You're correct. She was being stalked and she turned the tables on the stalker by incorporating parts of his letters into this song. The man who had been stalking her ultimately killed himself.
And then tried to sue her in Canada because he felt the song was about him,which it was but, he had no jurisdiction on it. Definitely a disturbed individual.
The song was inspired by McLachlan's reaction to two deranged fans, both of whom had concocted a fantasy in which they were already in a relationship with her. Of the two, the more famous is Uwe Vandrei, an Ottawa, Ontario native who sued McLachlan in 1994, alleging that his love letters to her had been the basis of "Possession". Vandrei had written and sent McLachlan love poems, although there is no direct connection between those poems and the lyrics of "Possession." Vandrei's lawsuit never came to trial as he died by suicide in the autumn of 1994. In an interview with Rolling Stone three years later, McLachlan said, "And this one person wasn't the only guy ... there were a lot of letters from other people saying the same kind of thing ... Writing the song 'Possession' was very therapeutic." She also stated that, since the release of "Possession," she had stopped getting stalker-type fan letters, for which she was grateful.
With the Vandrel case I believe she already had a restraining order on him to try and keep him away. It became legally complex when he sued her. It raised the concern that he was very likely only suing her to get around the restraining order to get in the same room with her. Having a known stalker must be very scary.
@@rossmacintosh5652 He sued her because he said he since she said the song was based on his creepy letters he should have gotten song writing credit and some money. He killed himself before it went to court.
@@thomasolson1154 Yes, I understand that was the basis of his suit, but it raised the concern that his real motivation was to get in the same room with her. As we call deduce from the song lyrics, he really was a threat to her.
Yes, I guess, it is his words to her, he was a creep, as you said, obsessed fan. I never realized til now there were these other obsessed/stalker men. These fans, men/women, I guess through your music feel they know you, or want to know you. To be in your world, to get to know you personally.
This song is on there twice. This version that’s listed and a hidden track of this song with just her and the piano. Played a lot slower. You’ll have to fast forward about two or three minutes through various sounds. That the only version I listen to now.
It’s important to remember that lyrics are NOT always written from the point of view of the artist, and in some cases not even telling their own personal story. So many reactors overlook these factors.
As a rocker who doesn't normally like this kind of music I've always been entranced by Sarah McLachlan's voice. Definitely should check out building A mystery
I second checking out Building A Mystery. There's an acoustic version with just her and a guitar that she did for SiriusXM and it is fantastic - no studio editing or track manipulation just a pure live performance on her part that is really solid.
No. I didn't really like her newer albums. Personally I'd recommend going back to her first and second albums (Possession is off the second album, I believe.)
Can't believe this tune is almost 30 years old. I remember this being played a lot on the radio and MTV. It was the first time I'd ever heard Sarah McLachlan and it's still my favorite song of hers to this day.
My uncle flew special ops AC-130 Gunships out of Hurlburt field. They got turned on to Sarah because the AC 130 is named the "Angel of Death" and they listened to her song "Angel". Then they found this one, and played it every time they went live fire. He told me one of his favorite memories was coming up over the horizon, at dusk, going full guns on target with the line, "And I would be the one/ To hold you down/ Kiss you so hard/ I'll take your breath away/ And after, I'd wipe away the tears/ Just close your eyes dear" playing on the boombox over the guns.
Yes.... it's love on the creepy side. Loving someone so much you want to 'possess' them. This is right in the point of her career where she was just becoming mega famous (In Canada at least). SOooooooo many hits off her albums...
😍 I'm just loving it because Lilith Fair was my actual first concert at 14. And for some reason I feel like Brad would have been right at home there even though it was a female centered concert but good music. Sarah McLachlan formed that concert and it featured Sheryl Crow Jewel Alanis Morissette a lot of other awesome female artists. Tori Amos did not participate, she want to do her own thing which is cool. Sarah McLachlans angel song is also featured in ASPCA commercial with a little sad puppies LOL
It's a perspective song. You could listen to it as a love song. Howver, mcclachlan was inspired by an obsessive fan who freaked her out with letters she had been receiving from him--so, it could also be viewed as a song about a stalker, which pulls the song into a much darker place.
Once again, Lexi nails it on the first listen, and Brad is clueless, even with the damn lyrics right in his face. Lexi is spot on with her initial assessment of "Creepy...", as it is a song about stalking, the lyrics are from the stalker's POV, Brad...not the singer's per se. It's a hauntingly, beautiful song that gets me in the feels even after 25 yrs of hearing it many, many times.
