Sarah McLachlan - Building a mystery (Live)
"Mirrorball"
Written by Sarah McLachlan
STANDARD TUNING - EADGBE
Chords used
Bm - x22432
G - 320033
D - xx0232
A - 002220
E - 022100
G/F - 200033
Intro: Bm, G, D, A (x2)
Bm G D A
You come out at night that's when the energy comes
Bm G D A
And the dark side's light and the vampires roam
Bm G D A
You strut your rasta wear and your suicide poem
Bm G D A E
And a cross from a faith that died before jesus came
G/F G
You're building a mystery
Bm, G, D, A
Bm G D A
You live in a church where you sleep with voodoo dolls
Bm G D A
And you won't gie up the search for the ghosts in the halls
Bm G D A
You wear your sandals in the snow and a smile that won't wash away
Bm G D A
Can you look out the window withour your shadow gettin in the way
E G
Oh you're so beautiful with an edge and a charm
E A
But so careful when im in your arms
Bm G D A
'Cause you're working, building a mystery
Bm G D A
Holding on and holding it in
Bm G D A Bm G D A
Yeah you're working, building a mystery and and choosing so carefully
Bm G D A
You woke up screaming aloud a prayer from your secret god
Bm G D A
and you feed off our fears and hold back your tears
Bm G D A
Give us a tantrum and through it all grin
Bm G D A
just when we need one when the evenings thin
E G
Oh you're a beautiful, a beautiful fucked up man
E G
You're setting up your razor wire shrine
Bm G D A
Cause you're working, building a mystery
Bm G
Holding on and holding it in
Bm G D A Bm G
Yeah you're working, building a mystery and choosing so carefully
Bm G D
Yeah you're working, building a mystery
Any comments email me at medusa1148@hotmail.com
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Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
caleb Wanna Be |
#1 by caleb at Sep 29, 2007 at 3:31 PM EST |
| what on earth does that song mean? its abstract as hell. the only thing I can figure is insecurities.. | |
Ziggy Professional |
#2 by Ziggy at Sep 30, 2007 at 10:22 PM EST |
| Wow, i agree with all you guys. Wonderful interpretations. It's about a man who, basically, is "bulding a mystery" in terms of finding himself. And as meltbolt said, it is about a woman complaining about her lover .. and it's also about her be attracted to him as well. I just adore this song, such a great relaxing beat and awesome lyrics. Yeah, you're right catherineks, those several lines are really quite amazing. I also enjoy singing this song ... I kind of have a voice like hers. She's very talented. ;D ~katie | |
Faiz Average |
#3 by Faiz fender at Oct 2, 2007 at 11:16 AM EST |
| I have to say that Meltbolt deserves a litle credit on his intelligence alone. As for the interpretations afor mentioned, I think you've all got great points. I love Anne Rice, KaosAngel, but I'm not so sure this song was written for one of her characters.lol. | |
Sam Wanna Be |
#4 by Sam Payne at Oct 2, 2007 at 6:43 PM EST |
| Everytime I hear this song I think about falling for someone who is mentally ill. Or having someone you love develop a mental illness. All the weirdness that she talks about, its no nonsensical, it seems like its from a text book on schizoprenia.... Just my 2 cents... | |
MelissA Average |
#5 by MelissA at Oct 3, 2007 at 5:54 AM EST |
| I always thought I was the beautiful fucked up man. | |
Rockstar Professional |
#6 by Rockstar at Oct 4, 2007 at 11:05 PM EST |
| What I got from this was that it was about a guy who is, aside from being relatively self involved, trying particularly hard to make himself a more 'out there' and unique person then he feels he is, thus 'building a mystery'. Trying to create himself as a more charming and mysterious person. It also sounds to me as though the song writer (sarah in this case) can see through him like a window, as well as she can see that what he's doing in living this facade is more dangerous to himself than he sees. Thats just what i thought anyway... | |
John Rhythm Player |
#7 by John McElyea at Oct 6, 2007 at 7:47 AM EST |
| To me, this song is about a unique man. He is dark and mysterous and totally different than anyone else. He does weird things that make him all the more interesting. His individuality makes him beautiful. | |
