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.
Fear
Sarah McLachlan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like the face of a newborn child
Innocent unknowing
Winter's end
Promises of a long lost friend
Speaks to me of comfort
But I fear, I have nothing to give
Tangled up in our embrace
There's nothing I'd like better than to fall
But I fear, I have nothing to give
Wind in time
Rapes the flower trembling on the vine
Nothing yields to shelter
From above
They say temptation will destroy our love
The never ending hunger
But I fear, I have nothing to give
I have so much to lose here in this lonely place
Tangled up in our embrace
There's nothing I'd like better than to fall
But I fear, I have nothing to give
I have so much to lose
I have nothing to give
I have so much to lose
The opening lyrics of Sarah McLachlan's "Fear" describe the beginning of a new day, with a sense of innocence and promise, much like the birth of a child. This image of a fresh start is quickly contrasted with the fear and uncertainty that the singer feels, that she has nothing to offer in return. McLachlan talks about how she is afraid to give herself completely, be it in love or in any other form. She is hesitant to dive into anything with abandon because she has too much to lose in this lonely place. She is trapped in the idea of what could go wrong, tangled up in her own doubt and insecurity.
The second verse takes on a darker tone, invoking the image of the wind as a force that destroys the beauty of the flower. Similarly, temptation can destroy love, and nobody is immune to it. The singer acknowledges the hunger within and the lack of control she has over it. She is once again caught in the cycle of fear, unwilling to take the plunge and risking everything she has. It is a powerful reminder of how easily fear can hold us back from truly living life.
Line by Line Meaning
Morning smiles
Sarah begins the song by describing a peaceful morning with the image of a smiling newborn child
Like the face of a newborn child
She compares the peaceful morning to the innocence of a newborn child
Innocent unknowing
She further emphasizes the theme of innocence and purity
Winter's end
Sarah refers to the end of winter and the promise of new beginnings
Promises of a long lost friend
She continues with the idea of new beginnings by referencing the possibility of reconnecting with someone from the past
Speaks to me of comfort
Sarah finds comfort in the promise of new beginnings and reconnecting with old friends
But I fear, I have nothing to give
Despite the sense of comfort she feels, Sarah is afraid that she has nothing to offer
I have so much to lose here in this lonely place
She is afraid of losing what little she has in this place of isolation and loneliness
Tangled up in our embrace
She feels trapped in a close relationship that may not be what's best for her
There's nothing I'd like better than to fall
Sarah is drawn to the idea of falling in love, but she is still full of fear
Wind in time
Sarah shifts from the morning imagery to the passage of time and how it can be destructive like the wind
Rapes the flower trembling on the vine
She uses the image of a flower being violated by the wind to reinforce the destructive power of time
Nothing yields to shelter
Despite our desire for safety and security, nothing can truly protect us from the ravages of time and temptation
From above
Sarah suggests that we are not in control of the forces that act upon us
They say temptation will destroy our love
Sarah is acknowledging the common wisdom that temptation can destroy even the strongest relationships
The never ending hunger
The hunger here is a metaphor for desire or temptation, which is never truly satisfied
I have so much to lose
Sarah repeats this line to emphasize her fear of losing everything she has and being left with nothing
I have nothing to give
She is afraid that she has nothing to offer to anyone or anything, including herself
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Sarah McLachlan
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!