Sarah McLachlan - Do What You Have To Do Lyrics






What ravages of spirit
conjured this temptuous 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





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Sarah McLachlan Do What You Have To Do Comments
  1. B.... M....

    💕🌜🎼

  2. P.... M....

    Fear of loss

  3. N.... A....

    For the last 5 years i always fell in love with geographically unavailable men. Lost myself through emotions and did thousand of nonsense stupitidies..

    And yet it is happening again.. I am letting him go and had no contact this week whatsoever.. Out of the sudden, i started to run crazy yesterday.. Could not stop seeing signs everywhere.. Signs that in the past would have made me believe and contact him inmediately.. What is to expect of someone that heartily believes in Serendipity? I do what i have to do.. this time i am doing what i have to do..

    I wish you the strength to overcome the hush moments you are going through and all the good that is in the world.. Cashie.

  4. M.... B....

    I lost my soulmate and best friend to suicide, Saturday April 13, 2019. He was a disabled army veteran who battled with combat ptsd that he could no longer fight. This man taught me about love...Sarahs songs I have resonated with deeply...now some are more greatly felt and the pain that stands in his absence is so intense...she has a way of expressing it with such feeling...the pain doesn't lessen in time...I feel as if I just lost him...I'm able to release some of the pain by listening to her songs, this one and another in particular that seems to welcome my pain and the tears with open arms...in her music is where I feel I'm understood a little...for the world no longer makes sense without him in it...

    M.... B....

    Bless you.

  5. B.... M....

    Never to stop fighting and l will always hold on to you only.

  6. J.... M....

    devastating

  7. j.... M....

    I played this at my sons funeral. I miss you Hunter. You were only here for 2 years. I miss you so much. Love mommy ❤️😢

  8. N.... O....

    Stagnant

  9. M.... L....

    How do I let go? My daughter was only 16! Murder is so senseless and she only wanted to feel wanted by a boy... :’(

  10. N.... H....

    Can't find police tribute to this song. Used to be on YouTube.

  11. L.... l....

    Bebe are you letting me go🥺🥺😔🥰🌷🌸🐺💋what's going on tell me.

  12. M.... L....

    Blew my family apart by listening to this bs song.

  13. L.... A....

    Voz, melodia, letra ❤❤ sem comparaçao!! Maravilhosa

  14. J.... C....

    Raging at the day but there an't no way that the rules that we keep won't go away until you do what you do.
    And I can't give away the feeling of being the's way. But above the rage I see is the new day that be where I let go of the things that kept that rage in me.
    And funny as it seems this an't no dream just the way it will be as I open my arms and let it all go away from me.
    And the sense I see is it reality or just me wondering where I be doing the things I do. But broken was what I let go of and the understanding theres more to this picture show.
    So I opened a door to see whom else there be wondering around like me.
    And there I see a bounty of dreams just have to pick myself a real Queen and grow this dream. Jason David Capes. JaSun

  15. B.... N....

    I never intentionally meant to hurt you.. I'm sorry. Please stop hurting me..

  16. a.... ....

    This song used to destroy me. Now it seems silly, but it was so important to be broken at that younger moment. Made me better. Thanks Sarah.

  17. 7.... A....

    I think of a beloved friend.

  18. L.... W....

    Love u and miss u, Derek...

  19. L.... G....

    Beautiful Song

  20. F.... P....

    I'm so grateful for my wonderful housemate Sophie for introducing me to Sarah Mclachlans music in my 20s. The most incredible voice and emotion in her songs. Love this one.

  21. L.... ....

    July 19th The woman I was ready to love disappeared. She just stopped making contact and refused to speak. I will walk the earth wondering what happened. This song makes it hurt but it makes me remember...I have to remember. I feel so betrayed/abandoned/concerned and stunned all at once, I'll pick my self back up for sure...but she will always be there in my mind...It is the worst part.

  22. J.... S....

    Heart and soul and you Scottish! Lady Judith

  23. O.... R....

    Jason, every corner of our home has an echo of you. A once cozy happy place is now just a reminder. I stand in the place you last stood to just try to feel you.

  24. J.... S....

    Are u listening to the words ? I'm going to bed now. I will be here for you if you get the courage. Judy

  25. R.... F....

    The most beautiful voice ever!

  26. M.... S....

    I don’t think I can ever let go.

    M.... S....

    I used to think that too Mandy - it took me 2 years and hearing this song over a hundred times but eventually you will be able to let go ...

  27. G.... P....

    And what's that?????

  28. J.... J....

    Love this song it is beautiful.

