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."
Bone In My Ear
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keeps singing your name
Sometimes it's like pleasure
Sometimes it's like pain
It's a small voice and quiet
But I hear it plain
There's a bone in my ear
Keeps singing your name
In my heart there's a an image
Like looking through glass
Could be looking at me
Could be looking right past
I don't like it when
I can't tell which is true
But I wouldn't trade the world
For that picture of you
Moon in the water
Cold light in the streets
Warmth in your fingers
Sweat in your sheets
Laid out like an offering
Where two currents meet
The river is dark
But the water is sweet
Wailing on the mountain
Smoke on the wind
Can't drown out the whisper
Or the scent of your skin
Don't know where it came from
But I know where it came
There's a bone in my ear
Keeps singing your name
Bruce Cockburn's song "Bone In My Ear" is a vivid and heartfelt description of the enduring power of desire and memory. The opening lines suggest a kind of obsession, with the unnamed protagonist haunted by an elusive presence that he can't shake. The metaphor of a bone in his ear that keeps singing the beloved's name conveys the deeply embedded nature of this fixation, and the way it both delights and torments him. This sense of duality is emphasized in the second verse, where the image in his heart is both alluring and ambiguous, with the singer struggling to discern what is real and what is merely illusion or projection. Yet the singer also suggests that he wouldn't trade this experience for anything, implying that even if it's complicated or painful, it's still worth everything to him.
The third verse shifts the focus to the physical sensations of love, both tender and visceral. The contrast between the cold moonlight and the warmth of touch is striking, emphasizing the power of intimacy to create a sense of safety and trust. The image of sweat in the sheets suggests a kind of raw, unguarded vulnerability that is both beautiful and potent. Yet this intimacy is also fleeting, like an offering made at the confluence of two streams. The final verse returns to the theme of yearning and obsession, with the singer feeling overwhelmed by the scent of the beloved's skin even as he can't explain where it comes from. The mountain wailing in the wind creates a metaphor of emotional turmoil, yet it's clear that the bone in his ear is the true source of his distress.
Overall, "Bone In My Ear" is a powerful and evocative song that captures the complexity of emotion and desire. Its rich imagery and poetic language convey a deep sense of longing and vulnerability, while also celebrating the transformative power of love.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a bone in my ear
I cannot escape thoughts of you
Keeps singing your name
Your name haunts me constantly
Sometimes it's like pleasure
Thinking of you can bring happiness
Sometimes it's like pain
Thinking of you can bring sadness
It's a small voice and quiet
The presence of you in my mind is subtle
But I hear it plain
Despite its subtlety, I cannot ignore it
In my heart there's an image
I cannot get you out of my mind
Like looking through glass
This image is not clear
Could be looking at me
This image could be focused on me
Could be looking right past
Or this image could be ignoring me
I don't like it when
I wish I knew which one it was
I can't tell which is true
But I have trouble determining the truth
But I wouldn't trade the world
Despite my uncertainty, I wouldn't trade my thoughts of you for anything
For that picture of you
My thoughts of you are too precious to let go of
Moon in the water
The reflection of the moon on the water
Cold light in the streets
The cold light that shines on the streets at night
Warmth in your fingers
The warmth of your fingers when they touch mine
Sweat in your sheets
The sweat that forms between us in bed
Laid out like an offering
Our love is something to be cherished
Where two currents meet
Our love is where two forces converge
The river is dark
Our love is not easily understood
But the water is sweet
But our love is still sweet
Wailing on the mountain
The sound of my emotions echoes off the mountains
Smoke on the wind
The lingering scent of us on the wind
Can't drown out the whisper
Nothing can silence my thoughts of you
Or the scent of your skin
Or my memory of your physical presence
Don't know where it came from
I'm unsure of how my intense feelings for you started
But I know where it came
But I know that I can't escape them
There's a bone in my ear
My thoughts of you are inescapable
Keeps singing your name
And your name is always on my mind
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bruce Cockburn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MisterTracks
Keep it up!
Bodhisattva435
Love Bruce's music to the core ! What a genius he is !
eugenio campo
Altro Bruce, altra musica, altri tempi che non ritorneranno mai più, purtroppo.