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.
Mercy
Sarah McLachlan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Longing cold and hollow
With sweet breath you'd come to warm me
But I held on too hard to only a memory
You lie there on the swollen ground
Deserted in your heart
Still longing for what yesterdays lost
And for all that tomorrow might bring
The passion lost taken stolen
The dreams we had and we shared shattered broken
With sweet breath you'd come to soothe me
But I so blind and filled with fear
Would send you away from me
There's no hope in regretting now
All the pain that we could not see
We both knew what we wanted
And we took it believing it free
And we took it believing it free
The song "Mercy" by Sarah McLachlan talks about the longing and regret in a failed relationship. The first verse, "Mercy pure and simple, Longing cold and hollow, With sweet breath you'd come to warm me, But I held on too hard to only a memory" expresses how Sarah longed for her partner's love and affection but was unable to let go of the past. The second verse talks about the pain of being deserted and still longing for something that has been lost. The repeated line "And for all that tomorrow might bring" is a reminder of the hope for a better future despite the struggles of the present.
The chorus mentions the passion and dreams lost, and how they were taken and shattered. Sarah sings how her partner tried to soothe her with their presence, but fear and blindness prevented her from receiving it. The final verse talks about how there's no point in regretting the pain caused by both parties. They both knew what they wanted and took it thinking it was free.
Overall, this song is a lament for a relationship that once had a lot of promise but ended up causing more sadness and regret than happiness. It's a reminder that holding onto memories of the past can prevent us from being able to fully embrace the present and the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Mercy pure and simple
The act of showing kindness without expecting anything in return
Longing cold and hollow
Feeling a strong desire for something that seems out of reach, leaving an empty feeling inside
With sweet breath you'd come to warm me
You offered comfort and a sense of security in a gentle and comforting manner
But I held on too hard to only a memory
I couldn't let go of the past and was stuck holding onto memories that couldn't be changed or relived
You lie there on the swollen ground
You are lying on the ground, feeling defeated and overwhelmed
Deserted in your heart
You are feeling lonely and abandoned inside
Still longing for what yesterdays lost
You still have a strong desire for what has already been lost in the past
And for all that tomorrow might bring
You are hoping for a better tomorrow and all the opportunities it may bring
The passion lost taken stolen
The love and excitement that was once there has been forcefully taken and stolen away from us
The dreams we had and we shared shattered broken
Our shared dreams and aspirations have been destroyed and shattered, leaving us with nothing
With sweet breath you'd come to soothe me
You provided a comforting presence and tried to alleviate the pain and suffering I was feeling
But I so blind and filled with fear
I was incapable of seeing the good and was overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty
Would send you away from me
I pushed you away and rejected your offer of help and support
There's no hope in regretting now
It's pointless to dwell on past mistakes and regrets
All the pain that we could not see
The pain that we were unable to recognize or acknowledge at the time
We both knew what we wanted
We were aware of our desires and intentions
And we took it believing it free
We made choices without considering the consequences, believing we were entitled to do so
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SARAH ANN 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!