The Gift

I have looked around the net and I am not completely satisfied with the answers. Some say that this song has to do with Annie's involvement with Dave Stewart from the band Eurythmics. But I don't think this is the case. As I recall they were on good terms when she went her solo. The verse that makes me doubt the song's possible relation to her connect with David is "Take this guilted cage of pain, and set me free. Take this overcoat of shame, it never did belong to me" has no relation to her connection with Dave Stewart. I don't see any shame or guilt between the two of them.

I'm going to guess that this song is about being in an relationship that was basically like living a lie and was perpetuated up until a point. Annie sings, "we have tumbled from our shelves, to face the truth about ourselves" which,in my opinion, means through the process of no longer living in a lie, turmoil ensues along with resistance until she finally lets all of that go to be able to accept the truth about herself. Possibly she now realizes that what worked for her in the past can no longer allow her to function. She's tired of "living in this same sick joke", now she is letting that facade go and faces/accepts her truth.

I personally think "the gift" was the process of being forced into recognizing the lies that some of us indulge in and that steer us away from our truth/true identity. But through the turmoil and devastation of "tumbling from our trees" and "falling from our shelves" (basically being forced out of our comfort zone) we now have faced the truth about ourselves and who we really are.

And when you let go of the lies that cloud your judgment you gain a sense of crystal clarity that you never knew could possibly exist. Because if you did then you'd never choose to live in a lie in the first place. Hence, "I can almost hear the rain falling" which metaphorically serves as a purging or a cleansing to wash away what she once deluded herself with and "it feels so good."

So for me The Gift is reaching a profound level of inner personal growth that relationships can provide for us. Even if they end on bad terms (e.g. "take this overcoat of shame, it never did belong to me") we learn so much about ourselves through the process.

I have been a fan of Annie since the early 1980's. Her lyrics are sheer poetry. She's amazing!

What is the gift. ?

I think this song is about two lovers who had some problems.. 'Darling don't you understand I feel so ill at ease The room is full of silence and it's getting hard to breathe'

Then they had a child which is 'the gift'..'It seems our lives have taken on a different kind of twist Now that you have given me the perfect gift'

And towards the end of the song they are trying to make it work together for the child. 'I can almost feel the rain falling Don't you know it feels so good So let's go out into the rain again Just like we said we always would'

I can't believe Annie Lennox hasn't got more comments.. she has written alot of amazing lyrics!

I kind of thought this song was about breaking up, and "now that you have given me the perfect gift", was that you gave me love and I loved you in return.

I think The "gift " is Freedom !!!

I think "The Gift" is Freedom !!!!

In a previous interview about this song annie Lennox talked about the death of her stillborn child about the death of her grandmother. She said 'the gift' is the new way of seeing the world and the new wisdom that comes only through experiencing such loss