Sweet Surrender
Sarah McLachlan Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It doesn't mean much
It doesn't mean anything at all
The life I've left behind me
Is a cold room

I've crossed the last line
From where I can't return
Where every step I took in faith
Betrayed me
And led me from my home

Sweet surrender
Is all that I have to give

You take me in
No questions asked
You strip away the ugliness
That surrounds me

Are you an angel
Am I already that gone
I only hope that I won't disappoint you
When I'm down here on my knees

Sweet surrender
Is all that I have to give (who are you?)

Sweet surrender
Is all that I have to give

And I don't understand
By the touch of your hand
I would be the one to fall
I miss the little things
I miss everything about you

It doesn't mean much
It doesn't mean anything at all
The life I've left behind me
Is a cold room

Sweet surrender
Is all that I have to give (who are you?)





Sweet surrender
Is all that I have to give

Overall Meaning

Sarah McLachlan's song "Sweet Surrender" presents a theme of emotional vulnerability, surrender and transformation. The first verse describes a sense of disillusionment and isolation. The life the singer has left behind is a "cold room”, symbolizing the loss of warmth and happiness in her previous life. She has ventured beyond the point of no return, where every step taken in faith has led to betrayal and misled the singer’s journey. The chorus, with its repetition of “Sweet surrender is all that I have to give,” conveys a sense of relief and release in accepting the unknown, surrendering, and being taken care of by someone trustworthy. The second verse offers a sense of hopefulness, describing how someone embraced the singer with no questions asked and removed the ugliness surrounding her. There is a question of devotion in the line “Are you an angel? / Am I already that gone?” suggesting a sense of disbelief that someone so pure and trustworthy could be in her life, despite the wrong turns she’s taken. The song concludes with the repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the power of surrendering and accepting the help of others.


Line by Line Meaning

It doesn't mean much
My past life meant very little to me


It doesn't mean anything at all
That life has no significance in my present


The life I've left behind me
I've moved on from that previous life


Is a cold room
It left me feeling empty and alone


I've crossed the last line
I've gone past the point of no return


From where I can't return
I can't go back to the life I had before


Where every step I took in faith
I had believed in my journey's purpose


Betrayed me
But it led me astray and disappointed me


And led me from my home
It took me away from my true purpose


Sweet surrender
I offer my complete submission to you


Is all that I have to give
It's the only thing I have left to offer


You take me in
You accept me as I am


No questions asked
Without judgment or suspicion


You strip away the ugliness
You remove the negative aspects of my life


That surrounds me
The things in my life that bring sadness


Are you an angel
Are you too good to be true?


Am I already that gone
Have I already sunk that low?


I only hope that I won't disappoint you
I fear I may not meet your expectations


When I'm down here on my knees
Seeking your approval and forgiveness


And I don't understand
I'm confused by what's happening


By the touch of your hand
The feeling of your touch is new to me


I would be the one to fall
I would be vulnerable to your influence


I miss the little things
I long for the small joys that were lost


I miss everything about you
I long for everything that you represent


Sweet surrender
I offer my complete submission to you


Is all that I have to give (who are you?)
I wonder who you really are, but I'll still give myself to you


Sweet surrender
I offer my complete submission to you


Is all that I have to give
It's the only thing I have left to offer




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sarah McLachlan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@eddiecoke5869

Prayer:

El Shaddai, I come humbly before You just to say thank You.

I thank You El Shaddai for getting us all out of 2023 and into 2024 safe and sound. I fully acknowledge before You El Shaddai that all of the people around us inside of our workplaces and outside our workplaces lost their loved ones and are going through difficult circumstances.

There are many that didn't live to see 2024 and I ask that You would touch & completely heal All the families of the people around us that are dealing with loss of loved ones, loss of employment, their homes and betrayal from family and friends.

I ask El Shaddai that You would heal all broken relationships in all families and friendships and bring forgiveness and reconciliation for them all for 2024 in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father El Shaddai, I lift up Casondra Jent and all others that You know by name before You right now.

Words have the power of life-changing encouragement and life-altering detrimental damage to us. Almighty GOD, Your Word tells us
in the book of Proverbs 18:21 (Amplified Bible): "Death and Life Are in the Power of the Tongue, And those who Love it and Indulge it will Eat its Fruit and Bear the Consequences of their Words."

Words and actions hurt us the most when they come from family, friends and even bosses and colleagues from our workplace on a daily basis. Words have the power to heal and harm.

Heavenly Father El Shaddai I ask that You would remove ALL emotional and psychological trauma from Casondra Jent's mind, body and soul in Jesus Name.

I ask that You El Shaddai give Casondra Jent strength and courage to forgive herself. Give her the courage to love herself and the knowledge of knowing that she is truly a great blessing and an amazing woman who has touched the lives of those around her.

Holy Spirit, help Casondra Jent to see herself the way that You do: a precious soul that has everything it takes to be successful and the grace to handle every challenge in front of her in 2024 and beyond.


Holy Spirit, send ministering Angels 😇 😇 to protect her from all harm and danger, both seen and unseen.

Holy Spirit, remove all demonic spirits of doubt, rejection, depression, self-harm, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, and suicide from Casondra Jent right now in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ.

Almighty GOD, soak and saturate every part of Casondra Jent with Your unconditional Love, unconditional Grace, unconditional understanding, unconditional compassion, unconditional lovingkindness and unconditional Mercy.

