Listen as the wind blows
From across the great divide
Voices trapped in yearning
Memories trapped in time
The night is my companion
And solitude my guide
Would I spend forever here
And not be satisfied

[Chorus]
And I would be the one
To hold you down
Kiss you so hard
I'll take your breath away
And after I'd, wipe away the tears
Just close your eyes dear

Through this world I've stumbled
So many times betrayed,
Trying to find an honest word,
To find the truth enslaved,
Oh you speak to me in riddles and
You speak to me in rhymes
My body aches to breathe your breath,
Your words keep me alive

[Chorus]

Into this night I wander,
It's morning that I dread,
Another day of knowing of
The path I fear to tread,
Oh, into the sea of waking dreams
I follow without pride,
Nothing stands between us here
And I won't be denied

[Chorus]

I'll hold you down
Kiss you so hard
I'll take your breath away
And after I'd wipe away the tears
Just close your eyes



Lyrics submitted by kevin

Track duration: 04:39

"Possession" as written by Elvis Costello

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Possession song meanings
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53 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment:Elvis Costello wrote this!
    Flag emuInAmuumuuon March 19, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Uhhh yeah the obsessed fan...that was the obsessed fan's words...(I actually heard that the fan was a female) S/he is raping Sarah McLaclan...I will be the one to HOLD you down (Because I'm guessing it's easier to rape someone that way) Kiss you so HARD (you know because the other party isn't consenting) And after I'd wipe away your tears (you know because you're crying because you got raped).....I think it makes sense to me...But yeah I heard it was the exact thing that the fan said that was changed for lyrics in her song.
    Flag Chazmonkey49on August 04, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:sarah didnt write this song. she used the exact words from letters sent to her by a stalker. instead of running scared of him she confronted him with this song. ill break it down for you:

    "And I would be the one
    To hold you down
    Kiss you so hard"
    ....he's talking about physically forcing her down against her will and violently kissing her


    "I'll take your breath away
    and after, I'd wipe away the tears
    just close your eyes dear"
    ....he says ill take your breath away as in i will literally take your breath away by killing you. this whole verse is about him killing her.


    "Through this world I've stumbled
    so many times betrayed"
    in this verse it means he feels like nobody has understood him his whole life, remember he is a mentally ill stalker, people like him feel like nobody understands them and that they are all alone in the world

    "Trying to find an honest word
    To find the truth enslaved"
    this means he is paranoid

    "Oh you speak to me in riddles and
    You speak to me in rhymes"
    in this line, it is explaing that he "knows" she is "speaking" to him through songs and other things, even though she really is not. he imagines her trying to speak to him because in his mind he thinks she is in love with him. he is obsessed with her.

    "My body aches to breathe your breath
    You words keep me alive"
    he is obsessed with her and truely thinks he would be nothing without her. he wants to steal her breath as in kill her

    "Into this night I wander
    It’s morning that I dread
    Another day of knowing of
    The path I fear to tread"
    he stalks her, he watches her in the night

    "Oh into the sea of waking dreams
    I follow without pride
    Nothing stands between us here
    And I won’t be denied"
    he is saying there is nothing that will stop him from having her and he wont let her deny him no matter what it takes.

    i agree that this is a beautiful song, but after you really understand the meaning of the lyrics and know the fact that this was written by an obviously mentally ill person it no longer is a love song or anything romantic. it is her stalker threatening her and talking about killing her. its not romantic, its just creepy



    Flag donald209on January 25, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning:This is a song that Sarah McLachlan made to help her deal with a stalker that was really taking a toll on her psyche. This song was made with the letters that the stalker wrote her. These words are straight from the stalkers mouth. There was a big court hearing because the actual stalker got upset and tried to sue McLachlan for using his writings to make a song but in the end McLachlan was victorious. The stalker actually committed suicide after the case was finished. This is a very haunting song in my opinion. It gives me the creep’s lol.
    Flag bigdnumber3on October 18, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Hi, i know this is a song that sarah wrote when she was being sent disturbing letters by a disturbed fan but if you apply it to a passionate relationship it is a very sexy song. Love can be obsessive and all consuming but if both feel the same way it's very powerful. Don't we all want this?
    Flagged rochey1on April 30, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:Sarah;
    There are no words that can possibly discribe what is felt in my heart to know that this woman of strength and endless beauty of inner deep true soul, was left to be set free by a worldly marriage vow by a single soul of foolish lost endeavours.
    I would give my soul, my possession, leave my dreams behind, breath life only to have one moment that Ashwin Sood had let go free.
    Sarah, if you ever set eyes on this message entwined in this bottle, suspended in the vast sea of comments and wishes, remember it is only a possession that turns into sand in our hand.
    Flagged ValoNighton May 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Ok on the comments list it says what does this song mean to you ? Ok yes Sarah wrote about a stalker and because she did the stalker filed a lawsuit however the trial never went to court because the guy committed suicide.

    The song to me is about a love that could never happen and the singer of the believes that the two of them uniting would make them both whole people to the point of where they soul mates. And the singer dreads the morning because that when he awakes to reality which is they not together and he or she is alone. Personally I like the song the symbolism is nice not to complicated and deep you have to dig to get the meaning. Anyone got a reason for the title: Possesion ? Is the stalker the possession or the stalkee would love to hear your thoughts k !

    M.
    Flag paid31on January 26, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The beginning always gives me chills. "Listen as the wind blows, from across the great divide." Amazing!
    Flag dollhousehorroron November 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, this song is about an inner lustful alternate (i.e. "multiple" or "dissociative") personality... the kind that would make someone go out, find someone to use them sexually, then black out and not even remember that it had happened.

    I also agree with some of the other posters that it does sound like a woman's point of view. Perhaps the letter from the real-life stalker awakened an "inner stalker" in Sarah, which obviously is under control and channeled into her music and her healthy relationships, but which nonetheless may exist and have a voice.

    The production has a wonderful way of creating that murky, dreamlike quality that accomapnies such feelings and experiences. I especially have to say the bass does an amazing job of being compelling, driving and accurately played, yet elusive, muddy and indistinct at the same time.
    Flag kyrasdadon June 19, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think it's really interesting that she took the time to write an outstandingly original, beautiful song about someone who was obsessed with her... i don't think i've ever heard of someone else (famous) who did that unless it was a song intended in a derogatory way to the fan/stalker. Most musicians don't take the mental effort to do what Sarah did here. Very unique. Very good song.
    Flag tediruxpinon May 27, 2008   Link

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