Song for My Father

Album: Shine On (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Many of the tracks on her 2014 album Shine On were inspired by the death of Sarah McLachlan's adoptive dad, Jack, who succumbed to cancer in December of 2010. The singer also had to deal with the divorce from her husband Ashwin Sood, after 11 years of marriage and the upheaval of switching labels (McLachan released Shine On on Verve after decades at Arista). The resulting songs are personal and contemplative, as she moves into the second half of her life battered and bruised but with hope. She told Jam! Music: "You don't get to this age unscathed. We've all been through a whole lot at this point in our lives and it's a bit of a turning point where you get to look at the rest of your life and see how it will play out. What have I done up until now? How am I going to make the rest of my life look? It's a real pivotal time, and it certainly has been with mine these last five years."

    "I wanted to try to emulate that in the music," McLachlan added. "My dad's death had a profound impact in my life. It took a couple of years to find out what that meant to me, and what he meant to me."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Mac Powell of Third Day

Mac Powell of Third DaySongwriter Interviews

The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Bill Withers

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."