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."
Birmingham Shadows
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just behind the mountain
Sparse streetlamps glow in hot half-moon haze
Shadows shorten into little black pools that elongate behind
We walk, talk some, laugh some
Worked hard, now wired, and hanging out
I'm curious what you might be all about
Curious, too, what that dark-shape in the hard shining cruiser might do
out of of your own curiosity and tense energy
Tattoo on chest like the key to the puzzle of your pumping heart
Wearing your shadows all over your sleeve
Wearing the role of young upstart
Birmingham shadows fall
You show a little, I let something show too
It's now or not at all
Out on the road, it's always instant get-to-know-you
Under velvet trees, towering like the sides of a well
Before the empty two office blocks
Which we're admonished not to enter
Policeman studies us, finds us confusing
More amusing than threat
Moves on, bemused
Pavement spirals down ahead like the fossil of a giant shell
Along the kingdom's midnight marches
I wear my shadows where they're harder to see
But they follow me everywhere
I guess that should tell me that I'm travelling toward light
I guess something you sang made me remember that
I guess I'm saying thanks for that
Birmingham shadows fall
You show a little, I let something show too
It's now or not at all
Out on the road, it's always instant get-to-know-you
Got a head full of horrors and a heart full of night
At home in the darkness, but hungry for dawn
I only remember scenes, never the stories I live
The good things about that is, it's easy to forgive
Can't make assumptions about any of this
We're nomads following our own songlines
Who knows what could strike before we meet again?
But if I fall down and die
Without saying goodbye
I give you this: you'll have lost a friend
Birmingham shadows fall
You show a little, I let something show too
It's now or not at all
Out on the road, it's always instant get-to-know-you
The song "Birmingham Shadows" by Bruce Cockburn describes a nighttime walk through the streets of Birmingham, with the singer wandering alongside another person whose identity is only hinted at. The lyrics paint a picture of a city that's both captivating and foreboding, with shadows and streetlights creating an uneasy atmosphere. The singer is curious about the person they’re walking with, and seems to be opening up to them gradually – "You show a little, I let something show too." The song’s chorus emphasizes the transience of the moment – "It's now or not at all / Out on the road, it's always instant get-to-know-you" – as the two strangers share a fleeting connection.
The second half of the song is more introspective, with the singer musing on their own struggles with darkness and uncertainty. They reference "horrors" and "night," but also hint at a glimmer of hope – "I guess that should tell me that I'm travelling toward light." The refrain of "Birmingham shadows fall / You show a little, I let something show too" takes on a deeper meaning, as the singer acknowledges that their own shadows are always present, even if they’re not immediately visible.
Overall, "Birmingham Shadows" is a powerful meditation on the fleeting connections we make as we move through life, and the way that brief moments of shared vulnerability can linger in memory long after they're over.
Line by Line Meaning
Birmingham
The setting for the song.
Just behind the mountain
The location of the city, obscured by the mountain.
Sparse streetlamps glow in hot half-moon haze
The dimly lit streets at night.
Shadows shorten into little black pools that elongate behind
The shadows cast by the streetlights.
We walk, talk some, laugh some
The artist is walking and interacting with someone.
Worked hard, now wired, and hanging out
The singer is relaxed and energized after a day of work.
I'm curious what you might be all about
The singer is interested in getting to know the person better.
Curious, too, what that dark-shape in the hard shining cruiser might do
The artist is curious about the intentions of a police car in the distance.
And you have no idea what you're getting
The artist's companion is unaware of what's happening.
out of of your own curiosity and tense energy
The artist's companion is curious and full of energy.
Tattoo on chest like the key to the puzzle of your pumping heart
The singer describes a tattoo on the person's chest.
Wearing your shadows all over your sleeve
The person wears their emotions on their sleeve.
Wearing the role of young upstart
The person is trying to project a youthful and rebellious image.
Birmingham shadows fall
The shadows of the city fall around them.
You show a little, I let something show too
The singer and companion are slowly opening up to each other.
It's now or not at all
The time to connect with someone is limited.
Out on the road, it's always instant get-to-know-you
On the road, people quickly connect and reveal themselves.
Under velvet trees, towering like the sides of a well
The singer describes the towering trees they are walking under.
Before the empty two office blocks
The singer and companion pass by two empty buildings.
Which we're admonished not to enter
There are warnings not to enter the buildings.
Policeman studies us, finds us confusing
A policeman is watching the artist and companion and is uncertain about them.
More amusing than threat
The policeman sees them as more of a curiosity than a threat.
Moves on, bemused
The policeman eventually moves on.
Pavement spirals down ahead like the fossil of a giant shell
The pavement ahead is described as spiraling down like a shell.
Along the kingdom's midnight marches
The singer is walking alone in the city at night.
I wear my shadows where they're harder to see
The singer keeps their own emotions hidden.
But they follow me everywhere
Despite their efforts to hide it, the singer's emotions are always with them.
I guess that should tell me that I'm travelling toward light
The artist realizes that they are moving towards a better place emotionally.
I guess something you sang made me remember that
The artist's companion has helped them remember something important.
I guess I'm saying thanks for that
The singer is expressing gratitude to their companion.
Got a head full of horrors and a heart full of night
The singer is burdened by negative thoughts and emotions.
At home in the darkness, but hungry for dawn
The artist is comfortable with their emotions, but wants things to get better.
I only remember scenes, never the stories I live
The artist can't recall the context or meaning of their experiences.
The good things about that is, it's easy to forgive
The artist finds it easier to move on from negative experiences.
Can't make assumptions about any of this
The singer acknowledges that they don't have all the answers.
We're nomads following our own songlines
The artist sees themselves as a wanderer, following their own path.
Who knows what could strike before we meet again?
The future is uncertain.
But if I fall down and die without saying goodbye
The singer is contemplating their own mortality.
I give you this: you'll have lost a friend
The singer is expressing that they hold a special bond with their companion.
Contributed by Jeremiah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.