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."
Child Of The Wind
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I love engines that roar
I love the wild music of waves on the shore
And the spiral perfection of a hawk when it soars
Love my sweet woman down to the core
There's roads and there's roads
And they call, can't you hear it?
And roads of the spirit
The best roads of all
Are the ones that aren't certain
One of those is where you'll find me
Till they drop the big curtain
Hear the wind moan
In the bright diamond sky
These mountains are waiting
Brown-green and dry
I'm too old for the term
But I'll use it anyway
I'll be a child of the wind
Till the end of my days
Little round planet
In a big universe
Sometimes it looks blessed
Sometimes it looks cursed
Depends on what you look at obviously
But even more it depends on the way that you see
Hear the wind moan
In the bright diamond sky
These mountains are waiting
Brown-green and dry
I'm too old for the term
But I'll use it anyway
I'll be a child of the wind
Till the end of my days
In Bruce Cockburn's song Child of the Wind, the singer expresses their love for the natural world, particularly its power and freedom. The singer loves the sound of horses' hooves and the engines of powerful machines as well as the music created by the waves on the shore and the flight of a hawk. The singer also expresses their deep love for their partner, calling them the "sweet woman" of their life.
The second half of the song introduces the theme of roads, both physical and spiritual. The singer hears the call of the road, but notes that the best roads are the ones that aren't certain, perhaps reflecting the singer's desire for freedom and adventure. The wind becomes a symbol of this freedom, as the singer claims to be a "child of the wind till the end of [their] days." The song ends with a reflection on the beauty and complexity of the world, acknowledging that its "blessed" or "cursed" appearance depends on one's perspective.
Overall, Child of the Wind seems to be both a celebration of the freedom found in the natural world and a call for readers to find their own path in life, wherever it may take them.
Line by Line Meaning
I love the pounding of hooves
I love the sound of horses galloping
I love engines that roar
I love the sound of powerful engines
I love the wild music of waves on the shore
I love the sound of waves crashing against the shore
And the spiral perfection of a hawk when it soars
I love watching the perfect, spiraling flight of a hawk
Love my sweet woman down to the core
I love my significant other with all my heart
There's roads and there's roads
There are many different paths in life
And they call, can't you hear it?
They beckon to us, can't you feel it?
Roads of the earth
Physical paths that we can see and travel
And roads of the spirit
Paths on a spiritual level
The best roads of all
The most rewarding paths
Are the ones that aren't certain
Are those that are uncertain and unknown
One of those is where you'll find me
That's where I'll be found
Till they drop the big curtain
Until life comes to an end
Little round planet
Our small, round Earth
In a big universe
Within a vast cosmos
Sometimes it looks blessed
At times it appears fortunate
Sometimes it looks cursed
At times it seems unfortunate
Depends on what you look at obviously
It depends on your perspective
But even more it depends on the way that you see
It depends on how you perceive things
Hear the wind moan
Listen to the sound of the wind
In the bright diamond sky
During a clear, starry night
These mountains are waiting
These mountains are there for us to explore
Brown-green and dry
The color and texture of the terrain
I'm too old for the term
At my age, I'm no longer young
But I'll use it anyway
Still, I'll use the term I'm about to say
I'll be a child of the wind
I'll remain carefree like the wind
Till the end of my days
Until the day I die
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRUCE COCKBURN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johncurtis920
A song to accompany you, the spirit, along your way. It's a path that never ends, don't'cha know?
This moment, defined by your breath, is just one life along an infinite road. We never end, merely transform from time to time along the way.
The final destination is certain, though the when of it is not. So enjoy yourselves my friends; savior the sweetness of this existence.
Be that child of the wind until the moment comes when the One calls you, oh wayward vagabond that you are, home.
John~
American Net'Zen
@georgedeimling8258
It saddens me more people don't get to hear this beautiful song . Or appreciate Mr. Cockburn 💖
@gatoryak7332
It gladdens me that I've been able to hear it hundreds of times. ...It depends on what you look at, obviously, but even more it depends on the way that you see...
@pekibuzz
@@gatoryak7332 🥰
@chunderwunderwhinger1331
@@gatoryak7332 the way you see ?..is it not WHAT YOU HEAR, close your eyes, & see where the music takes you ? .
@jimwing.2178
@@chunderwunderwhinger1331 Have you listened to the song?
@chunderwunderwhinger1331
@@jimwing.2178 OH YES ...I listen to Bruce Cockburn often , starting many years ago with Stealing Fire 1984
@flimsyjimnz
If there's one song I'd like played at my funeral...
@robwood1903
This is the tune I played at my dad'd funeral exactly one year ago.
@PeterMillerMusic
Good choice
@nigelparry
Don't forget Festival of Friends ;-)