Lex nailed this song's meaning on first listen! This is super creepy... the lyrics are an adaptation of a letter she received from a stalker. It's not a love song, it's about an obsessive need to possess, subdue, or destroy.
I caught her live at the small New Daisy theater in Memphis in 1994, when this song was new and she was brand new on the scene. Phenomenal show- she sounded just as good live as she does on the album
I was at that show! It was a really special show for me, I was with a new girlfriend and this show was so sensual, it just takes me back to a very romantic time for me.
Sarah is an amazing writer, performer and musician with incredible vocals! I’ve seen her live several times at Lilith fair. Which was an all female artist concert that she speer headed in 97-99. There were all kinds of amazing female artists raising awareness and funds to stop domestic abuse. The best part of these shows every time was Sarah as the final act of the night! She always brought the house down! Deep dive into her catalog, you’ll both love her!
Lex, you blow me away with your analysis. CREEPY is right, not wanting to hear this from YOUR mouth about one of my fav artists, however, Sarah wrote it from the male perspective of a fan. He attempted to sue but died b4 case settled. Not my fav of hers, but I adore her. Brad, Sarah is beautiful, check her out. But sane, promise. 😉 Her voice is unreal, check out "Ice" and "Fear" for vocals, think you did "Angel," personal fav, "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy," gets me every time. P.S. I adore you two!! ❤😁
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy is a perfect album. Although I don’t like “Ice Cream” that much. It takes away from the overall mood/tone of the album. But a lot of people love the hell out of it, so who am I to say?
I freakin love Sarah. She is her own vibe. May I suggest another AMAZING female artist Tori Amos, “Silent All these Years”, “ Crucify”, “ Caught a Light Sneeze” to name a few
Sarah is a voice of an ANGEL and a Canadian treasure. Beautiful lyrics is all her creations. She was sharing the top charts with Celine, Shania during 1997- 1999. It was really great to see all three women on the same level, top ten !
Brad you are so right about her being brilliant acoustically, I actually saw SM perform in Edinburgh many years ago, just her and her guitar and she was amazing. Honestly I didn't actually know who she was before we went. It was a local radio showcase gig and my friend got the free tix and told us to trust him and go. BOY was he right, she was astounding. And yes, she was gorgeous but she seems very nice not crazy lol.
My 1st husband passed in 1999. At his request we played Arms of an Angel at his funeral. He was 32 & Metallica was more his thing, but he loved that song.
Great job Lex! You nailed it with the word "creepy"! Imagine you had a stalker and these lyrics were comprised of everything he wrote in his letters.😳 She took her power back by making this into a song.
ENTIRE “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy” album!! You gotta check out. Saw Sarah in Toronto as the main even at “Lilith Fair”.. amazing show! She’s amazing live! :)) ❤️🇨🇦❤️
Sarah McLachlan had a stalker and found it a scary situation. This song is about the super scary stalker fan. She does take it to the next level, but perhaps she received scary explicit letters from the stalker as well. She was always amazed how many people thought this was a love song when it is full of terror. The song is from the stalker's view point.
That song is from her Tumbling Towards Ecstasy album, and there is a hidden track on the CD of just her with a piano singing Possession. The whole album is excellent, one song you should check out is Hold On, a true story about a woman who discovers the man she is going to marry is HIV+ but it doesn't deter her.
