The song is written from the point of view of an obsessed fan. Following the album's release, a fan named Uwe Vandrei sued McLachlan for songwriting credit, claiming that his letters were used as the basis of the song. The case never made it to trial as Vandrei was found dead of apparent suicide in November 1994.
The lawsuit was also challenging for the Canadian legal system; the suit was essentially a frivolous complaint by Vandrei, a self-admitted stalker, in an attempt to get close to McLachlan, and the trial was delayed significantly by discussions of how to ensure McLachlan's physical safety during the proceedings.
In an interview in Rolling Stone three years later, McLachlan added, "And this one person wasn't the only guy ... there were a lot of letters from other people saying the same kind of thing ... Writing the song 'Possession' was very therapeutic."
The song appears twice on the album as the first track and as a hidden track: a solo piano version following the last track "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy".
Possession
Sarah McLachlan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From across the great divide
Voices trapped in yearning
Memories trapped in time
The night is my companion
And solitude my guide
Would I spend forever here
And not be satisfied
And I would be the one
To hold you down
Kiss you so hard
I'll take your breath away
And after I'd, wipe away the tears
Just close your eyes dear
Through this world I've stumbled
So many times betrayed
Trying to find an honest word
To find the truth enslaved
Oh you speak to me in riddles and
You speak to me in rhymes
My body aches to breathe your breath
Your words keep me alive
And I would be the one
To hold you down
Kiss you so hard
I'll take your breath away
And after I'd, wipe away the tears
Just close your eyes, dear
Into this night I wander
It's morning that I dread
Another day of knowing of
The path I fear to tread
Oh, into the sea of waking dreams
I follow without pride
Nothing stands between us here
And I won't be denied
And I would be the one
To hold you down
Kiss you so hard
I'll take your breath away
And after I'd, wipe away the tears
Just close your eyes dear
I'll hold you down
Kiss you so hard
I'll take your breath away
And after I'd wipe away the tears
Just close your eyes
Sarah McLachlan's "Possession" was released in 1993 on her album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. The song is a hauntingly beautiful piece about a fan who has become enamored with the singer and has become consumed with obsession. It is told from the perspective of the fan, who is searching for some sort of connection to the artist. The lyrics speak to the feelings of isolation, yearning and desperation that can come with unrequited love.
The opening lyrics, "Listen as the wind blows, from across the great divide, voices trapped in yearning, memories trapped in time," illustrate the fan's sense of longing and distance from the object of their affection. The repeated refrain, "And I would be the one, to hold you down, kiss you so hard, I'll take your breath away," expresses the fan's desire to be physically close to McLachlan. The final lines, "I'll hold you down, kiss you so hard, I'll take your breath away, and after I'd wipe away the tears, just close your eyes," suggest a violent desperation to keep the singer close to them, even if it requires force.
While "Possession" is often celebrated for its hauntingly beautiful melody, the lyrics suggest a much darker and more complicated story. It's a song about obsession, the objectification of women, and a culture that often encourages the objectification of female performers. McLachlan has said that she wrote the song about an obsessive fan who sent her letters suggesting that they were kindred spirits and should be together. Though the song is about a specific individual and their obsession with her, her haunting melody and lyrics also speak more broadly to themes of desperation, loneliness and our search for connectivity.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen as the wind blows
Pay attention to the natural sounds around you
From across the great divide
Coming from a distance
Voices trapped in yearning
Emotional desires held captive
Memories trapped in time
Experiences stuck in the past
The night is my companion
Darkness is a comfort to me
And solitude my guide
Being alone helps me navigate life
Would I spend forever here
Thinking about staying in this state of mind permanently
And not be satisfied
But still feeling unfulfilled
And I would be the one
Referring to herself as the artist
To hold you down
To keep a lover close
Kiss you so hard
Having a passionate embrace
I'll take your breath away
Making the other person feel overwhelmed with feelings of love
And after I'd, wipe away the tears
Comforting the other person and showing empathy for their feelings
Just close your eyes, dear
Relax and trust me
Through this world I've stumbled
Having a difficult time navigating through life
So many times betrayed
Feeling let down by others
Trying to find an honest word
Searching for someone who speaks the truth
To find the truth enslaved
But being unable to uncover the whole truth
Oh you speak to me in riddles and
Addressing someone who speaks in a vague and mysterious way
You speak to me in rhymes
Speaking to the artist in a poetic and artistic way
My body aches to breathe your breath
Feeling a physical longing to be close to someone
Your words keep me alive
Words of love and encouragement give me hope
Into this night I wander
Moving forward into the unknown
It's morning that I dread
Feeling anxious and worried about the future
Another day of knowing of
Facing another day of understanding
The path I fear to tread
Going down a road that causes anxiety
Oh, into the sea of waking dreams
Moving into a place of creativity and imagination
I follow without pride
Being humble in one's approach to uncovering the unknown
Nothing stands between us here
Being close to your loved one without any barriers
And I won't be denied
Being determined to continue the path to love
I'll hold you down
Ensuring the other person doesn't drift away
Kiss you so hard
Showing passion and longing in the embrace
I'll take your breath away
Leaving the other person speechless with love
And after I'd wipe away the tears
Trying to ease the other person's pain
Just close your eyes
Relax and let me take care of you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Sarah Mclachlan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cailinstone9537
The 14 year old in me was never the same after this album was released. I'm 42 now and this song still hits me hard.
@yoashuain1
Holy Cow, me too! I'll be 42 this year, and I still think she is one of the sexiest women alive! 😋
@laurabirli
💗💗💖💕💛
@GunStreetGirl77
Same, friend! 42 sure got her quick ! Lol
@TreyIM22
I don't know the album but I DAMN sure know this song...and I'm 48. Still an all time great wong. Tears are rolling right now as I hear it, even tho the song has been in my phones for the longest. lol. I just decided to take a trip down video menory lane.
@austinfrazier7325
Damn I miss 94 and the whole 90s actually.
@danielwaldron2635
The harmonizing "Ill take your breath away" is hauntingly beautiful.
@GeauxRight777
Yes!
@ycoz5814
Yes! I remember that line and the melody. It used to break my heart.
@janeentumbao8690
Considering she's an Aquarius, an air sign, that says alot more than people may realize.