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."
How I Spent My Fall Vacation
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Behind icy mist and stark bare trees
Inside the dim empty cinema two guys in leather jackets
Glance at each other and shiver, "They never built these places with winter in mind"
Out the window down the gray road
You can see old walled monastery
Now become a barracks for the paramilitary police
Half lit, rich with soft luminosity
She was dozing straight upright head bobbing almost imperceptibly
Wheels were playing fast in 9/8 of a time
Her husband's friendly face suddenly folded up in a sneeze
Across the straight a volcano flew a white smoke flag of surrender
In a Roman street on a full moon night
I was sick and there was a young cop in a circle of yellow light
As we drew near he snapped the safety off his machine pistol
And slid a trembling finger to the trigger
I wanted to say something calming but couldn't catch his eye
He didn't want contact, he was trained to see movement
"Well don't shoot me, man, I'm a graceful slow dancer
I'm just a dream to you not real at all"
I wonder if I'll end up like Bernie in his dream
A displaced person in some foreign border town
Waiting for a train part hope part myth
While the station changes hands
Or just sitting at home growing tenser with the times
Or like that guy in 'The Seventh Seal'
Watching the newly dead dance across the hills
Or wearing this leather jacket shivering with a friend
While the eye of God blazes at us like the sun
The lyrics of Bruce Cockburn's song How I Spent My Fall Vacation depict various snippets and observations throughout the world. It begins with the sunset looking like the eye of God, which is a metaphor for a sense of divine presence in nature. The icy mist and stark bare trees outside, coupled with the dim empty cinema, give a sense of eeriness and desolation. The two men in jackets shivering inside the cinema represent the feeling of uneasiness that comes with the onset of winter. The contrast between the cozy and safe confines of the cinema versus the harsh reality outside reflects the fleeting pleasure and fleeting escapism we look for in life.
The next verse tells the story of an old Japanese lady who is half asleep inside a train. The imagery is vivid and paints a beautiful picture of the scene, but is tinged with sadness and loneliness. The mention of the fast wheels playing in 9/8 time is a clever reference to the rhythm of the music that accompanies the journey. The husband's sudden sneeze breaks her peaceful reverie, and her luminous face fades away. The volcano with its white smoke and flag of surrender is symbolic of the temporary respite that life offers but is ultimately overwhelmed by larger forces beyond our control.
In the final verse, Bruce talks about his fears and uncertainty about the future. The image of the young cop in a circle of yellow light with his machine pistol is menacing and foreboding. The cop's trained to see movement, and Bruce's words fall flat in attempting to connect with him. The interchange between the two men represents the inherent disconnect between individuals and society, between individuals and law enforcement, and ultimately between individuals and the divine. The mention of Bernie in his dream represents the displaced others who wander the world without a sense of belonging. Bruce is acutely aware of the passing of time, growing tenser with the times. The leather jackets and shivering windows are reminders that nature is in balance, indifferent to our struggling and suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
Sun went down looking like the eye of God
As the sun set, it appeared to be like the eye of God.
Behind icy mist and stark bare trees
The sun was setting behind icy mist and stark bare trees.
Inside the dim empty cinema two guys in leather jackets Glance at each other and shiver, "They never built these places with winter in mind"
Two guys sit in a dim, empty cinema wearing leather jackets. They glance at each other and shiver, remarking on how the cinema wasn't designed for winter weather.
Out the window down the gray road You can see old walled monastery Now become a barracks for the paramilitary police
Looking out the window, you can see an old walled monastery that has now become a barracks for the paramilitary police.
I saw an old lady's face once on a Japanese train Half lit, rich with soft luminosity She was dozing straight upright head bobbing almost imperceptibly Wheels were playing fast in 9/8 of a time Her husband's friendly face suddenly folded up in a sneeze Across the straight a volcano flew a white smoke flag of surrender
While on a Japanese train, the artist noticed an old lady's face that was half lit but glowing brightly. She was dozing, sitting upright and bobbing her head ever so slightly. Meanwhile, the train's wheels were playing fast in a 9/8 time signature. The lady's husband suddenly sneezed, and across the straight, a volcano was seen emitting a white smoke flag of surrender.
