Elsewhere

written by: Sarah McLachlan

Lyrics

I love the time and in between
The calm inside me
In the space where I can breathe
I believe there is a
Distance I have wandered
To touch upon the years of
Reaching out and reaching in
Holding out holding in

I believe
This is heaven to no one else but me
And I’ll defend it as long as I can be
Left here to linger in silence
If I choose to
Would you try to understand

I know this love is passing time
Passing through like liquid I am drunk in my desire…
But I love the way you smile at me
I love the way your hands reach out and hold me near…

I believe…
I believe
This is heaven to no one else but me
And I’ll defend it as long as I can be
Left here to linger in silence
If I choose to
Would you try to understand

Oh the quiet child awaits the day when she can
Break free
The mold that clings like desperation
Mother can’t you see I’ve got
To live my life the way I feel is right for me
Might not be right for you but it’s right for me…

I believe…
I believe
This is heaven to no one else but me
And I’ll defend it as long as I can be

Left here to linger in silence
If I choose to
Would you try to understand it
I would like to linger here in silence
If I choose to
Would you understand it
Would you try to understand

 

Appears on

Versions

Album Version
from “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy”
Track length: 4:44

In-Studio Version
from “The Freedom Sessions”
Track length: 4:36

Live: Mirrorball The Complete Concert
from “Mirrorball: The Complete Concert”
Track length: 5:22

 

Compilations

Album Name
Track length
Version

 

Credits

Vocals, Guitar, Piano: Sarah McLachlan
Bass: Pierre Marchand
Hammond B3: David Kershaw
Drums, Percussion: Jerry Marotta

 

Collaborations

Paula Cole
On Storytellers, Sarah performs “Elsewhere” with Paula Cole.

 

Trivia/Notes

 

Sarah says

“I was very sick and I tend to get strep throat and laryngitis a lot when I have important shows to go to so…(interrupted) drugs, right, drugs. I took a Contact C. I usually just take natural types of things, but I really felt I needed a good nights sleep so I took a Contact C. That didn’t do it, so I took a Codeine as well. Now don’t try this at home. I tried to go to sleep and I found myself sort of floating and hovering over my bunk. I got kindda freaked and then I started to enjoy it. I thought “oh I gotta write this down” and it was the first time I felt I had any privacy over the past year. We had been on the road for over 14 months, and I loved everybody but you know you don’t wanna see all these faces so often. It was nice to have that space and sort of realize that I was there. So I wrote this one first. Then I spent the next 6 months trying to figure out what it meant. It was this beautiful little moment in time that I captured and I had to try to figure out a different angle to put to the song. I sort of just put some teen angst in there and some lack of privacy, lack of space, trying to be your own person. Not really knowing who you are, but trying to figure it out.”
– during a concert given at Hamilton Place, Hamilton ON 18 November 1993

 

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