  29. E.... C....

    Random thought- this song is exactly what it is like loving someone even though it didn't work out. But she accepts it for what is. "I do what I have to do" reminds me of trying to live life without them. Trying to forget them and love another, to no avail. No other love could ever compare bc they are meant for eachother. But it's so intense and so much bigger than either of them, that terrifies them both.

    E.... C....

    Ella Chi I relate so much to this comment. So much truth in it.

  30. D.... B....

    It's amazing how the lyrics just seem to flow back when listening to a song you haven't heard in years💖💔💖🎶🎶🎶 alot like how certain smells catapult you back in time to another realm of your existence.

  31. c.... n....

    I lost mine to overdose a little over two years ago, there are times when I think the grieving is finally over and then nights like this reminds me it's still so raw

  32. J.... S....

    For me, I call this song my Patrick song. As for me the lyrics speak to how I feel about my son who I placed for adoption. Not a day goes by that I don’t wish things would’ve been different and long to be with him.

  33. F.... A....

    DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO SARAH MCLAUGHLIN....... ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND SO THOUGHT PROVOKING..... 💞💕💋💋💋😘

  34. B.... B....

    There's little green men with pointed ears and shoes laughing and playing twisted games in my mind. Tnx Sarah

  35. M.... A....

    One of my favorites by you.....beautiful!!!

  36. R.... A....

    Do what you have to do ! Amazing song. Such a sad 😔 love song.

  37. T.... H....

    I've never known how to let you go. I know I should keep trying...I'll do what I have to do.

  38. J.... T....

    !!! I don't know how to let you go

  39. B.... M....

    🎼💎🌜

  40. M.... T....

    Hey u booger yeah u know who u r stop writing this stupid stuff..ur not the victim here!! U never gave a crap! U were there to play the game from day one.. and ur still play it.. so enough of making everyone on here with fake names think u r so sad. Cause ur not!!

  41. d.... ....

    Lu Andrade me trouxe aqui

  42. A.... M....

    beautiful song very touching !! Sarah McLachlan is an angel from beautiful music!

  43. S.... z....

    Beautiful Lyrics with the lovely voice 💖

  44. S.... R....

    Me too suicide 32 years ago took the life of the other 1/2 of my soul.

    S.... R....

    Prayers for healing 💛✌

  45. v.... b....

    An angel on this earth...with a voice of an angel ❤

  46. J.... B....

    When my hearts over u I will let u know not there yet. But trying.

  47. D.... B....

    Cried myself to sleep so many times with this song.

    D.... B....

    Man the fuck up! Stop being so sensitive..

  48. D.... M....

    This song combined with Angel is just too much.. I see the logic in it.. but, It hurts every time I listen..

  49. K.... K....

    For Matthew <3

  50. M.... A....

    This is such a beautiful song. It reaches in and touches the soul.

  51. R.... C....

    Everyone here is breaking my heart

  52. M.... L....

    To Brad my lover and best friend for the last 15 years. He committed suicide Jan 2017 I love u always

  53. t.... ....

    in 2001 i played this over and over again...the names have changed but the song remains the same...

  54. M.... M....

    I love Sarah's music, she connect me with myself n revive my love. her songs can make u cry. ❤❤❤. she is gifted

  55. G.... H....

    I wish what was one stone to be on done too much to bear I'm sorry letting go is the only solution freedom

  56. s.... F....

    I am truly trying

  57. L.... B....

    que maravilhosa essa musica.

  58. A.... K....

    Beautiful. Thanks. ✌

  59. T.... c....

    Hummm.... Do what you have to do? Don't know how to let you go? What is being said here? ... I hear 2 different things

    T.... c....

    Tamar- cita she’s not with him and what she has to do is live without him but he stays in her heart and on her mind. She wants him, she knows she can’t have him. So she’s doing what she has to do and moving on

    T.... c....

    @nomoe- Actually the lyrics are adapted from letters from her stalker who wrote Sarah about how he needed to be with her and could not stop. He also inspired other works from the album. If you listen to Possession, you can feel how intense his obsession was with her. He felt he would have to kill her if he could not be with her. He instead was charged with stalking and he killed himself. In essence he "did what he had to do" just like the song.She turned her experience as a women being stalked into song because as an empath (like me) she felt his pain as well as his insanity. His letters to her inspired her to write his words in songs like Possession which, if you listen to it with that in mind, will chill you to the bone. Another song inspired by an on TV interview of a woman whose husband was dying and Sarah felt the pain is "Hold On'. It makes me cry because I feel that wife's pain at watching her husband's last days.

    T.... c....

    The man whose letters about stalking Sarah, wrote of his confusion of needing to be with her but knowing he could not. She wrote this from his viewpoint, taking words from his letters to her. He was not totally sane and he ended up killing himself. Very sad situation and scary but she made it into music. He did not know how to let her go so he did what he had to do which was end his own life.

