Possession by Sarah McLachlan Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Dark Embrace of Desire
Lyrics
From across the great divide
Voices trapped in yearning
Memories trapped in time
The night is my companion
And solitude my guide
Would I spend forever here
And not be satisfied
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
Through this world I’ve stumbled
So many times betrayed
Trying to find an honest word
To find the truth enslaved
Oh you speak to me in riddles and
You speak to me in rhymes
My body aches to breathe your breath
Your words keep me alive
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
Into this night I wander
It’s morning that I dread
Another day of knowing of
The path I fear to tread
Oh, into the sea of waking dreams
I follow without pride
Nothing stands between us here
And I won’t be denied
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
I’ll 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
In the pantheon of hauntingly beautiful songs, Sarah McLachlan’s ‘Possession’ occupies a throne of its own. From her 1993 album ‘Fumbling Towards Ecstasy’, the song reverberates with an eerie sense of intimacy and intensity that claws at the very fabric of comfort and complacency. McLachlan, who has always had a penchant for the profound, dives deep into the murky waters of obsession and the human connection.
While the melody of ‘Possession’ lulls the listener into a seemingly serene state, the lyrics paint a portrait of passion that borders on the obsessive, stemming from actual letters McLachlan received from an obsessed fan. With the song’s narrative echoing the liminal spaces between love and possession, it forms a sonic tapestry rich with the dichotomies of human emotions.
The Echoes of the Ethereal: Music That Haunts
There’s something undeniably spectral about ‘Possession,’ the way the piano chords meld with McLachlan’s voice, both of which resonate like a phantom symphony. The melody itself seems to possess its audience, echoing the song’s theme and creating an atmosphere that oscillates between beauty and discomfort.
It is this musical entrancement that serves as the perfect vessel for the heavy subject matter, allowing for a deeply immersive experience. Music aficionados have often remarked on the song’s capacity to envelope one in a cocoon of sound, creating an intimate space where the singer’s confessions are heard in confidence.
The Stanzas of Yearning: Dissecting the Desire
The poignant opening lines immediately set the tone for the labyrinth of longing that is to come. When McLachlan sings of voices and memories ‘trapped in time,’ she conjures a sense of isolation and unfulfilled desires that are both personal and universal. It isn’t just a yearning for another person, but for something elusive and fundamental.
As the song progresses, the lyrics touch upon the raw edges of human need, the kind that can both uplift and shackle the spirit. McLachlan perfectly captures the dichotomy of wanting to possess another soul and the understanding that true intimacy can never be forced or completely owned.
Veiled in Metaphor: The Hidden Meaning Within
What makes ‘Possession’ such an enigma is its tapestry of riddles and rhymes, where the overt subject matter of the lyrics is only a glimmer of the depth beneath. The recurring metaphors subtly point to a larger conversation about the nature of inspiration, the role of the artist, and the consuming fire of creation.
On one layer, ‘Possession’ can be seen as an embodiment of the muse-artist relationship, blurring the lines between inspiration and obsession, art and artist. The usage of possessive language not only conveys the unruly nature of love and desire but also the way in which artists may feel claimed by their own work or the public.
Memorable Lines That Echo in the Mind’s Corridors
‘I will be the one to hold you down, kiss you so hard, I’ll take your breath away.’ These lines, perhaps the most striking of the entire song, invoke a visceral response. The imagery is violently tender, a juxtaposition that mimics the song’s overarching theme of a passion so potent it borders on suffocating.
It is here that McLachlan’s songwriting prowess shines through; she crafts verses that linger long after the song has ended. They bind the listener to the narrative while invoking a cathartic introspection of their relationships with both the selves and others.
The Enduring Resonance of McLachlan’s Sonic Tapestry
Even decades after its release, ‘Possession’ continues to resonate with listeners, perhaps owing to its exploration of the dark side of desire and the timeless nature of McLachlan’s musical arrangement. It is a classic that challenges traditional notions of love and possession, remaining a staple in discussions of powerful songwriting.
Tracks like ‘Possession’ are a testament to the enduring power of music to reflect our deepest truths and mirror the complexity of our emotions and relationships. McLachlan’s song is as much a looking glass as it is a work of art, forcing us to confront the intensity of our inner landscapes.