Lex saw right through the lyrics. Sarah McLachlan was inspired to write "Possession" after receiving a twisted "love letter" from a fan-turned-stalker. She gave the letter her own twist, using his words to write a song that can also be interpreted as primal, passionate love. It was her way of coping with the stalker, who later sued her for plagiarism, but ultimately committed suicide before the lawsuit could go to trial. Sarah McLachlan and Melissa Etheridge seem to be the two musicians who kicked off a trend of solo female "folk-rock" singer/songwriters from the mid-1990s into the early 2000s. Other ladies who were part of this trend include, but are not limited to, Lisa Loeb (both solo and with Nine Stories), Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Natalie Merchant, Sophie B. Hawkins, Joan Osborne, Tracy Bonham, Jann Arden, Jewel, Merril Bainbridge, Paula Cole, Meredith Brooks, Shawn Colvin, Loreena McKennitt, Natalie Imbruglia, Jennifer Paige, and Dido. Some of the aforementioned musicians, such as Melissa Etheridge, Natalie Merchant and Sophie B. Hawkins, had been active since the 1980s or early 1990s, but all of them rejuvenated their careers and created new hit songs once this trend got going. Other veteran female singer/songwriters who enjoyed renewed interest in their music include Bonnie Raitt, Suzanne Vega, and Sinead O'Connor. Though folk-rock was the primary driver of this trend, it was not the only style. There were also R&B-influenced singer/songwriters, such as Meshell Ndegeocello, Des'ree, Dionne Farris, Erykah Badu and Billie Myers, and solo country musicians who crossed over to Top 40 radio, such as LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, Faith Hill and LeeAnn Womack. This explosion of female singer/songwriters inspired Sarah McLachlan to start the Lilith Fair in the late 1990s, which was a concert tour featuring popular and obscure female singer-songwriters, as well as bands that were either all-female or at least fronted by a woman. The trend also inspired the rise of corresponding solo male singer/songwriters, such as Edwin McCain, Duncan Sheik, Ben Folds (both solo and with his Five), Shawn Mullins, and Eagle-Eye Cherry. In all, Sarah McLachlan had five Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Here's the list: "Building A Mystery" (#13 in 1997) "Sweet Surrender" (#28 in 1998) "Adia" (#3 in 1998) "Angel" (#4 in 1999) "I Will Remember You" (#14 in 1999) "Possession" was not a Top 40 hit, peaking at #73 in 1994. However, it did peak at #4 on the Billboard Alternative chart. Also, "I will Remember You" had two versions. The studio version actually peaked at #65 in 1996. The version that peaked at #14 in 1999 was a live version.
Listen to "Sweet Surrender." I learned to play it on guitar, and it's got this air of subtlety that I can't seem to understand when I write my own songs.
Sarah McLachlan also did vocals with an electronic duo called Delerium on the track "Silence", the Tiesto remix is one the most well known and loved trance/edm tracks (with DJ's regularly ending sets with that number,) largely for her beautifully haunting and dreamlike vocals, it literally shifted edm and progressive house into a new direction as female vocalists became the standard by which a great dance track was judged
Do more songs by her. I love her and yes listen to her live. She is incredible live. She has a tenderness to her voice that masks the lyrics, but they are beautiful poetry set to music more then a story. Or that is how I interpret her music. There is a poetic detachment to her songs perspective that I think other songs you have listened to are more straight forward and story driven. Its a different song writing style then what you tend to listen to. Do more songs by her.
Some fun facts about Miss Mclachlan! The actor Ryan Reynolds used to work at a grocery store in Vancouver before he became an actor, where Sarah Mclachlan used to shop. According to him, she was very kind to all the staff, even though she didn't need to be. She also runs a school of music that provides non-profit music education and mentorship to 1000 at-risk and underserved Canadian children in Vancouver, Surrey, and Edmonton..
So many great songs... Fear, Awakenings, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, Good Enough, Ice, Answer, Dirty Little Secret, Trainwreck, Drifting, Perfrct Girl... I could go on and on 😁
Sarah is the farthest from Canada. She was a very caring and spiritual artist.. with the most astute business mind. She was the person behind the very successful mostly female rock festival called Lilith Fair back in the 90's. She is very beautiful.. but her personality was more so even! She had hit after hit after hit back in the 90's and deserved all of her success. I think Sarah, Alanis, Avril and Shania were Canada's biggest female musicians just killing it in the 90s!! Sarah was probably the most vocal about lifting other female musicians up and empowering them to be all they can be. She's a truly inspirational artist!
Now go back through and just listen to the bass line. This song has so many layers, and 30 years later I'm still finding new things to appreciate in it.
Sarah M. founded the Lilith Fair festival that celebrated female music artists in the late 90s. She was kind of a big deal for awhile in the biz I suppose. This whole album is great btw. I felt that her subsequent material, while still good, lacked the dark edge that you feel on this song. Every track oozes this moody vibe.
The year this album out, I must have listened to it at least 100 times . There is an acoustic version of this kn the album, just her voice and her piano. Theres also a live version out there thats amazing, on the Jools Holland Show, that aired just after the album release. The entire album is next level songwriting and singing.
Not just a great singer…she’s also an excellent musician and writer! Ever pass by someone in a narrow hallway and you both turn inwards and face each other as you pass by? This happened to me with Sarah and no one else around. I was a fan and that was a cool moment! Once I realized who it was we ended up chatting for a few..she was very humble and down to earth.
"Elsewhere" is one of my other faves from this same album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. This song is meant to be creepy. It's about obsession, specifically a stalker-type obsession. Not all songs are written from the singer/songwriter's perspective. Sarah is also one of the founders of Lilith Fair.
