Slean recorded her first EP Universe (1997) at the age of nineteen. Since then she has completed a series of albums including: Blue Parade (1998), Night Bugs (2002), and Day One (2004), The Baroness (2008) and the double album Land & Sea (2011).
Night Bugs was her first major label album, co-produced by Slean and Hawksley Workman, and released by WEA in Canada and Atlantic Records in the United States. It was heavily inspired by cabaret music.
In September 2004, Slean released her fourth album, Day One. Here Slean's piano takes a less important spot for the first time in her career. The focus is more on beats, rhythms and guitar, which shines through in the album's first single "Lucky Me". The up-tempo title track "Day One", and "Mary", a song about Slean's grandmother, were released as the second and third singles.
In October 2006, Slean released a mostly-live album, Orphan Music, which consists of songs recorded live at Toronto's Harbourfront Theatre and the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. Other new tracks featuring Slean and the piano were recorded at DNA Recording Facility in Toronto and Kensaltown Studios in the UK.
Also in 2006, she contributed two tracks ("Us and Them" and "Comfortably Numb") to Pink Floyd Redux, a modern 12-track tribute to Pink Floyd.
Her sixth album The Baroness was released March 2008. An EP with outtakes from the album, entitled The Baroness Redecorates, was released in December of the same year.
Another set of B-sides was released in December 2010. For Beauty Lives, fans could vote for their favourite previously unrecorded track. The ten top songs were recorded especially for the collection.
Slean released the double album Land & Sea in September 2011. It is a concept album, where the songs on Land represent grounded topics and are generally more poppy, while the songs on Sea are more ethereal in subject matter and feature classical arrangements.
Slean released Metaphysics in 2017.
For photos and additional information check out Sarah Slean's official website, www.SarahSlean.com.
Set It Free
Sarah Slean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Banking on some lost puzzle piece
Somebody rearrange her
Tell her she′s got all she needs
But what do I do with my sorrow?
Well if you're asking me...
Set it free!
Throw it into the sea
Oh let go of the leash!
You gotta set if free
Runnin′ your poor self ragged
Trying to outrace these stubborn blues
Baby put down that baggage!
Oh that story's old news
But what do I do with my sorrow?
Well if you're asking me...
So what′s the use?
Untie the noose!
Feel it, it′s just a moment away!
Imagine the peace
When you set it free
So please.
The opening lines of Sarah Slean's "Set It Free" introduce us to a woman who is struggling in the present moment, unsure of how to piece together the larger puzzle of her life. She is searching for something lost, and seems to be relying on external factors to rearrange her thoughts and emotions. Slean's lyrics suggest that this woman is at a crossroads, needing to recognize that she carries everything she needs within herself. The singer urges her to let go of her sorrow, to throw it into the sea and get it under her feet once and for all. She encourages the woman to unburden herself from the weight of her past and to embrace the peace that comes with letting go.
As the song continues, Slean encourages the listener to stop running from their problems and to put down the baggage that is holding them back. She reminds them that their story is old news, and that they have the power to change the narrative of their lives. The singer emphasizes the importance of feeling one's emotions, even the painful ones, as they are part of what makes us human. She encourages the listener to imagine the peace that comes with setting their sorrows free and to embrace this possibility.
"Set It Free" is a powerful anthem of self-discovery and renewal. Through her lyrics, Sarah Slean urges listeners to let go of the past, and embrace the present moment with open arms.
Line by Line Meaning
Woman in present danger
A woman is currently in danger or facing a difficult situation.
Banking on some lost puzzle piece
She is hoping to find a solution to her problems, but it seems unlikely or difficult, like completing a puzzle with a missing piece.
Somebody rearrange her
She needs help and support to get through her troubles.
Tell her she′s got all she needs
Someone should support her and reassure her that she has the strength and resources to overcome her difficulties.
But what do I do with my sorrow?
The woman is asking for advice on how to deal with her sadness or pain.
Well if you're asking me...
The singer is offering their opinion or advice on how to cope.
Set it free!
Let go of the pain and release it.
Throw it into the sea
Get rid of it completely and let it go far away.
Get it under your feet!
Don't let the pain or difficulty control you, but instead stand on top of it.
Oh let go of the leash!
Stop holding onto the pain or letting it control you.
You gotta set if free
It's important to release the pain and move on.
Runnin′ your poor self ragged
The woman is exhausting herself by trying to solve her problems without success.
Trying to outrace these stubborn blues
She is struggling to overcome sadness or depression.
Baby put down that baggage!
Stop carrying the weight of your problems and set them aside.
Oh that story's old news
Don't dwell on the past and your pain, but move on and look to the future.
So what′s the use?
There is no point in continuing to let the pain control you.
Untie the noose!
Stop the cycle of pain and negative thoughts that are holding you back.
Feel it, it′s just a moment away!
Happiness and peace are not far away, and you just need to let go of the pain to reach them.
Imagine the peace
Imagine what it would feel like to be free from pain and sadness.
When you set it free
By releasing the pain and letting go, you can find peace and happiness.
So please.
The artist is urging the woman to take action and let go of her pain.
Writer(s): Sarah Hope Slean
Contributed by Jackson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sarah Breen
One of the most underrated Canadian musicians of our time - love love love her! Night bugs is still my fave album :)
stephanie loney
love it! can't wait to get my pre-ordered Land and Sea in the mail! My brother got me hooked on Sarah a few years ago. So proud to have such a fabulous artist living in Canada!
Theaterboi01
LOVE IT!!
Vincent
Great, fun song! Can't wait to hear more :)
Game Boy
I love her so very much. Her music always inspires me to write and try to understand what it means to be a Canadian artist. If anything, she is what Canada is about - pure, engaging music. Her voice almost always makes me feel at ease. And that journey started when I picked up her CD in a pawn shop in Hazelton BC. Definitely this man's treasure.
jeatcleave
Just preordered the album. I was so happy that it was available for shipment to the USA.
Lasersharp
Another video that features umbrella dancing? I love that kind of stuff! (Similar to the video for Don't Let Your Feet Touch Ground by Ash Koley).
S W
I'm really loving this album. "Life" deserves a video--tell me it has one? :*)
J Rossetti
<3 it ! Soooo needed this lift ;)
Temegin
Love Sarah, looking forward to seeing her again. Playing in Whelans, Dublin.:-)