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."
Early On One Christmas Morn
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Early on one Christmas morn
Jesus Christ the son was born
Singing carols, Christmas songs
Early on one Christmas morn
Early on one Christmas morn
Singing carols, Christmas songs
Jesus Christ the son was born
Three wise men saw the star at night
Star that lit the heavens so bright
Star that led them to where Christ was born
Early on one Christmas morn
Early on one Christmas morn
Jesus Christ the son was born
Singing carols, Christmas songs
Early on one Christmas morn
Early on one Christmas morn
Jesus Christ the son was born
Singing carols, Christmas songs
Jesus Christ the son was born
In that city of Bethlehem
Wise men brought Him jewels and gems
Born in a manger humble and low
That is why we love Him so
Early on one Christmas morn
Jesus Christ the son was born
Singing carols, Christmas songs
Jesus Christ the son was born
Mary was his mother calm
cradling him gently in her arms
all hail and praise to Him
peace on earth, goodwill to men
Early on one Christmas morn
Jesus Christ the son was born
singing carols, christmas songs
Early on one Christmas morn
Early on one Christmas morn
Jesus Christ the son was born
singing carols, Christmas songs
Jesus Christ the son was born
Jesus Christ the son was born.
The lyrics to Early On One Christmas Morn by Bruce Cockburn are a retelling of the story of Jesus' birth on Christmas morning. The song begins by introducing Jesus as the son of God and the savior of the world. The next verse describes the three wise men who saw the star that led them to Jesus' birthplace in Bethlehem. The third verse acknowledges the humble circumstances of Jesus' birth, with wise men bringing jewels and gems to the manger.
The final verse emphasizes the peaceful and loving nature of Jesus' message, and praises his mother Mary for her role in raising him. The repeated line "Jesus Christ the son was born" reinforces the importance of this event in the Christian faith.
Overall, the song serves as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas and the reason for celebrating.
Line by Line Meaning
Early on one Christmas morn
At the dawn of Christmas Day
Jesus Christ the son was born
The birth of the son of God
Singing carols, Christmas songs
Praising and celebrating the birth of Jesus
Early on one Christmas morn
At the dawn of Christmas Day
Three wise men saw the star at night
Three wise men followed a bright star in the sky
Star that lit the heavens so bright
The star was so bright that it lit up the entire sky
Star that led them to where Christ was born
The star guided the wise men to the birthplace of Jesus
Early on one Christmas morn
At the dawn of Christmas Day
Jesus Christ the son was born
The birth of the son of God
In that city of Bethlehem
The birthplace of Jesus
Wise men brought Him jewels and gems
The wise men bestowed gifts of value upon the newborn Jesus
Born in a manger humble and low
Jesus was born in a modest stable, not a grand place
That is why we love Him so
Jesus' humble beginnings make him relatable and beloved
Mary was his mother calm
Mary was a serene and peaceful mother to Jesus
Cradling him gently in her arms
Mary held her newborn baby with tenderness and care
All hail and praise to Him
Celebrating and honoring the birth of Jesus
Peace on earth, goodwill to men
The hope for peace and kindness among all people
Early on one Christmas morn
At the dawn of Christmas Day
Jesus Christ the son was born
The birth of the son of God
Singing carols, Christmas songs
Praising and celebrating the birth of Jesus
Early on one Christmas morn
At the dawn of Christmas Day
Jesus Christ the son was born
The birth of the son of God
Contributed by Dominic M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rickcbenson7453
Oh yeah! I gotta learn this rockin faith tune on my banjo!
@bonnieluvstheblues6777
I've never heard this before! I love it!
@Lupton2000
People who worked at K Mart would remember this. They played this six times a day during the Christmas Holidays.
@meesterwillemzon3857
Super cool
@annamariehewitt3173
NOW THAT IS A REALLY GREAT CHRISTMAS SONG THAT I'VE NEVERHEARD BEFORE...
@susansawyer2475
This whole album is a joy!