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.
Shelter
Sarah McLachlan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While outside all of nature cries
It's known to be cruel and unfair
But there is no place to hide
[Chorus]
Oh I've seen a part of people that I never
Really want to share
Knew was there
Shelter give them shelter from the coming storm
Shelter give them shelter from the coming storm
I can't sleep I'm haunted by their faces
The sadness in their eyes
It hurts so much to see them helpless
It makes me want to cry
But still there is so much left unanswered
For so many innocent lives
The close the doors and are letting nobody in
And only the strong will survive
[Chorus]
I've seen the anger and I've seen all the dreams
And I've watched an existence torn apart at the seams
And though I may seem helpless
I will do all that I can do
Oh I've seen a part of people that I never really
Want to share
Oh I've seen a part of people that I never knew
Was there
[Chorus]
In Sarah McLachlan's song Shelter, she speaks of the struggles of the homeless and the lack of compassion shown toward them. The opening lines describe the overcrowded conditions in which they live, juxtaposed with the cruel and unforgiving nature of the world outside. The chorus begs for shelter to be provided for the homeless, to protect them from the coming storm. McLachlan's haunting vocals recount how the faces of the homeless keep her from sleeping and the sadness in their eyes moves her to tears. The poignant line “But still there is so much left unanswered For so many innocent lives” speaks to the idea that the homeless are often forgotten and unacknowledged by society.
The second verse emphasizes the helplessness of the homeless and their unmet needs. The lyrics reveal the frustration and sadness that McLachlan feels as she watches the homeless suffer. She notes that the doors to shelter are closed and nobody is being let in, implying that the homeless are forced to survive on their own. In the chorus, she again emphasizes the need for shelter for the homeless and the importance of protecting those who cannot protect themselves. The closing lyrics reflect how McLachlan has seen the anger and the dreams of the homeless destroyed, yet she will keep fighting for their rights and their ability to gain shelter.
Line by Line Meaning
They're crowded into the smallest spaces
People are living in small and cramped living situations
While outside all of nature cries
The natural world is suffering and in turmoil
It's known to be cruel and unfair
Life is often difficult and unjust
But there is no place to hide
Despite the hardships, there is nowhere to escape from them
Oh I've seen a part of people that I never Really want to share
The singer has witnessed a side of humanity that they don't want to talk about or share with others
Oh I've seen a part of people that I never Knew was there
The singer has discovered a previously hidden part of human nature
Shelter give them shelter from the coming storm
The song urges people to provide protection and support to those who need it
I can't sleep I'm haunted by their faces
The singer is deeply affected by the suffering they have witnessed
The sadness in their eyes
The people in need are clearly in distress and experiencing emotional pain
It hurts so much to see them helpless
The singer is deeply empathetic to the plight of those in need
It makes me want to cry
The singer is moved to tears by the suffering they have witnessed
But still there is so much left unanswered
There are many questions and uncertainties surrounding the situation
For so many innocent lives
Many people who are suffering are blameless and undeserving of their plight
The close the doors and are letting nobody in
Some people are refusing to help those who are in need
And only the strong will survive
Those who are able to endure and persevere will be the ones to make it through the difficult times
I've seen the anger and I've seen all the dreams
The singer has witnessed the full range of human emotions, including anger and hope
And I've watched an existence torn apart at the seams
The singer has seen the devastation and destruction that can result from hardship and suffering
And though I may seem helpless
Despite feeling overwhelmed, the singer is not giving up on finding ways to help
I will do all that I can do
The singer is committing to doing their best to provide support and assistance
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, 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!