Wife here..Stong., Gorgeous harmonies from the beginning..,..She can sing in a deeper register ...as well as in an angelic voice..I agree with Lex..A little creepy.., yet beautiful!
She's a great singer,, pop artist, check out more of her videos and songs. '90s and '00s. BTW, there is an acoustic version of this song as well. Very good. Sarah is very pretty. Brad is right, some reason many pretty lades are a little crazy lol.
O Come All Ye Faithful or God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen? I hate the Barenaked Ladies, but them and Sarah Maclachlan's version (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) is my favorite Christmas song.
@@superturtle61177 you’re right! I couldn’t remember. I’m ok with BNL - not a super fan- but that version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman with her gives me chills when it plays in my head and is required listening in my house.
@@flor9389 The best part of the song is that it's lesser known and not played often. It allows me to actually enjoy it when it comes on the radio as opposed to the 25 times a day you are beaten over the head with All I Want for Christmas or White Christmas. Those are good songs too, they just have become victims of their own success and are now white noise.
There have been lots of requests for XTC’s “Dear God” on your streams. Sarah McLaughlan does a remake of that song. Not as good as the original, in my opinion, but still quite good.
In my (not-so-humble) opinion, there is no greater voice on Earth 616 than this absolute Goddess Of Song. Bought her album "Touch" back in '89 and I've been hooked ever since (though not in a creepy way, like the subject of this tune). 👍😉😋
As i recall, the lyrics of this song come from letters a stalker wrote to her. Please correct me if I am misremembering. This is my favorite SM song.
Correct.
You're correct. She was being stalked and she turned the tables on the stalker by incorporating parts of his letters into this song. The man who had been stalking her ultimately killed himself.
I believe that the guy actually tried sueing her for a share of the royalties.
@@mrwomby5007 He did and lost!
And then tried to sue her in Canada because he felt the song was about him,which it was but, he had no jurisdiction on it. Definitely a disturbed individual.
The song was inspired by McLachlan's reaction to two deranged fans, both of whom had concocted a fantasy in which they were already in a relationship with her. Of the two, the more famous is Uwe Vandrei, an Ottawa, Ontario native who sued McLachlan in 1994, alleging that his love letters to her had been the basis of "Possession". Vandrei had written and sent McLachlan love poems, although there is no direct connection between those poems and the lyrics of "Possession." Vandrei's lawsuit never came to trial as he died by suicide in the autumn of 1994.
In an interview with Rolling Stone three years later, McLachlan said, "And this one person wasn't the only guy ... there were a lot of letters from other people saying the same kind of thing ... Writing the song 'Possession' was very therapeutic." She also stated that, since the release of "Possession," she had stopped getting stalker-type fan letters, for which she was grateful.
With the Vandrel case I believe she already had a restraining order on him to try and keep him away. It became legally complex when he sued her. It raised the concern that he was very likely only suing her to get around the restraining order to get in the same room with her. Having a known stalker must be very scary.
@@rossmacintosh5652 He sued her because he said he since she said the song was based on his creepy letters he should have gotten song writing credit and some money.
He killed himself before it went to court.
@@thomasolson1154 Yes, I understand that was the basis of his suit, but it raised the concern that his real motivation was to get in the same room with her. As we call deduce from the song lyrics, he really was a threat to her.
Yes, I guess, it is his words to her, he was a creep, as you said, obsessed fan. I never realized til now there were these other obsessed/stalker men. These fans, men/women, I guess through your music feel they know you, or want to know you. To be in your world, to get to know you personally.
One of my all-time favorite singers. This album, "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy," is my all-time favorite album.
One of the great Canadian albums.
Not a bad song on it!
Agreed. Firmly rooted on my "desert island discs" list.
This song is on there twice. This version that’s listed and a hidden track of this song with just her and the piano. Played a lot slower. You’ll have to fast forward about two or three minutes through various sounds. That the only version I listen to now.
I am so with you. I love jazz, hip-hop, black metal, old country, southern rock, Shoegaze, etc. etc. And this is always in my top 10 albums.
It’s important to remember that lyrics are NOT always written from the point of view of the artist, and in some cases not even telling their own personal story.
So many reactors overlook these factors.
SOOOO MANY. Preach.
This is her best album in my opinion. The whole thing is awesome.
Nothing but bangers!!!!
Start to finish!!
Zero skips
I agree, every song is great. Masterpiece of an album
As a rocker who doesn't normally like this kind of music I've always been entranced by Sarah McLachlan's voice. Definitely should check out building A mystery
I second checking out Building A Mystery. There's an acoustic version with just her and a guitar that she did for SiriusXM and it is fantastic - no studio editing or track manipulation just a pure live performance on her part that is really solid.
