Bruce Cockburn (pronounced "CO-burn") (born May 27, 1945 in Ottawa, Ontario… Read Full Bio ↴Bruce Cockburn (pronounced "CO-burn") (born May 27, 1945 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) has had a long and distinguished career, with much success in his native Canada. He has written songs in styles ranging from folk to jazz-influenced rock to rock and roll. Cockburn was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2012 he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (in Canada the award was to honour "significant contributions and achievements by Canadians").

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."

Blueberry Hill
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I found my thrill
On Blueberry Hill
On Blueberry Hill
When I found you

The moon stood still
On Blueberry Hill
And lingered until

My dreams came true

The wind in the willow played
Love's sweet melody
But all of those vows we made
Were never to be

Tho' we're apart
You're part of me still

For you were my thrill
On Blueberry Hill

Overall Meaning

In Bruce Cockburn's song Blueberry Hill, the lyrics speak of a person who has found happiness in life, represented by finding their thrill on Blueberry Hill when they found someone special. The moon standing still and love is in the air that lingers until the dream comes true. The wind is playing love's melody, but despite everything, things fall apart, and promises that were made were not kept. While they are now separate, the person will always remember their time together, and the memories of the love will continue to be a part of their life.

This song speaks to the power of love and how it can bring such happiness into our lives. Despite the sadness that comes when love fades away, the person in the song still cherishes the memories of what they had. The image of Blueberry Hill speaks to a place of hope and happiness, a place where dreams can come true, even if it is only for a moment.

Line by Line Meaning

I found my thrill
I experienced a profound sense of excitement and happiness

On Blueberry Hill
In a specific location, which is likely a metaphor for the moment or circumstance

On Blueberry Hill
Reiteration of the previous line, perhaps to emphasize its significance

When I found you
This excitement and happiness was the result of discovering or being with a specific person

The moon stood still
An evocative image of a moment of great importance or wonder

On Blueberry Hill
Reiteration of the location or circumstance

And lingered until
This moment was so powerful that even celestial bodies seemed to take notice

My dreams came true
The fulfillment or realization of a long-held desire, likely related to the person mentioned earlier

The wind in the willow played
A poetic description of the atmosphere or ambiance of the moment

Love's sweet melody
A metaphorical or poetic reference to the feeling or emotion associated with being in love

But all of those vows we made
A contrast to the previous lines, suggesting that a relationship or promise was ultimately unfulfilled

Were never to be
Emphasizes the finality or impossibility of the previous statement

Tho' we're apart
Acknowledges a separation or distance between the singer and the person they once felt this excitement and happiness with

You're part of me still
Despite this distance, the person still holds a significant place in the singer's emotional life

For you were my thrill
Reiterates the importance of this person in the singer's life and emotions

On Blueberry Hill
Brings the song full circle by echoing the opening lines, suggesting that this moment and this person are inextricably linked in the artist's mind

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Al Lewis, Larry Stock, Vincent Rose

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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