Cockburn's early albums were fairly straight ahead folk music spotlighting his brilliant guitar playing. In fact, there were a good number of instrumental guitar numbers on those early recordings. A Christian element came into his music around the time of the album Salt, Sun and Time, and over time his writing has taken on a stronger and stronger political orientation.
Perhaps the most consistent element of Cockburn's music has been his willingness to change and evolve over time. In this way, he is similar to fellow Canadians Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.
He has had a couple of radio hits in the United States, including (Wondering Where the Lions Are and If I Had a Rocket Launcher).
His albums in the 80s are considered some of his strongest, including Humans, Inner City Front, Stealing Fire, and Big Circumstance. After Big Circumstance he struggled with writer's block, and his output began to slow down; but he recovered with the formidable Nothing But a Burning Light, which led the way back to a sparer, more folk-oriented form of music. His later album The Charity of Night contains one of his most thoughtful songs, Pacing the Cage.
His 2006 album Life Short Call Now was preceded by Speechless, a collection of instrumentals, many of them from earlier albums. The album highlights Cockburn's prodigious abilities as a guitarist.
Cockburn's 31st studio album,Small Source of Comfort was released in March, 2011. BruceCockburn.com called the album "an adventurous collection of songs of romance, protest and spiritual discovery. The album, primarily acoustic yet rhythmically savvy, is rich in Cockburn’s characteristic blend of folk, blues, jazz and rock."
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Other things can make you swear and curse
When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best, and
Always look on the bright side of life
Always look on the bright side of life
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing
When you're feeling in the dumps, don't be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle, that's the thing, and
Always look on the bright side of life
Always look on the bright side of life
Life is quite absurd, and death's the final word
We must always face the curtain with a bow
Forget about your sin, give the audience a grin
Enjoy it, it's your last chance anyhow, so
Always look on the bright side of death
Just before you draw your terminal breath
Life's a piece of shit, when you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's a joke it's true
You can see it's all a show, keep 'em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you, and
Always look on the bright side of life
Always look on the bright side of life
In Bruce Cockburn's song "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life", he suggests that life can be challenging and difficult, and there are times when it can make you feel angry, frustrated, and down. However, he emphasizes that it's important to maintain a positive outlook throughout difficult times. Cockburn conveys this message through the use of metaphors, such as "life's gristle" and "jolly rotten" to describe the unpleasant parts of life. He encourages people to whistle and look for the good, highlighting the idea that attitude makes all the difference.
Cockburn continues to explore the absurdity of life, reminding us that at the end of it all, death is inevitable, and we should enjoy life while we can. He ends with the idea that life is a show, and our role is to make people laugh while also recognizing that ultimately, we are the ones who will have to face the final curtain.
In summary, the song's message is that in the midst of life's challenges, laughter and a positive attitude can make all the difference. It's important to keep perspective, embrace the good, and remain jovial even in the face of life's adversities.
Line by Line Meaning
Some things in life are bad, they can really make you mad
Life has its ups and downs that can be frustrating and difficult to handle
Other things can make you swear and curse
Occasionally there are situations that can be so vexing they can cause you to lose your temper
When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble, give a whistle
Instead of getting angry or upset when life gets tough, try to stay optimistic and be positive
And this'll help things turn out for the best, and
If you keep a good attitude during challenging times, things will eventually work out for the better
Always look on the bright side of life
Always try to stay positive even when things aren't going well
If life seems jolly rotten, there's something you've forgotten
When life becomes overwhelming, it's important to remember that there are things to appreciate in the world
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing
One way to find joy in the world is to engage in laughter, smiling, dancing, and singing
When you're feeling in the dumps, don't be silly chumps
When feeling down, don't do things that will make the situation worse
Just purse your lips and whistle, that's the thing, and
Instead, try to stay optimistic and positive by whistling and smiling
Life is quite absurd, and death's the final word
Life can be a strange and illogical experience and death is the end of it all
We must always face the curtain with a bow
Since we all must eventually face the end of our lives, we should do it gracefully and with dignity
Forget about your sin, give the audience a grin
Don't dwell on the mistakes you've made, focus on making others happy and enjoy what you have left
Enjoy it, it's your last chance anyhow, so
Enjoy what time you have left since this could be your last chance to enjoy life
Always look on the bright side of death
Even at the end of life, try to keep a positive attitude and look for the silver lining
Just before you draw your terminal breath
This positive attitude should be kept all the way up to the end
Life's a piece of shit, when you look at it
When looking at life without a positive attitude, it can seem very difficult and overwhelming
Life's a laugh and death's a joke it's true
Life can be humorous at times and death can be seen as a lighthearted experience
You can see it's all a show, keep 'em laughing as you go
Life can be seen as a performance and one should try to make others and themselves happy while doing so
Just remember that the last laugh is on you, and
Despite trying to keep a positive attitude, one must remember that they will still experience negative aspects of life
Always look on the bright side of life
Despite this, it's important to always try to remain optimistic and appreciate the positive aspects of life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bruce Cockburn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
aarthoor
Great cover of a superb song, those lyrics are just wonderful.
tinfoilhatter
don't know where, but i bought the cassette back in like 2000 , lost it a few yrs later, and i still miss it... i don't now remember half the songs that were on it, but never forgot this one, and here it is: thanks::
Robert Davidson
Lol Bruce!