The Gift
Annie Lennox Lyrics


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Darling don't you understand
I feel so ill at ease
The room is full of silence and it's getting hard to breathe
Take this guilted cage of pain and set me free
Take this overcoat of shame
It never did belong to me
It never did belong to me
I need to go outside
I need to leave the smoke
'cause I can't go on living in this same sick joke
It seems our lives have taken on a different kind of twist
Now that you have given me the perfect gift
You have given me the gift

For we have fallen from our shelves
To face the truth about ourselves
And we have tumbled from our trees
Tumbled from our trees

And I can almost...
I can almost feel the rain falling
Don't you know it feels so good




So let's go out into the rain again
Just like we said we always would

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Annie Lennox's song The Gift, seem to suggest a feeling of discomfort and unease in the present moment. The atmosphere seems silent and suffocating, leading the singer to seek a release from the cage of pain and shame. It's a plea to escape the internal turmoil and to step outside to breathe in some fresh air, away from the sick joke of their current situation. The earlier lines carry a deeper meaning, as the singer points out that the guilted cage of pain and the overcoat of shame never belonged to them. This statement could imply that the singer had carried the burdens and guilt of someone else's actions, and it's time to shed that skin.


The chorus is uplifting and is an ode to the power of self-discovery and self-realization. The singer acknowledges that both of them (the singer and the person she seems to address) have fallen from their shelves and tumbled from their trees. It's a metaphor for possibly losing sight of their true selves or taking certain situations for granted. But now it's time to face the truth and embrace the gift they have been given. The gift could mean a lot of things, like acceptance, forgiveness, or self-awareness. The singer feels the urge to step into the rain and let the droplets wash them free of all the past negativity that has been holding them back. 


Line by Line Meaning

Darling don't you understand
I need you to see how uncomfortable and uneasy I am


I feel so ill at ease
I am extremely uncomfortable and anxious


The room is full of silence and it's getting hard to breathe
The silence around us is suffocating me


Take this guilted cage of pain and set me free
Help me escape this painful confinement and feel free again


Take this overcoat of shame
I want to let go of my shame and stop carrying it around with me


It never did belong to me
The shame I feel is not mine to carry


I need to go outside
I must leave this stifling environment


I need to leave the smoke
I want to remove myself from this unhealthy situation


'cause I can't go on living in this same sick joke
I cannot continue living in this unhealthy cycle of behavior


It seems our lives have taken on a different kind of twist
Our lives have changed in unexpected ways


Now that you have given me the perfect gift
Thanks to you, I have a way out of this difficult situation


You have given me the gift
Your generosity has given me a new lease on life


For we have fallen from our shelves
We have lost our sense of stability


To face the truth about ourselves
We must confront our own flaws and shortcomings


And we have tumbled from our trees
We have lost our way and fallen off of our established path


And I can almost...
I am almost able to feel something new and positive happening


I can almost feel the rain falling
I am so close to feeling refreshed and renewed


Don't you know it feels so good
Can't you sense the positive change happening?


So let's go out into the rain again
Let's embrace this opportunity to start anew


Just like we said we always would
Let's remember our past dreams and bring them to life




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@llllll4077

No CGI, no sexually explicit lyrics or imagery, just class and talent - that’s Annie Lennox.

@ibosquez5238

That's Annie Lennox alright.

@soapwonder2284

Agreed

@deannabarnes3771

Precisely, that's our Dear one, Annie!

@a.joegevara3519

And can still deliver shock value!

@buon.giovanni

Always coming back to art

6 More Replies...

@tedwallace9270

This lady is probably the most incredibly talented person alive today. What a treasue

@lisaleone2296

Probably? No Really.

@edwardmartin2191

And one of the most gracious and kind:-)

@fershi3794

Annie is wow!!! My love my love like an artist. She's so complete so ... unique 😍😎

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