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."
Guerilla Betrayed
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out of the white light up river
At a certain point you can only die
High contrast resolution
Of wet rock and new snow
These bodies remind me
Of tire marks frozen in the mud
We thought we could change something
We helped them win
We changed the slogans
We get hunted again
When you're the fighter
You're the politicians tool
When you're the fighter
You're everybody's fool
They move like bears through city streets
They've got a flag flying over every factory
I'd like to put a bullet through the world
Wagon full of logs with one flat tire
Armed men moving down through the bush
Up river at a certain point you can...
Ships... white light... only
The lyrics of Bruce Cockburn's song "Guerilla Betrayed" depict the disillusionment of a member of a guerrilla movement after realizing that their efforts to change the system have been co-opted by those in power. The opening lines suggest a sense of foreboding as ships move into a dark and ominous cloud, evoking an image of impending danger. The mention of white light upriver and the idea of reaching a certain point where one can only die suggest the inevitability of death in the context of the struggle.
The contrast between wet rock and new snow serves as a metaphor for the sharp divide between the rebels' idealism and the harsh reality they face. The bodies that remind the singer of tire marks frozen in mud suggest the futility of their struggle, as if their actions have left only a fleeting imprint on the world. The lines "We thought we could change something/We helped them win/We changed the slogans/We get hunted again" underscore the betrayal felt by the guerrillas, as they realize they have played right into the hands of the politicians they sought to overthrow.
The second half of the song introduces the idea of the guerrillas as bears, a symbol of wildness and power, but one that is ultimately ineffective within the confines of the city. The lines "When you're the fighter/You're the politicians tool/When you're the fighter/You're everybody's fool" highlight the sense of disillusionment and powerlessness felt by the singer. The final stanza puts the struggles of the guerrillas in the context of a larger, global struggle, as the singer expresses a desire to "put a bullet through the world".
Line by Line Meaning
Ships moving into this cave of cloud
A group of ships are sailing into a dense fog.
Out of the white light up river
The ships are coming from a bright light up the river.
At a certain point you can only die
There comes a point where death is inevitable.
High contrast resolution
A clear and distinct view.
Of wet rock and new snow
The view is of damp rocks and fresh snow.
These bodies remind me
These corpses make me think.
Of tire marks frozen in the mud
They look like tire tracks that have been frozen in the mud.
We thought we could change something
We once believed we could make a difference.
We helped them win
And we even helped them achieve victory.
We changed the slogans
We altered the rallying cries of the group we fought for.
We get hunted again
Yet we find ourselves on the run once more.
When you're the fighter
As someone who's willing to fight,
You're the politicians tool
You're often manipulated by political leaders.
You're everybody's fool
In the end, you become a pawn for all parties involved.
They move like bears through city streets
A group of people move through the city with a sense of strength and determination.
They've got a flag flying over every factory
They've claimed victory over every workplace.
I'd like to put a bullet through the world
I feel such despair that I wish the whole world could be shot.
Wagon full of logs with one flat tire
A wagon carrying a heavy load of logs has a single flat tire.
Armed men moving down through the bush
Some men with weapons are moving down through the underbrush.
Up river at a certain point you can...
Further upstream, you reach a point where...
Ships... white light... only
...ships emerge from a bright light, and nothing else can be seen.
Contributed by Adalyn S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
George Mathie
This is one of Bruce's most honest and powerful albums it has the power to make you think about serious human issues such as racism, ignorance and humanity
Brian Lynch
Humans is a Bruce Cockburn masterpiece.
Kidwaryod Production
Love the album cover. Looks like he's paperboy in NES game.
Edward Benedict
TIMELESS