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."
Cry Of A Tiny Babe
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Joseph get upset because he doesn't understand
Angel comes to Joseph in a powerful dream
Says "God did this and you're part of his scheme"
Joseph comes to Mary with his hat in his hand
Says "forgive me I thought you'd been with some other man"
She says "what if I had been - but I wasn't anyway and guess what
I felt the baby kick today"
Like a stone on the surface of a still river
Driving the ripples on forever
Redemption rips through the surface of time
In the cry of a tiny babe
The child is born in the fullness of time
Three wise astrologers take note of the signs
Come to pay their respects to the fragile little king
Get pretty close to wrecking everything
'Cause the governing body of the whole land
Is that of Herod, a paranoid man
Who when he hears there's a baby born King of the Jews
Sends death squads to kill all male children under two
But that same bright angel warns the parents in a dream
And they head out for the border and get away clean
Like a stone on the surface of a still river
Driving the ripples on forever
Redemption rips through the surface of time
In the cry of a tiny babe
There are others who know about this miracle birth
The humblest of people catch a glimpse of their worth
For it isn't to the palace that the Christ child comes
But to shepherds and street people, hookers and bums
And the message is clear if you've got ears to hear
That forgiveness is given for your guilt and your fear
It's a Christmas gift you don't have to buy
There's a future shining in a baby's eyes
Like a stone on the surface of a still river
Driving the ripples on forever
Redemption rips through the surface of time
In the cry of a tiny babe
"Cry of a Tiny Baby" is a narrative of the birth of Jesus Christ, featuring Mary, Joseph, Herod, wise astrologers, shepherds, and street people. The song is narrated in three sections with each section telling a different chapter of the story. The first part of the song begins with Mary's virgin pregnancy, which causes doubts and confusion in Joseph's mind. To ease his concerns, an angel appears in a dream to him and explains that Mary's pregnancy is part of God's plan. The second section highlights the birth of Jesus and the threat of Herod to kill all male children below two years old.
The final section narrates how the humblest of people received news of the miracle and the significance of Jesus' birth. The baby's cries represents the redemption that tears through the surface of time, making a ripple that goes on forever. It is a symbol of Jesus' role as a savior whose birth has granted forgiveness for humanity.
The song's reference to shepherds, street people, hookers, and bums, reveals the inclusive nature of Jesus' message that God's grace is available to everyone regardless of their status. Bruce Cockburn brings a fresh perspective to the Christmas story by highlighting the politics, the fears, and the complexities that surrounded Jesus' birth while pointing to the unique significance of his birth.
Line by Line Meaning
Mary grows a child without the help of a man
Mary conceives a child by the power of God without the need of a man
Joseph get upset because he doesn't understand
Joseph becomes troubled as he struggles to comprehend Mary's pregnancy
Angel comes to Joseph in a powerful dream
An angel appears to Joseph in a vivid dream
Says "God did this and you're part of his scheme"
The angel reveals that the baby is part of God's plan and Joseph has a role to play
Joseph comes to Mary with his hat in his hand
Joseph humbly approaches Mary
Says "forgive me I thought you'd been with some other man"
Joseph apologizes for doubting Mary's purity
She says "what if I had been - but I wasn't anyway and guess what
I felt the baby kick today"
Mary counters Joseph's suspicion and shares the joy of feeling the baby move
The child is born in the fullness of time
The baby is born at the appointed time
Three wise astrologers take note of the signs
Three wise men observe the signs of the baby's birth
Come to pay their respects to the fragile little king
The wise men pay homage to the newborn king
Get pretty close to wrecking everything
The wise men nearly ruin the secret of the baby's birth
'Cause the governing body of the whole land
Is that of Herod, a paranoid man
King Herod rules the land and is a paranoid ruler
Who when he hears there's a baby born King of the Jews
Sends death squads to kill all male children under two
Herod seeks to eliminate any potential threat to his rule and orders the massacre of all male babies under two years old
But that same bright angel warns the parents in a dream
And they head out for the border and get away clean
The angel warns the parents of the danger and they flee to safety in another country
There are others who know about this miracle birth
There are others who are aware of the miraculous birth
The humblest of people catch a glimpse of their worth
The lowliest of people recognize their value
For it isn't to the palace that the Christ child comes
But to shepherds and street people, hookers and bums
Jesus is not born into a royal family, but instead to ordinary people such as shepherds and the marginalized
And the message is clear if you've got ears to hear
That forgiveness is given for your guilt and your fear
The message is one of forgiveness for those who seek it
It's a Christmas gift you don't have to buy
There's a future shining in a baby's eyes
The gift of Christmas is freely given and symbolized in the promise of hope that the baby Jesus represents
Like a stone on the surface of a still river
Driving the ripples on forever
Redemption rips through the surface of time
In the cry of a tiny babe
The impact of Christ's birth resonates throughout history, bringing hope and redemption to all who hear the story
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JustJoe Oleson
Closest thing to a prayer I've ever had; I love this song and the way he sings it.
Michael Stella, Jr
It says it all. Doesn't it? Merry Christmas all.
Jon Hiller
"Redemption Rips Through The Surface Of Time In The Cry Of A Tiny Babe" - a truth that forever changed the world.
Desu West
@Michael Stella, Jr excuse me 😡
Michael Stella, Jr
@Desu West dumb ass bastard
Desu West
IM LAUGHING SO FUCKING HARD BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Jeannie Nelson
I love his interpretation of the Christmas myth. My favorite Christmas song.
Desu West
@Erik Person HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
ERIN YOU ARE MY MAN MAN HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA
Desu West
HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA. ITS NOT A CHRISTMAS SONG ITS ABOUT A FUCKING MACHINE IN HIS HEAD. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA YOU DONT EVEN KNOW. YOU DONT EVEN FUCKING KNOW ABOUT THE MACHINE IN HIS HEAD. YOU WOULDN'T LAST A DAY WITH THE MACHINE IN YOUR HEAD KICKING AT THE INSDIE OF YOUR SKULLL FUCKING YOU UP BWAHAHAHAHAHA. BRUCE WAS A MAD MAN GENIUS HE COULD KEEP THE MACHINE AT BAY AND USE IT TO REACH A HIGHER STATE OF BEING. THATS WHAT THIS FUCKING SONG IS ABOUT HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Linda
"It's a Christmas gift you don't have to buy
There's a future shining in a baby's eyes"