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.
The Path of Thorns
Sarah McLachlan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In your voice there was something wrong
But if you would turn your face away from me
You cannot tell me you're so strong
Just let me ask of you one small thing
As we have shared so many tears
With forever our dreams we planned a whole life long
Now are scattered on the wind
[Chorus]
In the terms of endearment
In the terms of the life that you love
In the terms of the years that pass you by
In the terms of the reasons why
Through the years I've grown to love you
Through your commitment to most would offend
But I stuck by you holding on with my foolish pride
Waiting for you to give in
You never really tried or so it seems
I've had more than myself to blame
I've had enough of trying everything
And this time it is the end
[Chorus]
There's no more coming back this way
The path is overgrown and strewn with thorns
They've torn the life blood from your naked eyes
Cast aside to be forlorn
[Chorus]
Funny, how it seems that all I've tried to do
Seemed to make no difference to you at all
The lyrics of Sarah McLachlan's The Path of Thorns speak about a relationship that has run its course, despite one partner's best efforts to hold on. The first verse is told from the point of view of the person who has noticed that something is wrong, although the other partner is trying to hide their emotions. They implore the other person to confide in them, but the plea goes ignored. The next verse reveals that the singer has been holding on to the relationship despite the other person's lack of effort. It seems that they have been trying to make it work out of pride and commitment, despite knowing deep down that it is not meant to be. By the end of the song, it's clear that the relationship is over, and there is a sense of both sadness and resignation.
The chorus emphasizes the idea that the relationship was built on certain terms, and those terms have now been broken. The singer reflects on the love they once shared, the life they built together, and the reasons why they are no longer compatible. It's a poignant reminder that even when we try our best to hold on to something, sometimes it's just not meant to be.
Overall, The Path of Thorns is a beautifully crafted song that explores the complexities of relationships and the difficult choices we must make when they end.
Line by Line Meaning
I knew you wanted to tell me
I sensed you had something to share with me
In your voice there was something wrong
I detected something unusual in your tone
But if you would turn your face away from me
You cannot claim to be strong when you avoid facing me
You cannot tell me you're so strong
True strength comes from openness, not avoidance
Just let me ask of you one small thing
I make a tiny request of you
As we have shared so many tears
We have both cried together before
With forever our dreams we planned a whole life long
We had planned our future dreams to last until the end of time
Now are scattered on the wind
They are now gone and out of reach
In the terms of endearment
Expressing love and affection
In the terms of the life that you love
Relating to the lifestyle you cherish
In the terms of the years that pass you by
Considering the passage of time
In the terms of the reasons why
The underlying motivations for our actions
Through the years I've grown to love you
Over time, my love for you has grown stronger
Through your commitment to most would offend
Your level of commitment would surprise or offend others
But I stuck by you holding on with my foolish pride
Despite that, I held onto you with foolish pride
Waiting for you to give in
Hoping for you to concede or make a compromise
You never really tried or so it seems
It appears like you never made an honest attempt
I've had more than myself to blame
I realize I'm partly responsible for this situation
I've had enough of trying everything
I am tired and frustrated from trying everything I can think of
And this time it is the end
This marks the final conclusion
There's no more coming back this way
There's no turning back from this point
The path is overgrown and strewn with thorns
The path is obstructed and painful to travel
They've torn the life blood from your naked eyes
Your soul has been drained of life and spirit
Cast aside to be forlorn
Left to feel abandoned and hopeless
Funny, how it seems that all I've tried to do
It's ironic that everything I've done made no impact
Seemed to make no difference to you at all
It appeared as if my efforts went unnoticed or unappreciated
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SARAH MCLACHLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thejefsco
I will never understand why this is not one of her most recognized songs. Absolutely brilliant!
@danielmary1629
Agreed.
@yahuahforcealwaysexisted189
I recognize it's brilliance!
@maiziecroom5252
sarah mclachlan's first two albums are so deeply underrated, even she doesn't talk about them anymore
@circleterkel304
This is still one of my top 5 songs after so many years. Re-release it, Sarah! This time you can stay dressed in the video.
@Zero8880
Sarah's been naked in three of her videos lol.
@wtmcgowin
Same here. This song carried me through a divorce. I listened to it hundreds of times back then. I forgot about it, and thought about it recently. It took me back, but in a good way.
@heyspence1
Here is another overlooked gem of a song! Such a beautiful woman with the voice of an angel. She is one of my all time favorite musicians/singers....a legend!
@warrenvanwicklin628
This is one of my all time favorite music videos. The dancing is stunning and adds so much to this song, but the music and singing is what makes it sublime.
@ELECTECHNUT
Beautiful lyrics, masterful vocals, and appropriate instrumentals! I seldom see the full potential of the art of dance so well expressed; and it matched the dynamic range of relationships, as expressed in the song.