Almighty GOD, give Casondra Jent Your
strength, wisdom and discernment to forgive All those inside her family circle ⭕, her circle ⭕ of friendships and workplace colleagues that hurt her immensely by their words and actions towards her in the past and present.

Almighty GOD, heal Casondra Jent's mind, body and soul inside and out with the precious cleansing Blood of Jesus Christ.

Almighty GOD, give Casondra Jent Your
strength, wisdom and discernment to move forward. Draw her closer to Your unconditional love and mercy. Reveal to her just how much she's truly loved by You Almighty GOD in Jesus Name.

Thank You Almighty GOD so much for what You're doing for her now and for the new chapter you're doing in Casondra Jent's life in 2024. And I thank You for what You're doing in the lives of those around us as it unfolds this year. In the mighty Name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen.

Quick side note: El Shaddai means Almighty GOD in Hebrew). Just wanted to make sure that everyone knows that.



@juancamacho5746

It doesn't mean much
It doesn't mean anything at all
The life I've left behind me is a cold room
I've crossed the last line
From where I can't return
Where every step I took in faith betrayed me
And led me from my home
And sweet surrender
Is all that I have to give
🎵🎶
Take me in, no question's asked
You strip away the ugliness that surrounds me
(Who are you?)
Are you an angel?
Am I already that gone?
I only hope that I won't disappoint you
When I'm down here on my knees
(Who are you?)
And sweet surrender
Is all that I have to give
(Who are you?)
And sweet surrender
Is all that I have to give
🎵🎶
Don't understand
The touch of your hand
I would be the one to fall
I miss the little things
I miss everything about you
Doesn't mean much
It doesn't mean anything at all
The life I left behind me is a cold room
(Who are you?)
And sweet surrender
Is all that I have to give
(Who are you?)
And sweet surrender
Is all that I have to give



@stabgod

For the hell of it, I signed up to be a summer DJ at my college radio station back in the early 90's. Anyone who signed up got a slot since it was summer and most students were back home.

We were shown how to use the main board and what songs to play. We had to chose from a huge box of CDs filled with groups you never heard of. I played random CDs since I didn't know any of the music. Then I came across a track named Into the Fire by Sarah McLachlan. I still remember it to this day. It was an all-white CD with the title and artist handwritten with a sharpie. It said "Promo" and had the running time - nothing more.

I was stunned. What a great song. Afterwards, I mentioned the track name on the air and completely mispronounced her last name.

After my shift, I drove over to a popular record shop near campus to look for more Sarah, but they didn't have anything and had never heard of her. Went to another record shop and they had one copy of Vox on cassette. Took it home and listened to the whole thing over and over for hours.

I searched everywhere for her music. Purchased anything from her blindly. I was never disappointed. I guess I can call myself a true fan.

This is my favorite song from her. In one of her live performances, she mentioned the movie Leaving Las Vegas as the inspiration for this song. In another live performance, you can see how her guitarist makes the cool guitar distortion sound.

One day I hope to meet her and thank her for helping this stranger through the miserable nights of my youth when her music was the only thing to console me.



@TheMaga30

🎶it doesn't mean much
it doesn't mean anything at all
the life I've left behind me
is a cold room
I've crossed the last line
from where I can't return
where every step I took in faith 
betrayed me
and led me from my home💔💔

and sweet
sweet surrender
is all that I have to give

you take me in
no questions asked
you strip away the ugliness
that surrounds me
are you an angel
am I already that gone
I only hope
that I won't disappoint you
when I'm down here
on my knees

and sweet 
sweet
sweet surrender
is all that I have to give

sweet
sweet
sweet surrender
is all that I have to give

and I don't understand💔💔
by the touch of your hand
I would be the one to fall

I miss the little things
oh I miss everything
About you 💔💔

it doesn't mean much
it doesn't mean anything at all
the life I left behind me
is a cold room💔💔

sweet
sweet
sweet surrender
is all that I have to give🎶🎶🎶🎶



All comments from YouTube:

@AJBell-dh6ry

Her lyrics are poetry, beautiful and melancholy. We were lucky, 90s kids. And we were the last ones.

@brandonmoore7497

@AJBell-dh6ry Sarah McLachlan Sweet Surrender is my number one favorite song


0:59

@Meta.Empress

Try Daughter, Ethel Cain, Florence and the Machine, Cat Power

@InertiaCreeps

face palm we weren’t the last ones. If you think that then you are a small minded fool. Look to the comment about other musicians and then add “Hana” and “Grimes” to that list. Hana is (I very much believe) the Millennial Sarah McLachlan.

@trishayable

It's true.

@charlottecorday8494

I miss when music like this absolutely DOMINATED the industry.

@noxepoch3325

The 90s is a decade when the stars aligned and decided to bless the world with an unusual amount of incredible female rockers.

@LUISGARCIA-ry9uv

Me too, now only trash music in this era...

@charlottecorday8494

@@noxepoch3325 It's so true, it's almost mind boggling how many talented and diverse singers musicians there were too. You could have Sarah McLachlan, Natalie Merchant, Annie Lennox, Tori Amos, and Melissa Etheridge all sharing spots in the Billboard Top 40. I can't even fathom such a thing anymore.

@calanthiarose

There has never been another time since that was so empowering and validating for women, especially young women.

More Comments

More Versions