I think often sadness is a great place to get songs from.

McLachlan frames sadness not only as a painful emotion but as a generative artistic resource. The quote suggests that songwriting can function as a form of emotional alchemy: private grief or melancholy is translated into a structured, shareable work that can offer meaning to both artist and listener. It also implies an ethic of honesty in art—songs that originate in sorrow may feel more authentic, specific, and resonant than those written from comfort. At the same time, the phrasing “a great place to get songs from” keeps a practical, craft-oriented tone, emphasizing that difficult feelings can be used rather than merely endured.