Sarah is the 15th track on Alex G’s album Trick, released in 2012. Alex is an American musician, producer, and singer-songwriter whose music is often characterized as indie rock with a lo-fi aesthetic.
His song “Sarah” tells the story of a guy who initially sees Sarah as a casual friend but realizes he cares for her more than expected. He enjoys her company but knows he’ll hurt her in the end, making it a bittersweet tale.
In this article, we will dissect the lyrics of “Sarah” and analyze their meaning.
Table of Contents
“Sarah” Lyrics Meaning
Verse 1
Sarah runs to feel the burning in her lungs
And clear her head
Do you know what Sarah meant
When she said, “You be my guest”?
And keep the pace to save your face
You’ll never make the place
Why do you even run the race?
In verse 1, Sarah goes for a run, putting in a lot of effort to the point where she feels a burning sensation in her heart. In this context, running is used as a metaphor for a romantic relationship. As the saying goes, “running is like romance,” meaning that two people in love are supposed to maintain a similar pace in their relationship.
Here, we can see that Sarah is very devoted as she runs with great determination. However, when she clears her mind, she realizes that the singer isn’t keeping up the pace.
In fact, the singer isn’t participating in their “love race.” In other words, he’s not committed to their relationship. The singer even questions why he should “run the race.”
When Sarah asks the singer whether he would be her guest, she’s wondering if the singer is just a temporary presence in her life rather than a long-term partner.
Chorus
I can’t be what you need
I am stuck in a dream
I am stuck in a dream
Don’t you know
She’s been here all along in a dream?
She belongs in a dream
In the Chorus, the singer admits that he can’t be what Sarah needs in the relationship. He feels trapped in a dream, suggesting that he’s stuck in a situation that doesn’t feel real or fulfilling.
The repetition of the line “I am stuck in a dream” emphasizes the feeling of being unable to break free from this unsatisfying state.
The chorus also mentions that Sarah has been present all along in a dream. That means the singer might perceive his relationship with Sarah as something distant or unreal.
Verse 2
Every day I’ll make promises that plague Sarah’s heart
So I can watch her fall apart
‘Cause I know when I break her down
We’ll spit on all the happy clowns
That live around this sunny town
She loves me like a dog (Doo-doo)
And when we mess around (Doo-doo)
I’ll let her know the truth I found (Doo-doo, doo-doo)
In my own hopeless hate (Doo-doo)
And every time I wake (Doo-doo)
I second guess the game I played (Doo-doo)
Did I make a mistake?
In verse 2, the lyrics describe the singer making promises to Sarah on a daily basis, but these promises seem to trouble her heart rather than bring happiness. The singer suggests that he deliberately breaks her down emotionally, causing her distress.
The lines “We’ll spit on all the happy clowns/That live around this sunny town” mean that the couples living around them are openly displaying their love for each other in every way. This stands in stark contrast to the singer’s relationship with Sarah. The singer would rather choose to despise these acts of love as clownish performances.
In the line “She loves me like a dog (Doo-doo),” the singer compares Sara’s love to a dog’s loyalty, meaning that she loves the singer wholeheartedly.
However, when they engage in some form of intimacy (“mess around”), the singer plans to reveal some unpleasant truth. This truth appears to be rooted in the singer’s own sense of hopelessness and hatred.
The verse ends with the singer waking up each day and questioning whether his deceptive behavior towards Sarah was a mistake. Because he’s not really loving Sarah, but just playing a game with her.
Deeper Meaning Behind “Sarah”
This song, “Sarah” by Alex G, tells the story of a guy who initially sees Sarah as just a casual acquaintance but realizes he cares for her more than he expected. He’s desperate to warn her that he can’t be what she needs because he’s somewhat unreliable.
However, he still hesitates about whether he should tell her the truth because he enjoys her company. As time goes on, he continues to resist returning the same affection and making a commitment. This causes Sarah to “fall apart.
As the song ends, the singer questions whether he made a mistake by playing with Sarah’s heart. He feels guilty about it. Sarah is genuinely good with honest intentions. She sincerely falls for the singer. The line “she loves me like a dog” suggests that her love for him is genuine and loyal.
Throughout this bittersweet song, Sarah is carefree, witty, and brings joy to the singer’s life, even though he’s not truly interested in her. It appears to me that the singer is only taking advantage of Sarah and sees her as a sexual partner more than a lover. In the end, poor Sarah doesn’t realize his true intentions.

Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.