Angel

Yes, this is a beautiful song. Sarah basically wrote it for all those artists and people who died from drug overdoses. If you really read through the lyrics, you can understand what kind of escape and release she's talking about, and how it's so sad that people can find such peace in such sadness. An inherently sad but extremely beautiful piece of music.

I used to think that it was "just" about death in general, but now that I've read the lyrics it's become pretty clear that it's about dying from a drug overdose. Feeling not good enough, looking for some distraction and seeking release, memory seeing from veins, those are all typical for heroin overdose.

It's also clear it's about artists- dark cold hotel rooms, building lies, vultures and thieves surrounding you... there's not much room for any other interpretation IMO.

One of the most beautiful songs ever written.

You're mistaken Sarah wrote this song after the overdose of Smashing Pumpkins drummer. She talked about the meaning of the song during the VH1 Storytellers program.

Although this is a very beautiful song, and I love it. I have found that this song is about a friend who has taken his life. It starts out saying "Spend all your time waiting for that second chance ,for a break that would make it okay" This means that a person has made a mistake and is waiting and waiting for a second chance. "There's always one reason to feel not good enough and it's hard at the end of the day..." For someone who is depressed, it is always the worst at the end of the day. Now this part is the singer thinking about the loss, "I need some distraction, oh beautiful release memory seeps from my veins let me be empty and weightless" The last line says "and maybe I'll find some peace tonight " Meaning the singer knows that her friend is in a safe place now... in the arms of an angel, so she can find peace. The chorus goes as follows: "In the arms of an angel, fly away from here. from this dark cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear. you are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie, you're in the arms of the angel may you find some comfort there" The person who has passed is with an angel. And the singer is remembering the loss in her room, which een if crowded, her hotel room would be empty, dark and cold. The dead person is now free from all burdens, troubles and problem, and will find comfort in the arms of the angel.

This song is one of the most beautiful ever written and sung by Sarah. She has such an angelic voice filled with so much emotion. Her music truly touches my heart and soul. I dedicate this song to my grandmother who recently passed away. She was diagnosed with cancer and became very ill but fought it up until the very end. We hoped and prayed that a cure would be found; that she would be well again. This verse during that hard and difficult time expressed just what her and i had both desperately hoped for (A Second Chance) "Spend all your time waiting for that second chance for a break that would make it okay, there's always one reason to feel not good enough and its hard at the end of the day, I need some distraction, OH A BEAUTIFUL RELEASE. Overwhelmed by pain and despair, i watched her life slowly slipped away before me and now i am forever changed. She was such an inspiration to me in so many ways and is so deeply missed. Angel was her favorite song and i can still see her smile when i played it for her. This verse goes out to her "YOUR IN THE ARMS OF THE ANGEL, MAY YOU FIND SOME COMFORT THERE" You are now with the Angels.

I know people have placed the actual meaning of the song, but to me 'Angel' will always relate to self injury. I'm fairly certain that's not why she wrote it, but that's what it will always mean to me.

"there's always one reason to feel not good enough and it's hard at the end of the day" Most people who self injure deal with at least one form of depression. Others have already made the depression connections to these lines, so I won't bother saying more here.

"I need some distraction" Could be distraction from the urges, or could be distraction from the pain - thus the act.

"oh beautiful release memory seeps from my veins" So many times I've heard that line and recalled times I've self injured to escape from my past...

"you are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie" Self harming can help me to slide away from reality somewhat. Sometimes it'll make a person dissociate and lose track of everything.

"and the storm keeps on twisting you keep on building the lie that you make up for all that you lack" To me these lines are about the pain that continues to grow while a self injurer continues the "I'm fine" lies, and the lies about how their injuries/scars occured.

"it don't make no difference escaping one last time it's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees"

Once you've done it once, you can tell yourself it's okay to do it one more time. Nobody will notice, it will make it no harder to quit... any number of little lies that you tell yourself to feel better about doing it again. It's easier to keep self harming than to quit.

The lovely Sarah McLachlan paid a visit to our studio, The Orange Lounge, in June, to give us some awesome exclusive footage.

Watch her stunning studio performance, intimate interviews and behind-the-scenes footage in the Orange Lounge: etcanada.com/orangelounge/sarah-mclachlan.aspx

Cheers!

Alexa @ ET Canada

I thought this song is all about all different people. People who might have a bad day. A person who got fired from work and suffered depression. Or for people who surprisedly diagnose with a dying stage of of disease. I think Sarah wrote this song by describing a person who fell and fail and losing hope and seems that everywhere that person turns to there are rumors or words against all his or her effort, and all s/he does was to wait and wait for the possible second chance that can bring him back. Over his depression hr or she is looking for a certain break away from all the possible worries he had and all he can turn to is to be down in his knee. Which means

Yes, and you can't compare them. One's classical, and the other's contemporary. Oh well, to each his own.

this song is so beautiful...