  60. F.... T....

    Love commands so much inside us, the realness of such guarded emotions pushed to the braking point and letting go

  61. G.... H....

    .x v111111x.

  62. G.... H....

    we are losing so many people let's not lose ourselves

  63. G.... H....

    people are going to do what they do your first instinct is stay away go with that gut instinct

  64. G.... H....

    who are you cuz I know who I am for anybody struggling with these trials and tribulations peer pressure ignorance self-centeredness and fear of feeling and feeling keep going it is just part of the spiritual war hope is never lost and the worst situations as long as we have peace and our hearts we can conquer these bottles

  65. D.... H....

    Great song it's Beautiful

  66. S.... B....

    For the love of my life Harry ...God i miss you and love you forever....I do not know how to let you go ...

  67. S.... M....

    Keep it all I don't care do what you have to do and I don't care I will turn my head another way and I will move on I am tired of these games and you could keep it all go get your life or somebody else because I'm not your toy I'm human and everybody could tell me I lost my head I'm retarded I'm stupid I'm dumb what's wrong with you what's your problem you need to change but none of you understand there's nothing wrong with me do not want to remember the past but you ain't not helping me and I don't want it no more keep it off have a laugh communicate mistreat me call me a bit whatever you want to do don't come and give me a hug don't do any of that s***

  68. S.... M....

    God bless all that people that were here and try to teach me things but succeeded to hurt me it's not fixing me it's making me more mad in. I don't need to be here and I've been saying this for the very long time I hope I had that money in the bank so I like that I can leave and I have to deal with this

  69. S.... M....

    Thank you for being there thank you for everything you guys are the most best family ever ever ever had in my life you guys are blessed by the Lord and so wonderful that there's no words that I can say today would be the last day that I will be on this phone I hope the Lord will help you through all your challenges down the line and by the way to make you guys more happier I will not communicate with my sisters I will not say anything I will do what I have to do and I will get where I got to go withoutkoo

  70. B.... M....

    😢😭🤧I love you all in heaven

  71. a.... w....

    This is the only thing that helped me get through my first broken heart 💔! I remember listening to this song on repeat for what seemed like an entire weekend straight and sobbing through at least 5 boxes of Kleenex! I wanted to die and this song pretty much summed up my life in 3 minuets and 47 seconds 😢

  72. B.... T....

    This is for my fiancé lost him February 8 of last year. I love and miss him every day. He died 3 months before we were supposed to get married. I love you baby RIP Joey

    B.... T....

    Brittany Thompson so deeply sorry for your loss🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻

    B.... T....

    That is so sad, you make me want to cry. So sorry you had to go through that..

  73. A.... F....

    I LUV THIS SONG !!!!

  74. D.... G....

    Her music never gets old! Still pulls at my heart strings!

  75. I.... C....

    PERFECTION!!! ❤❤❤❤💛💛💛💛💚💚💚💚💙💙💙💙💜💜💜💜💖💖💖💖😭😭😭😭😢😢😢😢😍😍😍😍😙😙😙😙😘😘😘😘😆😆😆😆👌👌👌👌👏👏👏👏 YASSS!!!

  76. S.... T....

    Talented with an angelic voice.

  77. S.... ....

    I've scanned through everyone else's replies, and I read a COMPLETELY different meaning behind this song. I was in a very , very abusive relationship at the age of 17 until I was 25 and this song was the first thing that EVER put into words the inner war I was waging with myself. I felt so alone and misunderstood because this was back when you didn't discuss domestic violence, much less know the meaning of Battered Women's Syndrome and whenever I did find a "friend" that I felt I could share my struggles with, it was always that same IGNORANT question that I still hear today..... "Why do you stay?". Like the lyrics of this song say......I have the sense to recognize, but I don't know how to let you go...... No one could ever understand unless they lived it.

    S.... ....

    @Chasity Turney Don't let fear win.

    S.... ....

    Wow I know just where you have been Sarah Jones, I wrote this to this song of Sarah's. Because I've been running away from this type of thing all my life and I'm 48. I Bless You Now Love. Check My FB Page out and see who I am. Remember religion has been around for thousands of years.

    Raging at the day but there an't no way that the rules that we keep won't go away until you do what you do.
    And I can't give away the feeling of being the's way. But above the rage I see is the new day that be where I let go of the things that kept that rage in me.
    And funny as it seems this an't no dream just the way it will be as I open my arms and let it all go away from me.
    And the sense I see is it reality or just me wondering where I be doing the things I do. But broken was what I let go of and the understanding theres more to this picture show.
    So I opened a door to see whom else there be wondering around like me.
    And there I see a bounty of dreams just have to pick myself a real Queen and grow this dream. Jason David Capes. JaSun

    S.... ....