Joe Average |
#8 by Joe Blurton at Oct 6, 2007 at 3:47 PM EST |
| her writing means so much. every song has something behind it. none of them are just blunt statements, they all effect you if you take the time to understand them. | |
Sal Average |
#9 by Sal With The Lights Out at Oct 7, 2007 at 6:29 PM EST |
| This is about a man who is untouchable, it is impossible to capture his soul. He is unique, he shines and he is captivating. He is also confused & careless... composed...and appears to be happy and free on the outside-"a smile that won't wash away" he is building the mystery of him, this is what makes him so intriguing....he is so beautiful b/c she can see his soul and cares deeply for him, even through his carelessness and confusions...and he is fucked up b/c he can't see what is in front of him, and will not let her in except for when she his in his arms.... | |
blake Average |
#10 by blake pratt at Oct 9, 2007 at 11:44 PM EST |
| I agree with you catherineks, those are my favorite lines in the whole song | |
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No Picture
josh Average |
#11 by josh stagel at Oct 10, 2007 at 6:47 AM EST |
| Fantastic song from the peerless Sarah McLachlan. | |
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No Picture
Andrew Wanna Be |
#12 by Andrew Long at Oct 11, 2007 at 1:10 AM EST |
| In the lyrics a woman voices her complaints about her lover. The text not only expresses a complaint, however. At the same time it is an analysis of the reason why she finds herself attracted to him. She describes him as a man who is hiding his inner self behind a careful constructed image, letting nobody look at his emotions deep down inside. The poetic lyrics of the first verse seem a direct inversion of the ironic Suzanne of the old master of Canadian folk-rock, Leonard Cohen (the first track of his 1968 album The Songs of Leonard Cohen). Instead of the rags and feathers of Cohen's Jesus hippy Suzanne, Sarah's nameless character is dressed in Rasta wear. The Christian cross of Suzanne is replaced by a Celtic one. Cohen's sun, which "shines like honey on our lady of the harbor", has gone down under the horizon; in McLachan's song the only light comes from the street lamps of a city at night, where "the vampires roam". All this man is doing, is aimed at one and the same thing: building a mystery. The way it is sung, makes it sound like a conclusion too. And again the person that McLachlan addresses, is the opposite of Cohen's Suzanne. Where Cohen pictures his Suzanne as acting really authentic, McLachlan's lover is constructing his identity to give an impression of mysteriousness to the outside world. As the song nears its apotheosis there is a decisive end in last line of the lyrics: "You're building a mystery". This time the progression leads toward the A chord without any added or changed tones. It sounds like ending with an exclamation mark! The last chord is an A chord, which seems to make the concluding end into a direct confrontation of the singer with her lover. The mystery has become a double mystery: the mystery he is building and the mystery why she loves him. | |
St. Jimmy Wanna Be |
#13 by St. Jimmy at Oct 11, 2007 at 1:26 AM EST |
| This song is great to listen to when you are in a mellow mood, it helps me so much..try singing this on the interstate at night...its great..but be by yourself unless someone understands you really well | |
Adam Average |
#14 by Adam Favro at Oct 11, 2007 at 6:37 AM EST |
| I think the lines "can you look out the window/without your shadow getting in the way" probably means that whenever the man looks out the window, instead of seeing the possibilities out there and focusing into reality .. he's trapped inside himself - trying to figure himself out. "Building a Mystery" means that he's building a mystery ... and the mystery is himself. This is why the woman complains about him - because he hasn't truely found himself yet. However, the woman is still attracted to him .. because he's unique. I also have other interpretations of the song .. but that's generally what i feel it's about. I hope i helped LoriAnn! ~katie | |