Me too Neil
The 90's had so many amazing female artists.
Brad & Lex, her "Building a Mystery", "Sweet Surrender" and "Adia" show off her outstanding voice!!
Yes
This
So many other songs to add to this list. I will add Witness to this list and leave it there. I always enjoy the live version from "Storytellers".
No. I didn't really like her newer albums. Personally I'd recommend going back to her first and second albums (Possession is off the second album, I believe.)
Even better still, watch her Mirrorball live performance of “Fear”.
Can't believe this tune is almost 30 years old. I remember this being played a lot on the radio and MTV. It was the first time I'd ever heard Sarah McLachlan and it's still my favorite song of hers to this day.
Can you imagine almost 30 years old!! WTF ....time goes fast....still a VERY iconic song
My uncle flew special ops AC-130 Gunships out of Hurlburt field. They got turned on to Sarah because the AC 130 is named the "Angel of Death" and they listened to her song "Angel". Then they found this one, and played it every time they went live fire. He told me one of his favorite memories was coming up over the horizon, at dusk, going full guns on target with the line, "And I would be the one/
To hold you down/ Kiss you so hard/ I'll take your breath away/ And after, I'd wipe away the tears/ Just close your eyes dear" playing on the boombox over the guns.
BEAUTIFUL SONG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes.... it's love on the creepy side. Loving someone so much you want to 'possess' them.
This is right in the point of her career where she was just becoming mega famous (In Canada at least). SOooooooo many hits off her albums...
"Good Enough". That is the Sarah McLachlan song that has a personal meaning for me and is my favorite.
😍 I'm just loving it because Lilith Fair was my actual first concert at 14. And for some reason I feel like Brad would have been right at home there even though it was a female centered concert but good music. Sarah McLachlan formed that concert and it featured Sheryl Crow Jewel Alanis Morissette a lot of other awesome female artists. Tori Amos did not participate, she want to do her own thing which is cool. Sarah McLachlans angel song is also featured in ASPCA commercial with a little sad puppies LOL
It's a perspective song. You could listen to it as a love song. Howver, mcclachlan was inspired by an obsessive fan who freaked her out with letters she had been receiving from him--so, it could also be viewed as a song about a stalker, which pulls the song into a much darker place.
There's a version of this song where it's just Sarah and her piano. Its fkn amazing.
The song was written from the point of view of someone obsessed with someone else. It’s haunting with her voice and the amazing baseline.
Once again, Lexi nails it on the first listen, and Brad is clueless, even with the damn lyrics right in his face. Lexi is spot on with her initial assessment of "Creepy...", as it is a song about stalking, the lyrics are from the stalker's POV, Brad...not the singer's per se. It's a hauntingly, beautiful song that gets me in the feels even after 25 yrs of hearing it many, many times.
Lex nailed this song's meaning on first listen! This is super creepy... the lyrics are an adaptation of a letter she received from a stalker. It's not a love song, it's about an obsessive need to possess, subdue, or destroy.
Yes, acoustic version is amazing. She is immensely talented.
Thank you for covering so much Canadian music lately ❤🇨🇦
I like how Lex noticed something wrong immediately. Instincts don't lie.
I had a huge crush on Sarah in my teens. She's a smoke show and can sang.
Get in line, buddy! xD
Bro I’ve STILL got a crush on Sarah! 😂
Sarah McLachlan has a lot of great songs. Some of my favorites are Fallen, Full of Grace and I Will Remember You.
I love her live performances, beautiful voice.
Her track “good enough” is a beautiful piece of work
I caught her live at the small New Daisy theater in Memphis in 1994, when this song was new and she was brand new on the scene. Phenomenal show- she sounded just as good live as she does on the album
I was at that show! It was a really special show for me, I was with a new girlfriend and this show was so sensual, it just takes me back to a very romantic time for me.
Into The Fire should be on your list down the road to react to.
Great artist who did a TON for music back in the 90's.
This song used to get stuck in my head when I used to walk to middle school from home in the mornings in the mid 90s
Finally! Great voice of The 90s
Sarah is an amazing writer, performer and musician with incredible vocals! I’ve seen her live several times at Lilith fair. Which was an all female artist concert that she speer headed in 97-99. There were all kinds of amazing female artists raising awareness and funds to stop domestic abuse. The best part of these shows every time was Sarah as the final act of the night! She always brought the house down! Deep dive into her catalog, you’ll both love her!
