Hi Behi...

This is one of my favorite songs of all time, and when it first came out I spent many an eve pondering it's meaning.

"Silence" is a powerful song that explores themes of inner conflict, desire for peace, and the destructive potential of unchecked passion. It portrays a deep-seated yearning for escape from one's inner turmoil (expressed as 'rage') and a longing to reach a serene state of existence, metaphorically referred to as 'heaven'.

The repeated verse "Heaven holds a sense of wonder. And I wanted to believe that I'd get caught up when the rage in me subsides" reinforces the longing for a state of peace, where the 'rage' within the self no longer affects one's actions or state of mind. This song encapsulates a universal human desire for tranquility and fulfillment amidst emotional tumult,. Being 'outside' is really self-awareness of that inner turmoil, 'looking in' so to speak, and a realization that it isn't who they really are..

The lyrics also examine the concept of excessive passion and its potential consequences. Through the metaphor of a flower being choked by its own passion, the song presents the paradox of possessing profound beauty yet being insatiable, leading to self-destructive tendencies. In essence, "Silence" is a poignant exploration of the human condition, our inner struggles, the double-edged nature of passion, and our enduring quest for peace and silence in a chaotic emotional landscape.

Hope this helps... :-)

-Gene

On Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 12:10:18 PM UTC-4, behrangsa wrote:
> On Apr 9, 1:25 am, "Peter Duncanson (BrE)" <m...@peterduncanson.net>
> wrote:
> > On Wed, 8 Apr 2009 07:59:33 -0700 (PDT), behrangsa <behran...@gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > >Hi,
> >
> > >I can understand to somehow what's the meaning of this song but not
> > >completely. I would appreciate that if somebody could explain its
> > >meaning. Here's the video clip of the song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEvE_04x-xI
> >
> > >The lyrics:
> >
> > >Give me release
> > >Witness me
> > >I am outside
> > >Give me peace
> >
> > >--> What does this mean so far? does it mean the person is now
> > >released and is seeking for peace? <--
> >
> > "Give me release" means "release me".
> > I think we need to look further on in the lyrics to see what the singer
> > wants to be released from.
> >
> > >Heaven holds a sense of wonder
> > >And I wanted to believe that I'd get caught up when the rage in me
> > >subsides
> >
> > There it is. The singer has rage inside her. She is "possessed" by the
> > rage. It controls her. She wants to be released from the rage and to
> > achieve peace.
> >
> > >--> Does it mean that the subject wants to believe in heaven and she
> > >fears sometime she might lose her faith in it and she wants to believe
> > >there's something or someone that will break her fall? <--
> >
> > She wanted to believe that that her emotions will be captured (caught
> > up) by the "sense of wonder of Heaven".
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > >Passion choke the flower
> > >'Til she cries no more
> > >Possessing all the beauty
> > >Hungry still for more
> >
> > >--> I know the word-by-word meaning of this part but I don't get the
> > >message. <--
> >
> > >Heaven holds a sense of wonder
> > >And I wanted to believe
> > >that I'd get caught up when the rage in me subsides
> >
> > >In this white wave I am sinking in this silence
> > >In this white wave in this silence I believe
> >
> > >--> Please explain! Which "white wave"? What does she mean by "In this
> > >white wave I am sinking in this silence"? --<
> >
> > >I can't help this longing
> > >Comfort me
> > >I can't hold it all in
> > >If you won't let me
> >
> > >--> Please explain. <--
> >
> > >Heaven holds a sense of wonder
> > >And I wanted to believe
> > >that I'd get caught up when the rage in me subsides
> >
> > >In this white wave
> > >I am sinking
> > >In this silence
> > >In this white wave
> > >In this silence I believe
> >
> > >I have seen you in this white wave you are silent
> > >You are breathing in this white wave
> > >I am free
> >
> > >--> Please explain. <--
> >
> > >Thanks in advance,
> > >Behi
> >
> > --
> > Peter Duncanson, UK
> > (in alt.english.usage)
> Thanks but I still don't get it. Plus "when the rage in me subsides"
> can also mean "when her intense desires turn into depression" but I am
> not sure if it is the right meaning in this context. Also what do you
> think is the meaning/message of the whole song? Plus, (as posted in a
> comment on the YouTube page) it seems that the man in the video is
> blind and the girl is trying to guide him to somewhere.
> It is a strange feeling when the tune, the vocals, and the video clip
> are awesome but I can't find out the true meaning of the song.
> Sometimes after finding out the true meaning of the lyrics and it
> turns out that it is crappy I wish I had never know the its meaning!
> Cheers,
> Behi

I love this song too. I once read an interview with Sarah McLachlan with a surprisingly negative connotation. I can't find the interview anymore, it was in a paper magazine over 20 years ago. According to that interview, the song Delirium is based on a true story about a beautiful woman that was raped multiple times at young age. She had built up a lot of rage because of that, but that rage eventually dissipated into emptiness as means of survival while being raped. As a consequence, she falls into an emotional coldness and is not able to feel anything. Years later she finds someone who loves her. She hopes that she wil be able to feel again and fall in love too, but after that wave of raging emotions of her past, she can't experience the highs and lows of emotions. All she experiences now is that flat white water that keeps her safe and sane, engulfed through the comforts of her own soul.