Archive Interview - Sarah McLachlan
 One
of the most haunting tracks on the "In Defense of Animals
Benefit Compilation" CD is "Shelter," written and beautifully
performed by Sarah McLachlan whose concern for animals runs
deep and who sees the potential power of celebrity as a
tool to make a difference. Cool Green World spoke with Sarah
in British Columbia and found a caring, articulate and very
talented individual...
Cool Green World: Why did you feel it was important to
contribute to the "In Defense Of Animals Compilation?"
SARAH: Well---it's something I believe really strongly
in. I love animals and I hate to see the things that are
done to them. When I've seen programs on vivisection, and
things like that, it's been horrifying and shocking to see
some of the ways that animals are treated in the name of
scientific and medical research. Anything to help try and
put a stop to that, and to try to raise awareness of how
bad that is, I'm glad to be a part of.
CGW Do you write mostly your own music and lyrics?
SARAH: For the most part I write my own songs. A lot of
the times what I'm trying to convey is a sense of empathy.
I write pretty much from an emotional point of view so what
I'm talking about are generally personal issues, relationships---whether
it's with people, or the relationship between a person and
the earth---a whole lot of things. It's a type of therapy
for myself, sorting out things and dealing with problems
that I've had.
CGW The emotions and the mood that the song "Shelter"
evokes are really strong. What were you saying with that
song?
SARAH: Well, again with "Shelter", I was dealing from a
personal point of view, talking about something that really
shocked me - and it was my first reaction to seeing a tape
on vivisection. My first reaction was to burst into tears,
and then to ask how can people be so cruel? How can they
do this to animals? The animals are helpless.
My second reaction was to write that song and it was mainly
of how I felt about it - my initial reaction to how awful
it is the way some animals are treated in those situations...
in a sense, it was about how helpless I felt when I was
watching it. What can I do? What can I do to put a stop
to this? But that's why projects like this are so important,
because they lend a collective voice to try and raise awareness
and to tell people what's going on. So maybe people will
choose to speak out against things like animals research
or choose not to buy the products from companies that support
the use of animals in testing.
CGW: Have you always had this strong concern for animals?
SARAH: All my life, yes, I've really loved animals. I had
a dog since I was 4 years old and she lived to be 16, and
I had a cat since I was about 3 and she lived to be 17,
so I've always been around animals. I get all really silly
every time I'm around any kind of animal! I love them.
CGW: Are there any other issues that are of particular
concern to you?
SARAH: The logging problem is something that is really
close to my heart environmentally and emotionally. Where
I live, in BC, there's a huge debate going on about Clayoquot
Sound. It's one of the only rainforest places that are left
here in British Columbia, and it's being logged right now.
It just seems like there's no end to it and if people don't
raise a fuss about it all the trees eventually are going
to be gone. The way people are logging them - they're just
going crazy with it. And it's just so ugly.
I've gone to Tofino, which is on the west coast of Vancouver
Island, and you drive through these beautiful forests of
trees that you'd take ten people to put your arms around
to make a circle. Then 10 miles from there, there's these
huge gutted holes where they've gone in and clear cut and
there's not even soil left for the trees to grow. It's so
much like rape. It looks like someone put a Band Aid on
a scab and then tore it off with the skin still raw and
it's painful to see it. I can imagine that feeling and I
wonder if the earth isn't feeling the same thing, except
on a much grander scale.
CGW: Do you feel lucky to be able to use your position
to speak out to people about animal welfare and environmental
issues?
SARAH: I feel really lucky to have the platform of being
a musician and being able to make a difference in talking
about issues and maybe having people listen. I am just another
person and everybody's voice is as important as anybody
else's, but, for some reason, people in the spotlight tend
to have more power in that sense. They can use it for good
things or bad things and I like to be able to use it whenever
I can to a good means, like supporting issues like these.
So, I think it's really important, but it's also something
that can be abused really easily and that has to be watched.
CGW: Thanks for letting Cool Green World come by today.
SARAH: It was my pleasure. More power to you. Right on!
"Shelter" by Sarah McLachlan
They're crowded into the smallest spaces
While outside all of nature cries
It's known to be cruel and unfair
But there is no place to hide
Oh, I've seen a part of people that I never really want
to share.
Oh, I've seen a part of people that I never knew was there
Shelter-give them shelter from the coming storm
Shelter-give them shelter from the coming storm
I can't sleep haunted by their faces
The sadness in their eyes
It hurts so much to see them helpless
It makes me want to cry
But still there is so much left unanswered
For so many innocent lives
They close the door and are letting nobody in
And only the strong will survive
Chorus I've seen the anger and I've seen all the dreams
And I've watched an existence torn apart at the seams
And though I may seem helpless I will do all that I can
do
Oh, I've seen a part of people that I never want to share
Oh, I've seen a part of people that I never knew was there.
You can learn more about Sarah McLachlan and her music
at her website. Go
there now!
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