What does Angel mean?

Sarah McLachlan: Angel Meaning

Album cover for Angel album cover

Song Released: 1998


Angel Lyrics

You spend all your time waiting for that second chance
For the break that will make it ok
There's always some reason to feel not good enough
And it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction oh beautiful release
Memories seep from...

  1. anonymous
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    Mar 14th 2012 !⃝

    This song may refer to escaping from some kind of suffering and death finally gives the dying person freedom in a better world. But on the contrary, a person who dies in a suicide, the bible clearly states that only God has the right to give life or take it away!

    As knowledge increases and technology advances, man strives to take decisions of life and death into his own hands. This manifests itself, for example, in the prevention of conception, the termination of pregnancy, some kinds of gene manipulation, efforts to clone humans, and euthanasia.

    People have forgotten that God is the Creator and upholder of all, Lord over life and death. He alone has the power to create life and take it away (1 Sam. 2:6; Job 10:12; Ps. 139:13-16). He has not authorized man to control life.

    The duty of medicine is to protect life, alleviate suffering, and promote and maintain health while respecting humanity. -(LLC Position Statement, Section 2,Item 5)
    Never Commit Suicide, It leads people to Hell!Even for Christians.

  2. anonymous
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    Feb 23rd 2012 !⃝

    It's an extremely sad song. I apply it to a little girl in my community who passed away recently. She battled with cancer from the time she was 2. Her family decided to not do any more chemo after it returned when she was 5.

    This song is about a release of pain, being released from a place that isn't totally home (hotel room) and heading off in the arms of an angel and finally being able to have comfort in your eternal home.

    It's all about the state of mind you're in when you listen to the song. That's what it means to me.

  3. anonymous
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    Nov 18th 2011 !⃝

    Yes, I have always thought that the Angel was Angel Dust. "I need some distraction, Oh beautiful release"...."You're in the arms of the angel, May you find some comfort here." Notice how she says "the angel" instead of "an angel". The angel is angel dust and she has created a song from the perspective of a drug addict.

  4. anonymous
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    Oct 1st 2011 !⃝

    I'm surprised noone has made the connection of Angel, the drug PCP is colloquially known as Angel Dust.

  5. anonymous
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    Aug 30th 2011 !⃝

    Depression. Drug addiction. Death. They all have an endless that pours through the soul. Having fought with depression for what feels like an eternity, which has been nearly 5 years, I can relate to this song. The darkness that seeps at your memories and tears at what little comfort you have can be felt with every melodic tone. Having countlessly sought out a distraction but always felt hollow this song strikes me, like a match meeting a surface with friction. Having seen my sister fight with her drug addiction and countless times not find her way back. And now we have lost her. With all of the friends and family I have lost I can see how this relates to death. Overall this beautiful song will strike notes with you based on personal experience and memories. For me this song reminds me very much of fighting with depression, and how close I came to being in the arms of angels.

  6. anonymous
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    Aug 20th 2011 !⃝

    You spent you're life waiting for redemption, for things to work out. Disappointments always arise. There is dissatisfaction at the end of it all. I need something to make me forget, something to ease the pain. The past leaves my life. All becomes meaningless and rest is within sight.
    There is that place that allows you to escape this cruel four wall prison and the thought of how long it will be this way. You escape the turmoil of your delusion. You're in that place. I hope you're better here.
    You are worn out from trying to do what is right and no one to be trusted can be found. Things get worse, but you keep pretending that you're all right and moving on. It really matters no more, I'm going to that place where I can accept madness as sweet, sadness as something to enjoy, even if I know I'm completely broken.
    In this place away from reality and this never ending road, you feel safe from your nightmare. In this place you find what you seek.
    You're in your resting place. Rest in peace.

  7. Merle
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    Jun 28th 2011 !⃝

    This song "Angel" is a work of art. It will mean something different to each person. It's like Van Gogh's painting "Starry, Starry Night". It's a work of art that will relate to each person based on that person's personal experience in life. This work of art should not be reduced to only a commentary on drug use. It's not necessary that a work of art make a certain kind of impression because of the artist's motivation. Van Gogh's "Starry, Starry Night" and Rembrandt's "Mona Lisa" are examples of creative processes that now stand without the artists' descriptions. The song "Angel" can stand on it's own with each person's impression of the song. That is what makes it a work of art.

  8. anonymous
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    Jun 9th 2011 !⃝

    This song i s a beautiful song, but actually has a sad meaning behind it. Sarah mclauchlans best frend suffered from adrug addiction, she then went to rehab became well and started living again. soon after her best friend thought 'oh, just one more time' and booked herself into a hotel room one night. she injected herself again, and failed to wake in the morning. thats the meaning of angel, sarah mclauchlan.

  9. anonymous
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    Jun 7th 2011 !⃝

    The only one who knows the true meaning of the song is SM. Everyone who listens to the words in the song will have their own interpretation of what the meaning is regardless of the original intent of the song. That is the beauty of music. One person may feel it's about suicide while another feels it's about the challenges of drug addiction. I feel that it's about any difficult challenge that a person feels in their life, which is so overpowering they can't deal with it and an angel comes and helps them deal with the pain. The angel is the only thing that helps make things better.

  10. anonymous
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    Jun 6th 2011 !⃝

    Escaping child abuse

  11. anonymous
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    May 18th 2011 !⃝

    The song was inspired by the death of Smashing Pumpkins touring keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin, who overdosed on heroin in 1996. It's about feelings of deep despair, and the various means of escape they drive people to seek out.

  12. anonymous
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    May 13th 2011 !⃝

    i think it might be from suicide. She might have a drug addiction because of her depression. but in the end, wheather it's drug overdose or cutting yourself. It all leads to suicide. It talks about in the end being in a peacful and comfortable place.

  13. AnUnkindnessOfBlue
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    Feb 20th 2011 !⃝

    "Spend all your time waiting for that second chance For the break that will make it OK There's always some reason to feel not good enough And it's hard at the end of the day I need some distraction oh beautiful release
    Memories seep from my veins They may be empty and weightless and maybe I'll find some peace tonight" Its a battle with depression. The person is lost and tired of life. She just wants to get away. She doesn't want to feel that way shes exhausted.
    "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 an Angel; may you find some comfort here." This part is about her committing suicide to get away from all of her unhappiness and be relieved from the fear that she feel this way forever, and that when she finally commits suicide she finally find peace and comfort.

  14. anonymous
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    Feb 12th 2011 !⃝

    This song is so clearly about suicide. The line before the chorus and the chorus states "And find some peace tonight. In the arms of an angel, fly away from here. From this dark, cold hotel room. And the endlessness that you fear." She's saying that she would rather be in the arms of an angel rather than a dark, cold hotel room feeling empty. She also states in the first verse "Memories seep from my veins. They may be empty, weightless." She's saying this right before she sings the chorus, about an angel taking her away. She's saying her veins are empty from her own doing, which would be suicide. This song is beautiful and it really captures the feeling of someone who feels alone and empty inside. It's one of my favorites.

  15. anonymous
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    Dec 26th 2008 !⃝

    i heard that she actually wrote this song about the lead singer of Blind Melon with whom i think she was good friends. When she says 'may you find some comfort here' she's perhaps talking about him finally finding comfort in death, 'in the arms of an angel' he overdosed in 1995




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