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.
What's It Gonna Take
Sarah McLachlan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I dreamed of a different life
Far away in the lights
But now I’m here
Staring into the face of the unknown
And who was I to think I could fool them
When I don’t even know who I am
What’s it gonna take to make me strong?
I don’t have much to give
I’ve only just begun to live
So how do I become somebody new?
How do I begin to make this happen?
How will I believe and see this through?
When I feel so unready
And I feel so alone
Back on solid ground
My head is spinning ’round
My heart is in two different worlds
But I’m still here
Wondering where I fit into the madness
I thought when I was home I’d see clearly
But there’s so much I don’t understand
What’s it gonna take to lift the darkness?
What’s it gonna take to light my way?
I have so much to give
I’ve only just begun to live
So how do I begin my life anew?
How do I begin to make this happen?
How do I believe and see this through?
’Cause I feel like I’m ready
But I still feel unsure
The lyricist of Sarah McLachlan's "What's It Gonna Take" has wonderfully expressed the ideas and emotions around the struggles of finding one's place in the world. In the opening line, the singer talks about how she has always dreamed of a different life, far from the mundane reality she was living in. The idea of experiencing the freedom and excitement that comes with living under the bright lights has always fascinated her. But now that she's in that position, she is staring into the face of the unknown, unsure of who she is, and wondering how she will fit in.
The singer is struggling with self-doubt, a common theme in this song. She wonders what it will take to make her worthy and strong, questioning whether she has what it takes to make it in this new world she is navigating. She feels like she has so much to give, having only just begun to live, but she doesn't know how to achieve her dreams. She acknowledges that she is not ready, and she feels alone and unsure of how to make things happen.
In the second verse, the singer is back on solid ground, indicating that she has come down from her previous dream world and is now confronting reality. She is trying to find where she fits in within the madness and chaos of the world around her, but she is having trouble understanding everything. The singer continues to ask questions, wondering what it will take to lift the darkness and light her way. She acknowledges that she has so much to give and that she is ready to begin a new life, but she is unsure of how to make it happen.
Overall, "What's It Gonna Take" is a song that explores the struggles of self-doubt, figuring out one's place in the world, and navigating the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Since I was a girl
Ever since I was young
I dreamed of a different life
I had always imagined a better life for myself
Far away in the lights
Somewhere exciting and glamorous
But now I’m here
But now that I'm here in reality
Staring into the face of the unknown
Confronting the uncertainty in front of me
And who was I to think I could fool them
And why did I believe that I could deceive others
When I don’t even know who I am
When I don't even know myself
What’s it gonna take to make me worthy?
What do I need to do to feel deserving?
What’s it gonna take to make me strong?
What do I need to become stronger?
I don’t have much to give
I don't have a lot to offer
I’ve only just begun to live
I've only recently started my life
So how do I become somebody new?
How can I transform into a different person?
How do I begin to make this happen?
What steps must I take to make this a reality?
How will I believe and see this through?
How can I stay motivated and see it to the end?
When I feel so unready
When I feel unprepared
And I feel so alone
And I feel isolated
Back on solid ground
Now that I'm back in familiar surroundings
My head is spinning ’round
I'm feeling overwhelmed and confused
My heart is in two different worlds
I'm torn between two different paths
But I’m still here
However, I'm still present and persevering
Wondering where I fit into the madness
Trying to figure out my place in the chaos
I thought when I was home I’d see clearly
I had hoped that returning home would bring clarity
But there’s so much I don’t understand
But there is still so much that I can't comprehend
What’s it gonna take to lift the darkness?
What must I do to overcome the darkness?
What’s it gonna take to light my way?
What must I do to find my direction?
I have so much to give
I have so much potential
I’ve only just begun to live
I'm just starting my journey
So how do I begin my life anew?
How can I start a fresh chapter in my life?
’Cause I feel like I’m ready
Even though I feel prepared
But I still feel unsure
I still have doubts and uncertainties
Contributed by Ella H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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!