    Omg same!!!!!!!

    S.... ....

    @Mr&Mrs Raymond Gonzales Yes Love I am Prophet Jason from the Greek Gods. Your Heart must be within mine and mine within yours. You take care Love hope to meet you oneway before we fall from here.
    I know we will meet in the Heavens above as I wear the glove. xoxoxo JaSun.

    S.... ....

    I can understand your take on this song. I guess it's just the part where she justifies sin( drinking, sex with stranger, etc) to get by pain of your loved one gone "the yearning to be near you I do what I have to do" that makes me think of death versus abusive relationship. Dont think yearning beater makes me do what I have to do.🤔 Just my opinion.

  78. e.... ....

    I lost the love of my life when she cheated on me and then asked me for a divorce.... For twenty years she was my life... Years later I listen to this song and play it on the piano and cry....

    e.... ....

    etrius24,
    She isn't worth your tears if you weren't worth her fidelity.

    e.... ....

    Etrius24- that's the same reason I listen to this song. It has different meanings to other's but for me it's because the love of my life decided to throw everything away to cheat. I know the pain, trust me. It does get better when you realize you deserve better and that someone who truly loves you would never hurt you that way. There is someone else out there for you that will never betray you like she did.

    e.... ....

    That is me right now...husband let me go...20 yrs down the drain. My heart aches with every beat.

  79. t.... ....

    The music on this song is so beautifully matched with her voice it is just perfection. This is one of my favorite songs by her since I was 14. I am 35 now and listening to this is so nostalgic.

  80. R.... S....

    ❤❤❤💋

  81. l.... h....

    My precious Marc, feels like yesterday that you went to heaven. I will never let you go. You are eternally part of me, my beloved Husband.

  82. R.... F....

    i have sin against God i no matter how i hurt when I get to heaven that a Filipino man is waiting for me up there in heaven just for i have been struggling with my life and struggling finding the right man for me nobody I can trust or talk to you I can never trust anybody but only if I find the right Filipino man to fall in love with I hope that happens for me I I kept my life to Christ so that I can be saved and go to heaven

  83. P.... P....

    So sad ... yet very true close to 4years something was Done to us .. He left Me .. I took care of his momma while she was Dying 😢all while other things happened to as well to done from our own family it Burs in me .. ALL Do is pray for Him and I forgave Him ... I'll love him till The DaY I Die ❤️❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥🔥🔥😞

  84. R.... S....

    Don't get upset with the one who let you go to soon for you to fly free to find that Everlasting love that was always meant to be yours!!! Fly free and make it count!

  85. D.... S....

    My gosh that voice...

  86. R.... F....

    i feel alone all the time in my life with no man to be there for me in my life to have a romance with me and to have sex to tell me that he loves me when he says that he wants to have sex with me i never had a man. tell me that he thinks I'm beautiful if i War Victoria's Secret lingerie and Victoria's secret perfume I would feel prettier I hate people who on lie to me on this Earth say that they're going to be my friend when all they want to do is take advantage of me

  87. S.... H....

    Fuck. That's all I can say....

  88. K.... K....

    can someone tell me please how to tag people ? I apologize... is it @ or + or # name? God Bless This Song and Those Who Have Been Through UnSpeakable Grief, Which, in My Opinion, This Song Speaks To.

  89. R.... H....

    This will ALWAYS represent the happiest and most sad times of my life. Calvindier Weaver you were my childhood friend and although life took us down different roads our paths crossed again. The love we had was so intense.. nothing like I ever felt before. No regrets ... I'm thankful for the six years we had ... I will ALWAYS cherish them and although I don't know how to let you go I will dream of a day when maybe our paths will converge once more. you are truly my soul mare. 143

  90. A.... J....

    This is the song I want played my funeral memory of my grandparents, father and my sister. I listened to it for years after my dad died.

  91. R.... M....

    I lost my husband 3 months ago and can't let go and never will

    R.... M....

    <3 I hope your heart is healing. God bless you!

  92. J.... L....

    When I first heard this song in 2014, I was so upset, now I could care less. I've certainly have had my fill of people in the last 3 years, holy crap.

  93. J.... B....

    this would be dedicated to someone I need to let go of but can't

  94. S.... R....

    Babe it is easy to let go.

    Just says these words to me in music or words.

    Sarah Rapira
    I am sorry
    But its over and I have to let you go.

    Say it now. I have helped you I just need to hear or see it from you.

  95. C.... W....

    emotions are useless

  96. t.... ....

    love that intriguing little piano riff after she sings "I don't know how to let you go". That's the only part of the song I ever remembered, and made me look it up tonight. :)