She is known for the emotional sound of her ballads. Some of her most popular songs include "Angel", "Building a Mystery", "Adia", "Possession", "Fallen", "I Will Remember You", and "World on Fire". Her best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four Juno Awards.
Her first album Touch was released in September 28, 1988, recorded in 1987-1988, Vancouver, Canada. The album received both critical and commercial success and included the hit song Vox. During this period she co-operated with Tom Ferris and Dean Russel of Moev, who discovered her as a singer. She contributed backing vocals their 1990 album Head Down and embarked on her first national concert tour as an opening act for The Grapes Of Wrath, another Tom Ferris's band.
Her second album Solace (1991) was a real breakthrough in Canada, spawning the hit singles The Path of Thorns (Terms) and Into the Fire and being certified double platinum for sales of 200,000 copies in Canada.
In 1994 her third album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy quietly became Sarah's international breakthrough, scaling the charts in a number of countries. In the United States, the album was a steady seller that stayed in the middle ranges of the pop charts for almost two years.
Sarah's fourth album Surfacing, released in 1997, brought her international success, selling over 11 million copies worldwide. Still in the spotlight from the album, Sarah launched the highly popular Lilith Fair tour, which helped launch the careers of several well-known female artists.
Her next record Afterglow came out in 2003; it contained the singles Fallen, Stupid, and World On Fire. It was her first album of new material in six years. Sarah took a few years furlough to start a family with her husband and drummer, Ashwin Sood.
Her Holiday album Wintersong came out in October 2006. The album consists of eleven new recordings of well known Christmas songs as well as seasonal favorites interpreted by Sarah. The title track Wintersong is an original work of Sarah.
McLachlan's first studio album of original material in seven years, Laws of Illusion, was released on June 15, 2010. It features 10 new songs in addition to the previously released tracks "U Want Me 2" and "Don't Give Up on Us. The first single Loving You Is Easy was released on April 23, 2010. It was followed by Forgiveness, released on June 30, 2010.
Do What You Have to Do
Sarah McLachlan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Conjured this tempestuous rage
Created you a monster
Broken by the rule of love
And fate has led 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
And 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
And 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 a 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)
The lyrics of Sarah McLachlan's song Do What You Have to Do tell the story of someone struggling to let go of a toxic relationship. The singer is addressing the person who has become a "monster" due to the "ravages of spirit" they have experienced, likely in the form of past traumas, which have led them to act out violently in their love for the singer. Fate, as the lyrics suggest, has played a role in leading this person to their current state.
However, the singer is also struggling with their own yearning for this person, and the desire to be near them that persists despite their knowledge that they cannot be together. The glowing ember burning within them represents the passion and intensity of their feelings, but also the slow and painful nature of their failure to let go.
Overall, the song is a powerful meditation on the complex and often contradictory nature of love, and the difficulty of moving on from a relationship that has become toxic.
Line by Line Meaning
What ravages of spirit
What mental or emotional damage has caused this intense anger
Conjured this tempestuous rage
What has created this destructive and stormy outburst of emotions
Created you a monster
Caused you to become a terrifying and disruptive force
Broken by the rule of love
Defeated or damaged by the laws or expectations of a romantic relationship
And fate has led you through it
The course of your life thus far has been determined by destiny or chance
You do what you have to do
You act according to your own needs, even if it means doing something difficult or unpleasant
And I have the sense to recognize that
I understand that there is a problem or issue that needs to be addressed
I don't know how to let you go
I am unable to separate myself from you or end our relationship
Every moment marked
Every second is made significant
With apparitions of your soul
With fleeting images or memories of your essence or spirit
I'm ever swiftly moving
I am constantly trying to keep up with the fast pace of my life
Trying to escape this desire
Attempting to get away from this strong want or longing
The yearning to be near you
The intense longing or craving to be in your presence
I do what I have to do
I do what is necessary or required, even if it is not what I want
The yearning to be near you
The intense longing or craving to be in your presence
I do what I have to do
I do what is necessary or required, even if it is not what I want
A glowing ember
A small, smoldering piece
Burning hot
Extremely passionate or intense
And burning slow
Continuing to burn, but slowly and steadily
Deep within I'm shaken by the violence
Inside me, I am disturbed or moved by the forceful or intense nature of my feelings
Of existing for only you
Of being alive solely for the sake of being with you
I know I can't be with you
I understand that being with you is not possible
I do what I have to do
I do what is necessary or required, even if it is not what I want
I know I can't be with you
I understand that being with you is not possible
I do what I have to do
I do what is necessary or required, even if it is not what I want
And I have a sense to recognize but
I have an understanding that there is a problem or issue that needs to be addressed, but
I don't know how to let you go
I am unable to separate myself from you or end our relationship
I don't know how to let you go
I am unable to separate myself from you or end our relationship
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Sarah Mclachlan, Colleen Wolstenholme
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jaded Hart
on In The Arms Of The Angels
This will surely make you cry! Everyone can identify with this song! Hear it you won't regret it. And maybe you'll remember!