Lilith Fair, 1997, Closer to Fine. So magical. Jewels yodeling gave me such chills. That whole evening is one of my favorite memories.
@@pedantech AGGRED! went all three yrs! I love every minute! So many wonderful artist!
The bass guitar in this song is amazing!
I was obsessed with her album Surfacing as a kid. I love "The Prayer of St. Francis" "Full of Grace" "Adia" and "Do What You Have To Do".
Mirrorball is all live and incredible. Her band is amazing! Anything off Mirrorball!!
Lex, you blow me away with your analysis.
CREEPY is right, not wanting to hear this from YOUR mouth about one of my fav artists, however, Sarah wrote it from the male perspective of a fan. He attempted to sue but died b4 case settled.
Not my fav of hers, but I adore her.
Brad, Sarah is beautiful, check her out. But sane, promise. 😉
Her voice is unreal, check out "Ice" and "Fear" for vocals, think you did "Angel," personal fav, "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy," gets me every time.
P.S. I adore you two!! ❤😁
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy is a perfect album. Although I don’t like “Ice Cream” that much. It takes away from the overall mood/tone of the album. But a lot of people love the hell out of it, so who am I to say?
I freakin love Sarah. She is her own vibe.
May I suggest another AMAZING female artist Tori Amos, “Silent All these Years”, “ Crucify”, “ Caught a Light Sneeze” to name a few
Tori is goated status idgaf
Echoing Tori Amos for sure. I'd love to see them react to iiiee.
OH YES!
I like Cornflake Girl. 👍
Sarah is a voice of an ANGEL and a Canadian treasure. Beautiful lyrics is all her creations. She was sharing the top charts with Celine, Shania during 1997- 1999. It was really great to see all three women on the same level, top ten !
Brad you are so right about her being brilliant acoustically, I actually saw SM perform in Edinburgh many years ago, just her and her guitar and she was amazing. Honestly I didn't actually know who she was before we went. It was a local radio showcase gig and my friend got the free tix and told us to trust him and go. BOY was he right, she was astounding. And yes, she was gorgeous but she seems very nice not crazy lol.
In the Arms of Angel is her most powerful song.
Or boring… just depends on preferred music style
Perhaps but it's been played to death on late night dog shelter commercials.
Perhaps but it's been played to death on late night dog shelter commercials.
@@johnstjohn6658 Maybe, but on reaction channel nobody has heard any song before so it's refressing to hear the opinion.
My 1st husband passed in 1999. At his request we played Arms of an Angel at his funeral. He was 32 & Metallica was more his thing, but he loved that song.
Oh Sarah McLaughlin, love love her. She has a deep catalog of music!
Ooh, my favorite song from Sarah. She's one incredible musician. A fantastic one to hear live.
Lex got the meaning right away. It's written from the perspective of her staker.
IMHO It's best to listen to her in full album mode. She is so talented.
Great job Lex! You nailed it with the word "creepy"! Imagine you had a stalker and these lyrics were comprised of everything he wrote in his letters.😳 She took her power back by making this into a song.
ENTIRE “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy” album!! You gotta check out. Saw Sarah in Toronto as the main even at “Lilith Fair”.. amazing show! She’s amazing live! :)) ❤️🇨🇦❤️
“Good Enough” is a great one as well
I forgot about this song. Thanks for the reminder.
The lyrics, the vocals and the guitars really get me.
Sarah McLachlan had a stalker and found it a scary situation. This song is about the super scary stalker fan. She does take it to the next level, but perhaps she received scary explicit letters from the stalker as well. She was always amazed how many people thought this was a love song when it is full of terror. The song is from the stalker's view point.
Angel. Powerful song.
One of the best songs that came out of that decade this song brings me such amazing memories, it’s a beautiful song, she’s a bad ass!
imagine she just saying.... u gonna luv me
Beautiful singer with some great songs.
Lex is spot on. This song was written from the perspective of a stalker. Let that marinade for a little bit lol.
This was one of my favorite CDs from the 90. She has an incredible voice
That song is from her Tumbling Towards Ecstasy album, and there is a hidden track on the CD of just her with a piano singing Possession. The whole album is excellent, one song you should check out is Hold On, a true story about a woman who discovers the man she is going to marry is HIV+ but it doesn't deter her.
Also check out "Fear" from this same album.
Chills!
This song has nothing to do with love, this has to do with a Sarah McLachlan fan being nuts.
