Dirty Little Secret
Sarah McLachlan(사라 맥라클란) Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

If I had the chance love
I would not hesitate
To tell you all things I never said before
Don't tell me it's too late
'Cause I've relied on my illusion
To keep me warm at night
And I've denied in my capacity to love
But I am willing to give up this fight

I've been up all night drinking to drown my sorrows down
But nothing seems to help me since you went away
I'm so tired of this town where every tongue is wagging
When every back is turned
They're telling secrets that should never be revealed
There's nothing to be gained from this but disaster

Here's a good one
Did you hear about my friend
He's embarrassed to be seen now
'Cause we all know his sins

If I had the chance love
I would not hesitate
To tell you all things I never said before
Don't tell me it's too late
'Cause I've relied on my illusion
To keep me warm at night
And I've denied in my capacity to love
But I am willing to give up this fight





Oh, I am willing to give up this fight

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sarah McLachlan's song "Dirty Little Secret" seem to be about someone who has been holding onto their feelings for someone else for a long time but never had the courage to express them. The lines "If I had the chance, love, I would not hesitate to tell you all the things I never said before" convey the idea that the singer has been stifling their emotions, possibly for fear of rejection or vulnerability.


The line "I've relied on my illusion to keep me warm at night" suggests that the singer has been living in a fantasy world, where they have created an idealized version of the person they love, rather than facing the reality of the situation. They have been denying their "capacity to love" and have given up the fight to continue doing so.


The second half of the song takes on a more bitter tone, as the singer talks about drowning their sorrows and feeling tired of the town where people are always talking behind each other's backs. The line "They're telling secrets that should never be revealed" adds to the idea of holding onto secrets and inner turmoil. The last verse seems to touch on the theme of shame and guilt, with the singer mentioning a friend who is embarrassed to be seen because everyone knows his sins.


Overall, the lyrics suggest a longing for connection and honesty, but also a fear of vulnerability and exposure. The idea of secrets and illusions permeates throughout the song, adding to the sense of inner turmoil and confusion.


Line by Line Meaning

If I had the chance love
The singer wishes she had the opportunity to express her true feelings


I would not hesitate
She wouldn't hold back from being honest


To tell you all things I never said before
The singer has kept her true feelings hidden and wants to reveal them now


Don't tell me it's too late
The singer hopes it's not too late to express her feelings and start over


'Cause I've relied on my illusion
The singer has been relying on false beliefs to protect herself emotionally


To keep me warm at night
These illusions comfort her in lonely times


And I've denied in my capacity to love
The singer has convinced herself that she is incapable of love


But I am willing to give up this fight
She wants to let go of this negative belief and embrace the possibility of love


I've been up all night drinking to drown my sorrows down
The singer has been trying to cope with her pain by drinking excessively


But nothing seems to help me since you went away
Her emotional pain is too great for her to overcome on her own


I'm so tired of this town where every tongue is wagging
The singer is tired of living in a place where everyone talks about each other behind their backs


When every back is turned
People gossip when they think no one is listening


They're telling secrets that should never be revealed
The gossip is causing harm by sharing private information


There's nothing to be gained from this but disaster
The singer believes that gossip only causes harm and destruction


Here's a good one
The singer is mocking the idea of gossip being entertaining or enjoyable


Did you hear about my friend
She is pretending to engage in gossip to make a point about how harmful it can be


He's embarrassed to be seen now
The gossip has caused her friend to feel ashamed


'Cause we all know his sins
The gossip has exposed her friend's mistakes or flaws, causing him pain


Oh, I am willing to give up this fight
The singer is ready to let go of her negative beliefs and embrace love and vulnerability




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SARAH MCLACHLAN, SARAH ANN MCLACHLAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Artaudo Non

"Dirty Little Secret"

If I had the chance, love
I would not hesitate
To tell you all the things I never said before
Don't tell me it's too late

[Chorus:]
Cause I've relied on my illusions
To keep me warm at night
But I denied in my capacity to love
I am willing, to give up this fight

I've been up all night drinking
To drown my sorrow down
Nothing seems to help me since you went away
I'm so tired of this town
Where every tongue is wagging
When every back is turned
Their telling secrets that should never be revealed
There's nothing to be gained from this
But disaster..
Here's a good one..
Did you hear about my friend
He's embarrassed to be seen now
because we all know his sins

If I had the chance love
You know, I would not hesitate
To tell you all the things I never said before
Don't tell me it's too late

[Chorus:]
Cause I've relied on my illusions
To keep me warm at night
But I denied in my capacity to love
I am willing, to give up this fight
Oh, I am willing to give up this fight..



All comments from YouTube:

Ananaki

this song touches the soul.....provides passage to melancholy

Melissa Duffy

Her voice like honey pours out so rich, sexy and expressive...IT .really doesn't matter what words she sings. She just shares her essence each time she sings.

Keith Miller

very well done.......her voice is fantastic!

Artaudo Non

"Dirty Little Secret"

If I had the chance, love
I would not hesitate
To tell you all the things I never said before
Don't tell me it's too late

[Chorus:]
Cause I've relied on my illusions
To keep me warm at night
But I denied in my capacity to love
I am willing, to give up this fight

I've been up all night drinking
To drown my sorrow down
Nothing seems to help me since you went away
I'm so tired of this town
Where every tongue is wagging
When every back is turned
Their telling secrets that should never be revealed
There's nothing to be gained from this
But disaster..
Here's a good one..
Did you hear about my friend
He's embarrassed to be seen now
because we all know his sins

If I had the chance love
You know, I would not hesitate
To tell you all the things I never said before
Don't tell me it's too late

[Chorus:]
Cause I've relied on my illusions
To keep me warm at night
But I denied in my capacity to love
I am willing, to give up this fight
Oh, I am willing to give up this fight..

Trisha Rasky

Sarah's haunting voice coupled with Thieverys haunting grooves got me! Just wow❤

kosmas kalentiriadis

Πόσες φορές μπορεί να το έχω ακούσει. Πόσες φορές μπορεί να το εχω προτείνει σε κόσμο. Είναι ένα ταξίδι κάθε φορά που το ακούς. Κι όταν το συνδιάζεις και με την εικόνα της , γίνετε μαγικό...!!!

Slavko Cosic

Her voice and this melody fascinate...Light & Love...

Seija Kaarto

Really beautiful voice and lovely song.. 💞

Mike Beeton

Very hypnotic, leading into the next lyric,feeling the rhythm, feeling the hope, drawn back to the beat

Enrique TOPO Rodriguez

Such a wonderful wondrous voice. I will never get sick or tired of listening to Sarah McL. An absolute pleasure to all my senses. Big thank you to Sarah's mum and dad and her hard and intelligent work. Enrique

More Comments

More Versions