Thanks to her advocacy for Animal Rights, when you hear a song by Sarah McLachlan you might cringe and immediately think of abused shelter animals shivering in the cold. And to that I say, GOOD, do something! Donate a few bucks and help feed and shelter the animals! BUT, this amazingly talented chick ruled the nineties with good reason. Turns out she advocated for more than just animals. Her lyrics are moving and emotional, and her music is just breathtaking. The first time I’d ever heard her was during a shift at Structure in the Green Acres Mall, shortly after the start of my 4-year stint, on our audio track system. The song was called Good Enough; with an ongoing soundtrack of mindless nonsense in the background of a retail environment, this song made me stop and listen. The message was powerful and commanding. I was hooked. Next came I Will Remember You, a quietly beautiful song that, at first, reminded me of my dad for whom I hadn’t really mourned much because I hadn’t understood a truly deep degree of loss. It wasn’t until the unexpected death of my dear friend Amy (whom I spoke of 2 days ago when I blogged about dancing at my first ever gay bar to Jody Watley) that I truly knew what it was to feel hollow and lost; this song was forever my anthem to her. Sarah McLachlan was among the pioneers of a female rock movement, topping charts and dominating concert venues. Many of her subsequently released songs were really just as good as the two that first hooked me. She paved the road for Alanis Morissette, Natalie Merchant, Joan Osborne and so many others, right up to the current powerhouse that is Sara Bareilles. And I’m okay with her voice being the voice of the voiceless; her music is that moving.
From the historical writing archive. Original date: November 18, 2018. Recovered from local source material; editorial review is still in progress.