Kyle Rhythm Player |
#15 by Kyle Wait I Aint Telling You at Oct 11, 2007 at 4:22 PM EST |
| This song reminds me of the character "Brian Kinney" (from Showtime's Queer as Folk). He is definitely a "beautiful fucked up man" and everyone seems to be drawn to him, trying to uncover his mystery. The lines "you feed off our fears and hold back your tears" makes me think of someone who is afraid to let their real feelings show, and hides behind this cool, mysterious facade. A "razor wire shrine" can keep everyone away, but is bound to hurt you too. Oh, whatever... I'll stop rambling. I just love this song, s'all. | |
Goat Average |
#16 by Goat Screwer at Oct 12, 2007 at 9:40 AM EST |
| This song is about Mulder from the X-Files. :P | |
nick Wanna Be |
#17 by nick at Oct 14, 2007 at 12:44 PM EST |
| let me come back over a year after my last post on this song to elaborate on its amazingness... ...i find incredible that i can relate not only to the man she's describing, who is beyond comprehension and understanding and is beautifully "fucked up," but i also can relate to her in that she's trying to solve the mystery of someone else. i don't actually think i'm that much of a mystery, i try and open up to people but they don't seem to understand...every now and then i try to "build a mystery" around myself, but i'm really bad at it...then again, i know plenty of people, with arguably a lot less to hide, who are a total mystery and want it that way...whenever they let their defences down, it only leads to confusion(to me anyway...i'm not good at solving mysteries either) | |
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No Picture
James Average |
#18 by James Davison at Oct 16, 2007 at 1:57 AM EST |
| It's about a pagan priest of old. A celtic monk, a druid of long time ago. I think it's about a pagan priest of old preparing for a human sacrefice, a young virgin, the next morning. | |
Jake Average |
#19 by Jake Staley at Oct 16, 2007 at 10:32 AM EST |
| I'd like anyone's opinion on the meaning of the lines "can you look out the window without your shadow getting in the way". | |
_Heretic_ Wanna Be |
#20 by _Heretic_ at Oct 16, 2007 at 12:33 PM EST |
| i like the line "you wear sandals in the snow/ and a smile that won't wash away." | |
SLIPKNOT FUCING Rhythm Player |
#21 by SLIPKNOT FUCING RULES!!!! v at Oct 16, 2007 at 2:57 PM EST |
| It's about a pagan priest of old. A celtic monk, a druid of long time ago. I think it's about a pagan priest of old preparing for a human sacrefice, a young virgin, the next morning. | |
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Rockstar Professional |
#22 by Rockstar at Oct 16, 2007 at 8:17 PM EST |
| This is apparently my theme song.. well, except the beautiful fucked up man part. lol. It's a beautiful song, and has really deep lyrics. I think it's about someone who hides their emotions and never lets anyone see their true self. They're a very unique person who's different from everyone else, and maybe insecure and keeps all their problems bottled up (hence the line: "holding on and holding it in") I'm not very good at song interpretations so I hope that's right, lol. | |
The Four String Lead Player |
#23 by The Four String Mother Fucker at Oct 17, 2007 at 12:46 AM EST |
| it sounds to me like she's in love with some kind of gothic weirdo ... but, yeah. I agree with the pervious comment, mostly. she loves a pretty out-of-the-ordinary guy. I've always loved the lines "oh you're so beautiful with an edge and a charm but so careful when I'm in your arms" | |
Ultra Violet Average |
#24 by Ultra Violet at Oct 18, 2007 at 10:39 PM EST |
| Sarah McLachlan is such a dynamic writer, not only does the melody suit the mood of the song but it induces a curiousity about the song, building her own mystery. | |
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No Picture
Randy Wanna Be |
#25 by Randy Burden at Oct 19, 2007 at 3:42 PM EST |
| I heard this song was about The Vampire Lestat...but it sounds more like Armand to me...especially the part about living in a church and a secret god...That's totally Armand. | |
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