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."
Don't Forget About Delight
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and all the stories dreamt and lived
Amid the clangour and the dislocation
and things to fear and to forgive
Don't forget
about delight
Y know what I'm saying to you
Don't forget
Y know
Amid the post-ironic postulating
and the poets' pilfered rhymes
Meaning feels like it's evaporating
Out of sight and out of mind
Don't forget
about delight
Y know what I'm saying to you
Don't forget
about delight
Y know
Though you find yourself alone and stranded
with no friend to take your side
On the endless road afoot and empty-handed
where the wild-eyed Cossacks ride
Don't forget
about delight
Y know what I'm saying to you
Don't forget
about delight
Y know
Spring birds peck among the pressed-down grasses
Clouds like zeppelins cross the sky
Anger drips and pools and then it passes
And I say a prayer that I
Don't forget
about delight
Y know what I'm saying to you
Don't forget
about delight
Y know
Bruce Cockburn's "Don't Forget About Delight" is a song that encourages listeners to focus on the positive aspects of life, no matter how difficult and dark it may seem. He reminds us that amidst the chaotic and uncertain world we live in, we shouldn't forget about the small moments of joy and beauty that make life worth living. The song tells us to not get bogged down by the negativity of the world, but instead to keep our eyes and hearts open to the simple pleasures that bring delight.
The lyrics tell us to remember that life has its struggles, with rumors, expectations, clangor, and dislocation, but there is always a bright side to everything. Cockburn highlights the post-ironic postulating and the poets' pilfered rhymes that surround us, reminding us that meaning feels like it's evaporating out of sight and out of mind, but we should still keep looking for the good. He tells us that even when we find ourselves alone and stranded, with no friend to take our side, we shouldn't forget about delight. We should always be mindful of the beauty around us, like the spring birds pecking among the pressed down grasses, or the clouds that move in the sky like zeppelins.
The song's message is one of hope, encouraging us to not forget the small moments of joy and wonder that are present in abundance in our world. It's an ode to the simple pleasures that make life worth living, and a reminder to not let the negative aspects of life overpower them.
Line by Line Meaning
Amid the rumours and the expectations
In the midst of all the anticipation and hearsay
And all the stories dreamt and lived
Of every tale imagined and every experience cherished
Amid the clangour and the dislocation
During the noise and disorientation
and things to fear and to forgive
And the events that provoke fear or forgiveness
Don't forget
about delight
Y know what I'm saying to you
Don't forget
about delight
Y know
Do not overlook the source of pleasure, joy and happiness in life
Amid the post-ironic postulating
In the midst of the hipster reasoning
and the poets' pilfered rhymes
And the poets' borrowed verses
Meaning feels like it's evaporating
The sense of significance appears to be vanishing
Out of sight and out of mind
No longer visible or remembered
Though you find yourself alone and stranded
Even if you are isolated and helpless
with no friend to take your side
When no one is there to support you
On the endless road afoot and empty-handed
While travelling on the deserted path with nothing to hold on to
where the wild-eyed Cossacks ride
Along with the crazed horsemen
Spring birds peck among the pressed-down grasses
The birds search for food on the flattened grass
Clouds like zeppelins cross the sky
Huge clouds move across the atmosphere
Anger drips and pools and then it passes
Irritation drips, accumulates and subsides
And I say a prayer that I
And I hope and express a wish that I
Contributed by David F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Barry Anglin
One of his all time best.