Building A Mystery

written by: Sarah McLachlan and Pierre Marchand

Lyrics

You come out at night
That’s when the energy comes
And the dark side’s light
And the vampires roam
You strut your Rasta wear
And your suicide poem
And a cross from a faith that died
Before Jesus came
You’re building a mystery

You live in a church
Where you sleep with voodoo dolls
And you won’t give up the search
For the ghosts in the halls
You wear sandals in the snow
And a smile that won’t wash away
Can you look out the window
Without your shadow getting in the way?

You’re so beautiful
With an edge and charm
But so careful
When I’m in your arms

Cause you’re working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you’re working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully

You woke up screaming aloud
A prayer from your secret god
You feed off our fears
And hold back your tears, oh
Give us a tantrum
And a know it all grin
Just when we need one
When the evening’s thin

You’re so beautiful
A beautiful fucked up man
You’re setting up your razor wire shrine

Cause you’re working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you’re working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully

Ooh you’re working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you’re working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully

Yeah you’re working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you’re working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully
You’re building a mystery

 

Appears on

Versions

Album Version
from “Surfacing”
Track length: 4:09

Clean Version
from the “Building A Mystery” Promo
Track length: 4:10

Live: Mirrorball
from “Mirrorball”
Track length: 4:06

Live: Mirrorball The Complete Concert
from “Mirrorball: The Complete Concert”
Track length: 4:23

Live: Acoustic
from the “Live EP 2004”
Track length: 3:59

Live: Afterglow Live
from “Afterglow Live”
Track length: 4:06

Live: Etown
from the “Live From Etown”
Track length: ???

Live: Radio 2, London England 1998
from “Murmurs 4″
Track length: 3:55

Live: London, 19 Heathmans rd.
from “Murmurs 7″
Track length: ???

 

Compilations

Album Name
Alice 106 FM Collectors Edition 2
This is Alice Music Volume 2
Channel 103.1FM World Class Rock
KBCO Studio C Volume 10
KFOG Live from the Archives 5
KINK Live 2
On the Mountain 4
KZON Collectibles Vol 6
105.7 THE PEAK Collector’s Edition
97 Star Lounge Collection
WHFS Just Passin’ Thru No. 2
Caf Music Network’s Selects Volume 2
Journeys: A Collection Of Your Favorite Music
Launch Issue No. 14 CD-ROM
Lilith Fair
Track length
4.06
???
4.06
???
???
???
???
???
4.06
???
???
4.09
4.06
???
???
Version
Mirrorball Version
exclusive live recording
Mirrorball Version
exclusive live recording
exclusive live recording
exclusive live in studio recording
exclusive recording from 18 Nov 97
exclusive live in studio recording
Mirrorball Version
Star Lounge exclusive performance
exclusive live in studio recording
Album Version
Mirrorball Version
exclusive live performance
Live Version from Lilith Fair

 

Credits

Vocals, Electric and Acoustic Guitars: Sarah McLachlan
Drums: Ashwin Sood
Background Vocals: Pierre Marchand
Additional Electric Guitars: Michel Pepin
Bass: Brian Minato

 

Collaborations

–

 

Trivia/Notes

– Won “Best Female Vocal Pop Performance” at the Grammy Awards 1998

 

Sarah says

“It’s about insecurities and the different masks that we wear. Some people can cope better than others can. Some people have a stronger sense of self than others have. Everybody in the world has insecurities at some point of their lives”
– Seventeen, June 1998

The song is merely about people trying to create really interesting facades for themselves. It’s about that on a deep level, but also on a light level it’s a playful song — beautiful, fucked-up people. It’s about me! About all my friends!
– Rocket No. 256, July 1997

 

Music Video

Year: 1997
Director: Matt Mahurin (credited as Alan Smithee)

 

 

 

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