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."
Feast Of Fools
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Humour can sometimes be cruel
But under certain conditions
You have to forget the rules
At the feast of fools
Everybody has a voice
Nobody goes to the bottom
It's time for the silent criers to be held in love
It's time for the ones who dig graves for them to get that final shove
It's time for the horizons of the universe to be glimpsed even by the faceless kings of corporations
It's time for chaos to win and walk off with the prize which turns out to be nothing
At the feast of fools
Outlaws can all come home
You can wear any disguise you want
But you'll be naked past the bone
At the feast of fools
People's hands weave light
There is a diamond wind
Flowering in the darkest night
It's time for the silent criers to be held in love
It's time for the ones who dig graves for them to get that final shove
It's time for the horizons of the universe to be glimpsed even by the faceless kings of corporations
It's time for chaos to win and walk off with the prize which turns out to be (a big fat) nothing.
It's time for the singers of songs without hope to take a hard look and start from scratch again
It's time for these headlights racing against inescapable dark to be just forgotten
It's time for Harlequin to leap out of the future into the midst of a world of dancers
It's time for us all to stand hushed in the cathedral of silence waiting at the river's end.
The song "Feast of Fools" by Bruce Cockburn is a contemplative and introspective piece that delves into the ideas of breaking free from societal norms and being oneself. It implies that despite the expected consequences of humor that is sometimes cruel, one must let go of the societal rules and restrictions, and embrace their own individuality. The title of the song comes from the medieval Catholic festival of the same name. During this time, people indulged in excessive eating, drinking, and singing, breaking free from the societal constraints of the time.
The song's lyrics describe the empowerment of people to be who they want to be during the Feast of Fools. The reference to "silent criers" denotes people who may not have the freedom to express themselves, while the "ones who dig graves for them" are the ones that perpetuate societal norms and restrict individuality. The song also refers to "faceless kings of corporations," signifying the lack of individuality and personal identity caused by the corporate world. Through these descriptions, the song discusses the importance of breaking free from the societal chains and embracing oneself to find inner joy and peace.
Overall, the song "Feast of Fools" speaks to the human need for self-expression and the dangers of succumbing to societal norms, often at the cost of personal identity. The song's insights, delivered through the poignant lyrics, urge listeners to look deep within, find their unique voice, and embrace the courage to express themselves authentically.
Line by Line Meaning
At the feast of fools
At a gathering where people let go of their inhibitions
Humour can sometimes be cruel
Jokes can hurt people's feelings in this setting
But under certain conditions
Context matters
You have to forget the rules
You have to let loose
Everybody has a voice
Everyone's opinions are valued
Nobody goes to the bottom
No one is excluded
Except by their own choice
Unless they choose to remove themselves
It's time for the silent criers to be held in love
It's time for those struggling silently to receive care and support
It's time for the ones who dig graves for them to get that final shove
It's time for those causing harm to be held accountable
It's time for the horizons of the universe to be glimpsed even by the faceless kings of corporations
It's time for everyone, even those in power, to broaden their perspectives
It's time for chaos to win and walk off with the prize which turns out to be nothing
It's time for a revolution, even if it leads to nothing tangible
Outlaws can all come home
Those who have been ostracized can find belonging in this space
You can wear any disguise you want
You can be whoever you want to be
But you'll be naked past the bone
Your true self will be revealed
People's hands weave light
People have the power to create beauty
There is a diamond wind
There is something magical in the air
Flowering in the darkest night
Beauty can arise from difficult circumstances
It's time for the singers of songs without hope to take a hard look and start from scratch again
It's time for those who have lost hope to reevaluate and find a new path
It's time for these headlights racing against inescapable dark to be just forgotten
It's time to let go of the fear of the unknown
It's time for Harlequin to leap out of the future into the midst of a world of dancers
It's time for unexpected joy to enter our lives
It's time for us all to stand hushed in the cathedral of silence waiting at the river's end.
It's time for us to be still and wait for what comes next
Contributed by Elliot P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.