Lex saw right through the lyrics. Sarah McLachlan was inspired to write "Possession" after receiving a twisted "love letter" from a fan-turned-stalker. She gave the letter her own twist, using his words to write a song that can also be interpreted as primal, passionate love. It was her way of coping with the stalker, who later sued her for plagiarism, but ultimately committed suicide before the lawsuit could go to trial.
Sarah McLachlan and Melissa Etheridge seem to be the two musicians who kicked off a trend of solo female "folk-rock" singer/songwriters from the mid-1990s into the early 2000s. Other ladies who were part of this trend include, but are not limited to, Lisa Loeb (both solo and with Nine Stories), Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Natalie Merchant, Sophie B. Hawkins, Joan Osborne, Tracy Bonham, Jann Arden, Jewel, Merril Bainbridge, Paula Cole, Meredith Brooks, Shawn Colvin, Loreena McKennitt, Natalie Imbruglia, Jennifer Paige, and Dido.
Some of the aforementioned musicians, such as Melissa Etheridge, Natalie Merchant and Sophie B. Hawkins, had been active since the 1980s or early 1990s, but all of them rejuvenated their careers and created new hit songs once this trend got going. Other veteran female singer/songwriters who enjoyed renewed interest in their music include Bonnie Raitt, Suzanne Vega, and Sinead O'Connor.
Though folk-rock was the primary driver of this trend, it was not the only style. There were also R&B-influenced singer/songwriters, such as Meshell Ndegeocello, Des'ree, Dionne Farris, Erykah Badu and Billie Myers, and solo country musicians who crossed over to Top 40 radio, such as LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, Faith Hill and LeeAnn Womack.
This explosion of female singer/songwriters inspired Sarah McLachlan to start the Lilith Fair in the late 1990s, which was a concert tour featuring popular and obscure female singer-songwriters, as well as bands that were either all-female or at least fronted by a woman.
The trend also inspired the rise of corresponding solo male singer/songwriters, such as Edwin McCain, Duncan Sheik, Ben Folds (both solo and with his Five), Shawn Mullins, and Eagle-Eye Cherry.
In all, Sarah McLachlan had five Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Here's the list:
"Building A Mystery" (#13 in 1997)
"Sweet Surrender" (#28 in 1998)
"Adia" (#3 in 1998)
"Angel" (#4 in 1999)
"I Will Remember You" (#14 in 1999)
"Possession" was not a Top 40 hit, peaking at #73 in 1994. However, it did peak at #4 on the Billboard Alternative chart. Also, "I will Remember You" had two versions. The studio version actually peaked at #65 in 1996. The version that peaked at #14 in 1999 was a live version.
Lyrically poetic
Listen to "Sweet Surrender." I learned to play it on guitar, and it's got this air of subtlety that I can't seem to understand when I write my own songs.
Sarah McLachlan also did vocals with an electronic duo called Delerium on the track "Silence", the Tiesto remix is one the most well known and loved trance/edm tracks (with DJ's regularly ending sets with that number,) largely for her beautifully haunting and dreamlike vocals, it literally shifted edm and progressive house into a new direction as female vocalists became the standard by which a great dance track was judged
Well Lex definitely caught the vibe of the meaning. 😆
You need to see the live version of this song! Terrific!!!
Do more songs by her. I love her and yes listen to her live. She is incredible live. She has a tenderness to her voice that masks the lyrics, but they are beautiful poetry set to music more then a story. Or that is how I interpret her music. There is a poetic detachment to her songs perspective that I think other songs you have listened to are more straight forward and story driven. Its a different song writing style then what you tend to listen to. Do more songs by her.
Great song. Her song "Hold on" is amazing.
Absolutely the most captivating and best song by her... Tis is a HUGE LOVE of mine!!!! 😍😍😍
Some fun facts about Miss Mclachlan! The actor Ryan Reynolds used to work at a grocery store in Vancouver before he became an actor, where Sarah Mclachlan used to shop. According to him, she was very kind to all the staff, even though she didn't need to be.
She also runs a school of music that provides non-profit music education and mentorship to 1000 at-risk and underserved Canadian children in Vancouver, Surrey, and Edmonton..
So many great songs... Fear, Awakenings, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, Good Enough, Ice, Answer, Dirty Little Secret, Trainwreck, Drifting, Perfrct Girl... I could go on and on 😁
On the album, it does include an additional acoustic version!
