What ravages of spirit
Conjured this tempestuous rage
Created you a monster
Broken by the rules of love
And fate has lead you through it
You do what you have to do
And fate has led you through it
You do what you have to do
And I have the sense to recognize that
I don't know how to let you go
Every moment marked
With apparitions of your soul
I'm ever swiftly moving
Trying to escape this desire
The yearning to be near you
I do what I have to do
The yearning to be near you
I do what I have to do
But I have the sense to recognize
That I don't know how
To let you go
I don't know how
To let you go
A glowing ember
Burning hot
Burning slow
Deep within I'm shaken by the violence
Of existing for only you
I know I can't be with you
I do what I have to do
I know I can't be with you
I do what I have to do
And I have sense to recognize but
I don't know how to let you go
I don't know how to let you go
I don't know how to let you go



Lyrics submitted by kevin

Track duration: 03:47

"Do What You Have to Do" as written by Mclachlan/wolstenholme

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, NETTWERK MUSIC GROUP, CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Do What You Have To Do song meanings
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51 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment:This song is so profound and so beautifully written and sung by Sara one of my favorite singer/song writers. I can relate to this song because I had an experience of forbidden love. I had to do what I had to do and leave this person and his friendship. It was the most difficult thing to get over. It took a long time to get over this person but time does heal. Unfortunately I thought I was over this person after not seeing him for more than 10 years and we recently saw each other at a sort of reunion. My forbidden love was so happy to see me and hugged me with so much sentiment. Since that day I cannot get over him and the feelings I had for this person resurfaced. Now I must try and get over him once more. It's a very painful process and her lyrics describe this so succinctly. I cannot stop crying it hurts so much.
    Flag aztecgoldon October 06, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I never listen to the words in songs. If i like the voice and music, I like the song. Sooo that brought me to this website. Which I think is great. Anywho!... When I heard this song, my Father was in the hospital with terminal cancer, and I was there with him daily. I lost my mother when I was 6 so my dad was my world, when I heard ''AND I DONT KNOW HOW TO LET YOU GO'' i knew I loved this song. It applied to me at the time. But I now see how it can also be about an violent relationship. But it still takes me back to the day my dad wrote a letter to me and my family asking for us to let him go. :(
    Flag whoknewwon April 19, 2012   Link
  • -1
    My Interpretation:This might sound like a long shot and I understand how people could be skeptics...

    So from what I got from this song... by the way this song is a defining moment of her amazing talents to convey such raw emotions into a melodic lullaby.

    But I have the strongest feeling this song has a major drug addiction connection. I know I know, but if you listen and read into the words I pieced this song together in such a sense that its uncanny to not think of this.
    When someone becomes addicted they found a new love... This becomes their relationship... They have to support it, feed into it, and in a sense nurture it. Drugs become all they know. The reference to "created you a monster" meaning it went from a friendly party favor to something ever so worse.
    With her lyrics I can see this being about someone attempting to get a grasp on reality, attempting to give it up but realizing the bondage drugs has placed on them. It goes from love, and straight to rage. Because how could something you love hurt you so much. and with the subjects fate... they realize they will do what ever they have to to get through this battle.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    "every moment marked
    with apparitions of your soul
    I'm ever swiftly moving
    trying to escape this desire
    the yearning to be near you
    I do what I have to do"

    This speaks of the emotional battle of trying hard to get away from the lifestyle, but knowing the clutch that drugs has on her emotionally...
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    A glowing ember
    burning hot
    burning slow
    deep within I'm shaken by the violence
    of existing for only you

    With her realizing how disastrous this relationship has become she is contemplating going back to what she knows, rather then fighting even more. She realizes that her inner turmoil and self control is weakening.

    Again I know this is a long shot, I personally don't have a drug addiction, I do know many who do... I also am in school right now for psychology and I am going through my clinicals now. maybe I am reading too much into it, but the interpretations are right there

    Flag iamthatguyon June 29, 2011   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:I have read several comments and respect them. I think this song is about lost love, and the vulnerability of admitting to the loved one that there has been a betrayal of neglect, which hurts so much, because it is foreign to the essence of pure love. Sarah is singing about the travails of recognizing that the loved one has neglected and harmed the subject, and doesn't seem to care. However, it's important for the subject to communicate the depth of the damage. The subject is ambushed by the neglect, and doesn't know how to cope with it, yet feels it's important to convey the pain. Moving on is not ideal, but also a recognition that the love interest of the subject has already done so, but failed to consider the feelings or damage of the subject, by neglecting to share.

    This is a very sad song, brilliantly written and sung to express the heartbreak that is the theme.
    Flag PleinlyStatedon February 07, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:For me this song Is all about grief.I think anyone who has lost a loved one can understand how this song portrays that anguish..
    Flag Crl83on December 31, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think this song is about loss, specifically, love lost. it can be a physical loss as gekopmuziek suggests, a purely emotional loss as many theorize, even a legendary loss as eccentricity so cleverly explains.

    the beauty of the lyrics is that it can mean so many different things to so many people, which the best art does. but i believe at its core it's about love lost. for me, it's the torment of a physical loss, and is heart-rending in its portrayal.
    Flag johnnysokkoon February 18, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I interpret this song to be about someone who is in love with another who does, and for various possible reasons can not, love them back. I feel as if this person is fully aware that they have to move on because they're hoping for a relationship that is very unlikely, but they just can't make themselves let go.
    Flag repeatdecemberon August 24, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I havent read everyones yet but so far my opinion is different.
    I believe she is speaking FROM a person that has done wrong and is consumed with guilt and regret. "Created "YOU" a monster broken by the rule of love". Shes saying shes become this "monster" to him because of what shes done "broken by the rule of love." Shes saying that she understands he has to do what he has to do which is move on because he has no chioce. "FATE has led you through it". Therefore, in response she understands that,"I know I cant be with you Ill do what I have to do." She simply has no control over the situation anymore, but "has the sense to reconize." she knows she has to just walk away. Shes leaving the decision in the others hands, but simply she will do what shes asked to do. Which is what ever is told to her. In all reality, everybody knows that its the most painful position when there isnt a way out, or a way to repair what you have damaged. This makes it even harder to let him go. But she loves him so much she understands she must let him go.
    This is why she has the sense to reconize.


    I would love to get a reply
    Flag Lando9on April 04, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is beautiful but so so so painful to listen to. it could be applied to a few different situations i believe. "the yearning to be near you, i do what i have to do." it's about that uncontrollable desire you can feel for someone that scares the shit out of you.
    Flag bestwombat11on January 27, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:to me, this song is about 2 lovers, one wronged the other...hurt them beyond repair and is left behind. it is the heart and the mind coming together to say "i dont know how to let you go." a conversation the one left behind would have with themselves..."the yearning to be near you, i do what i have to do." like they werent given the opportunity to fall out of love..."deep within, im shaken with the violence of existing for only you..." because still loving them without having them is like torture.

    well, that is just how i see it......
    Flag jenregan7069on January 16, 2008   Link

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