodoo dolls
and you won't give up the search
for the ghosts in the halls
you wear sandals in the snow
and a smile that won't wash away
can you look out the window
without your shadow getting in the
way
oh you're so beautiful
with an edge and a charm
but so careful
when I'm in your arms
(chorus)
'cause you're working
building a mystery
holding on and holding it in
yeah you're working
building a mystery
and choosing so carefully
you woke up screaming aloud
a prayer from your secret god
you feed off our fears
and hold back your tears
give us a tantrum
and a know it all grin
just when we need one
when the evening's thin
oh you're a beautiful
a beautiful fucked up man
you're setting up your
razor wire shrine
chorus
repeat chorus
.
I Love You
.
I have a smile
stretched from ear to ear
to see you walking down the road
we meet at the lights
I stare for a while
the world around disappears
just you and me
on this island of hope
a breath between us could be miles
let me surround you
my sea to your shore
let me be the calm you seek
oh and every time I'm close to you
there's too much I can't say
and you just walk away
and I forgot
to tell you
I love you
and the night's
too long
and cold here
without you
I grieve in my condition
for I cannot find the strength to say I
need you so
oh and every time I'm close to you
there's too much I can't say
and you just walk away
and I forgot
to tell you
I love you
and the night's
too long
and cold here
without you
.
Sweet Surrender
.
it doesn't mean much
it doesn't mean anything at all
the life I've left behind me
is a cold room
I've crossed the last line
from where I can't return
where every step I took in faith
betrayed me
and led me from my home
and sweet
sweet surrender
is all that I have to give
you take me in
no questions asked
you strip away the ugliness
that surrounds me
are you an angel
am I already that gone
I only hope
that I won't disappoint you
when I'm down here
on my knees
and sweet
sweet
sweet surrender
is all that I have to give
sweet
sweet
sweet surrender
is all that I have to give
and I don't understand
by the touch of your hand
I would be the one to fall
I miss the little things
oh I miss everything
it doesn't mean much
it doesn't mean anything at all
the life I left behind me
is a cold room
.
Adia
.
Adia I do believe I failed you
Adia I know I let you down
don't you know I tried so hard
to love you in my way
it's easy let it go...
Adia I'm empty since you left me
trying to find a way to carry on
I search myself and everyone
to see where we went wrong
'cause there's no one left to finger
there's no one here to blame
there's no one left to talk to honey
and there ain't no one to buy our
innocence
'cause we are born innocent
believe me Adia, we are still innocent
it's easy, we all falter
does it matter?
Adia I thought we could make it
but I know I can't change the way you
feel
I leave you with your misery
a friend who won't betray
I pull you from your tower
I take away your pain
and show you all the beauty you
possess
if you'd only let yourself believe that
we are born innocent
believe me Adia, we are still innocent
it's easy, we all falter, does it matter?
believe me Adia, we are still innocent
'cause we are born innocent
Adia we are still
it's easy, we all falter ... but does it
matter?
.
Do What You Have To Do
.
What ravages of spirit
conjured this temptuous rage
created you a monster
broken by the rules of love
and fate has lead you through it
you do what you have to do
and fate has led you through it
you do what you have to do ...
and I have the sense to recognize that
I don't know how to let you go
every moment marked
with apparitions of your soul
I'm ever swiftly moving
trying to escape this desire
the yearning to be near you
I do what I have to do
the yearning to be near you
I do what I have to do
but I have the sense to recognize
that I don't know how
to let you go
I don't know how
to let you go
a glowing ember
burning hot
burning slow
deep within I'm shaken by the violence
of existing for only you
I know I can't be with you
I do what I have to do
I know I can't be with you
I do what I have to do
and I have sense to recognize but
I don't know how to let you go
I don't know how to let you go
I don't know how to let you go
.
Witness
.
Make me a witness
take me out
out of darkness
out of doubt
I won't weigh you down
with good intention
won't make fire out of clay
or other inventions
will we burn in heaven
like we do down here
will the change come
while we're waiting
everyone is waiting
and when we're done
soul searching
as we carried the weight
and died for the cause
is misery
made beautiful
right before our eyes
will mercy be revealed
or blind us where we stand
will we burn in heaven
like we do down here
will the change come while we're
waiting
everyone is waiting
chorus
.
Angel
.
Spend all your time waiting
for that second chance
for a break that would make it okay
there's always one reason
to feel not good enough
and it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
oh beautiful release
memory seeps from my veins
let me be empty
and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight
in the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there
so tired of the straight line
and everywhere you turn
there's vultures and thieves at your
back
and the storm keeps on twisting
you keep on building the lie
that you make up for all that you lack
it don't make no difference
escaping one last time
it's easier to believe in this sweet
madness oh
this glorious sadness that brings me to
my knees
in the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here
.
Black & White
.
unravel me
a distant cord
on the outside is forgotten
a constant need
to get along
and the animal awakens
and all I feel is black and white
the road is long
the memory slides
to the whole of my undoing
put aside
I put away
I push it back to get through each day
and all I feel is black and white
and I'm wound up small and tight
and I don't know who I am
everybody loves you when you're easy
everybody hates when you're a bore
everyone is waiting for your entrance
so
don't disappoint them
unravel me
untie this chord
the very centre of our union
is caving in
I can't endure
I am the archive of our failure
and all I feel is black and white
and I'm wound up small and tight
and I don't know who I am
everybody loves you when you're easy
everybody hates when you're a bore
everyone is waiting for your entrance
so don't disappoint them
everybody loves you when you're easy
so don't disappoint them
don't disappoint them ...
.
Full of Grace
.
the winter here's cold, and bitter
it's chilled us to the bone
we haven't seen the sun for weeks
to long too far from home
I feel just like I'm sinking
and I claw for solid ground
I'm pulled down by the undertow
I never thought I could feel so low
oh darkness I feel like letting go
if all of the strength and all of the
courage
come and lift me from this place
I know I could love you much better
than this
full of grace
full of grace
my love
so it's better this way, I said
having seen this place before
where everything we said and did
hurts us all the more
its just that we stayed, too long
in the same old sickly skin
I'm pulled down by the undertow
I never thought I could feel so low
oh darkness I feel like letting go
if all of the strength
and all of the courage
come and lift me from this place
I know I could love you much better
than this
full of grace
full of grace
my love
.
.
Look for Sarah's other
wonderful albums, 'Fumbling Towards Ecstacy', 'Solace', 'Touch', 'Mirrorball'
and 'Rarities and B-sides' at CD Now
.
.
Go to the official Sarah McLachlan page - click on image
.
or try The
Sea of Waking Dreams
.
.
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