Sarah is the farthest from Canada. She was a very caring and spiritual artist.. with the most astute business mind. She was the person behind the very successful mostly female rock festival called Lilith Fair back in the 90's. She is very beautiful.. but her personality was more so even! She had hit after hit after hit back in the 90's and deserved all of her success. I think Sarah, Alanis, Avril and Shania were Canada's biggest female musicians just killing it in the 90s!! Sarah was probably the most vocal about lifting other female musicians up and empowering them to be all they can be. She's a truly inspirational artist!
Oh god, Sarah McLachlan....! Take our breathe away with your magical-like singing....
I would also highly recommend "Hold On", "Stupid", "Touch", "Good Enough", "Fear", "Full Of Grace"....the list goes on.
Now go back through and just listen to the bass line. This song has so many layers, and 30 years later I'm still finding new things to appreciate in it.
The way Brad feels about Alannis, I feel about Sarah's voice. I am absolutely in love with it.
This song brings back such memories I haven't been able to listen to it for the past 15 years.
Angel is such a great song by Sarah
Sarah M. founded the Lilith Fair festival that celebrated female music artists in the late 90s. She was kind of a big deal for awhile in the biz I suppose.
This whole album is great btw. I felt that her subsequent material, while still good, lacked the dark edge that you feel on this song. Every track oozes this moody vibe.
Fully agree with that “dark edge“ assessment.
She was definitely pretty easy on the eyes back in the day!!
The year this album out, I must have listened to it at least 100 times . There is an acoustic version of this kn the album, just her voice and her piano. Theres also a live version out there thats amazing, on the Jools Holland Show, that aired just after the album release. The entire album is next level songwriting and singing.
These song lyrics came from a letter that a stalker wrote her. I think he was eventually arrested, but then tried to sue her for plagiarism.
But he committed suicide before it went to court.
Your understanding of this being ‘stalking’ is so spot on 😳 !!!
Not just a great singer…she’s also an excellent musician and writer! Ever pass by someone in a narrow hallway and you both turn inwards and face each other as you pass by? This happened to me with Sarah and no one else around. I was a fan and that was a cool moment! Once I realized who it was we ended up chatting for a few..she was very humble and down to earth.
"Elsewhere" is one of my other faves from this same album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. This song is meant to be creepy. It's about obsession, specifically a stalker-type obsession. Not all songs are written from the singer/songwriter's perspective. Sarah is also one of the founders of Lilith Fair.
eastern Canada's treasure
Wife here..Stong., Gorgeous harmonies from the beginning..,..She can sing in a deeper register ...as well as in an angelic voice..I agree with Lex..A little creepy.., yet beautiful!
You should absolutely listen to Fumbling Towards Ecstacy by Sarah Mclachlan.
She's a great singer,, pop artist, check out more of her videos and songs. '90s and '00s. BTW, there is an acoustic version of this song as well. Very good.
Sarah is very pretty. Brad is right, some reason many pretty lades are a little crazy lol.
@@johngillespie3409 OK, cool! Will check that one out
EXCELLENT Album! On my Desert Island Playlist ~ 1st track to last.
Same.
When it’s Christmas you should listen to her and Barenaked Ladies doing O Come All Ye Faithful. It gives me chills.
O Come All Ye Faithful or God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen? I hate the Barenaked Ladies, but them and Sarah Maclachlan's version (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) is my favorite Christmas song.
@@superturtle61177 you’re right! I couldn’t remember. I’m ok with BNL - not a super fan- but that version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman with her gives me chills when it plays in my head and is required listening in my house.
@@flor9389 The best part of the song is that it's lesser known and not played often. It allows me to actually enjoy it when it comes on the radio as opposed to the 25 times a day you are beaten over the head with All I Want for Christmas or White Christmas. Those are good songs too, they just have become victims of their own success and are now white noise.
There have been lots of requests for XTC’s “Dear God” on your streams. Sarah McLaughlan does a remake of that song. Not as good as the original, in my opinion, but still quite good.
In my (not-so-humble) opinion, there is no greater voice on Earth 616 than this absolute Goddess Of Song.
Bought her album "Touch" back in '89 and I've been hooked ever since (though not in a creepy way, like the subject of this tune). 👍😉😋
Following the baseline was a fun ride through the harmonies
That whole album is perfect....love Sarah!!!!
You both will recognize Arms of an Angel but I think it’s a fantastic song. The lyrics are deep.
90's female rock is so good!
I love this song!
There is a stunning live version of this on her 'Mirrorball' album.
My all time fav artist! 😍😍😍
Need to do Tori Amos "Winter" sometime soon as well as Joan Osborne "Crazy Baby".
Tori Amos is amazing.