In a Roman street on a full moon night I was sick and there was a young cop in a circle of yellow light As we drew near he snapped the safety off his machine pistol And slid a trembling finger to the trigger I wanted to say something calming but couldn't catch his eye He didn't want contact, he was trained to see movement "Well don't shoot me, man, I'm a graceful slow dancer I'm just a dream to you not real at all"
On a Roman street during a full moon night, the singer was sick and saw a young cop in a circle of yellow light. As they approached each other, the cop prepared his machine pistol by snapping off the safety and sliding his finger to the trigger, visibly trembling. The singer wanted to say something calming but was unable to do so as the cop avoided eye contact, trained to see movement. The singer jokes that he is a graceful slow dancer and just a dream, not real to the cop.
I wonder if I'll end up like Bernie in his dream A displaced person in some foreign border town Waiting for a train part hope part myth While the station changes hands Or just sitting at home growing tenser with the times Or like that guy in 'The Seventh Seal' Watching the newly dead dance across the hills Or wearing this leather jacket shivering with a friend While the eye of God blazes at us like the sun
The singer wonders what their fate will be, whether they'll end up like Bernie in his dream, a displaced person waiting for a train in a foreign border town, or growing increasingly stressed at home with the changing times. They might end up like the guy in 'The Seventh Seal', watching the newly dead dance across hills, or wearing a leather jacket and shivering with a friend while the setting sun appears like an eye of God staring at them.
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bruce Cockburn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Strahan Pharmacy
Sun went down looking like the eye of God
Behind icy mist and stark bare trees
Inside the dim empty cinema two guys in leather jackets
Glance at each other and shiver
"They never built these places with winter in mind"
Out the window down the gray road
You can see old walled monastery
Now become a barracks for the paramilitary police
I saw an old lady's face once on a Japanese train
Half lit, rich with soft luminosity
She was dozing straight upright head bobbing almost imperceptibly
Wheels were playing fast in 9/8 time
Her husband's friendly face suddenly folded up in a sneeze
Across the straight a volcano flew a white smoke flag of surrender
In a Roman street on a full moon night
I was sick and there was a young cop in a circle of yellow light
As we drew near he snapped the safety off his machine pistol
And slid a trembling finger to the trigger
I wanted to say something calming but couldn't catch his eye
He didn't want contact -- he was trained to see movement
"Well don't shoot me, man, I'm a graceful slow dancer
I'm just a dream to you not real at all"
I wonder if I'll end up like Bernie in his dream
A displaced person in some foreign border town
Waiting for a train part hope part myth
While the station changes hands
Or just sitting at home growing tenser with the times
Or like that guy in "The Seventh Seal"
Watching the newly dead dance across the hills
Or wearing this leather jacket shivering with a friend
While the eye of God blazes at us like the sun...
Bernie Lopez
Sun went down looking like the eye of God
Behind icy mist and stark bare trees
Inside the dim empty cinema two guys in leather jackets
Glance at each other and shiver
"They never built these places with winter in mind"
Out the window down the gray road
You can see old walled monastery
Now become a barracks for the paramilitary police
I saw an old lady's face once on a Japanese train
Half lit, rich with soft luminosity
She was dozing straight upright head bobbing almost imperceptibly
Wheels were playing fast in 9/8 time
Her husband's friendly face suddenly folded up in a sneeze
Across the straight a volcano flew a white smoke flag of surrender
In a Roman street on a full moon night
I was sick and there was a young cop in a circle of yellow light
As we drew near he snapped the safety off his machine pistol
And slid a trembling finger to the trigger
I wanted to say something calming but couldn't catch his eye
He didn't want contact -- he was trained to see movement
"Well don't shoot me, man, I'm a graceful slow dancer
I'm just a dream to you not real at all"
I wonder if I'll end up like Bernie in his dream
A displaced person in some foreign border town
Waiting for a train part hope part myth
While the station changes hands
Or just sitting at home growing tenser with the times
Or like that guy in "The Seventh Seal"
Watching the newly dead dance across the hills
Or wearing this leather jacket shivering with a friend
While the eye of God blazes at us like the sun...
steve austin
This song made me a life time Cockburn fan in 1981. Amazing artist and man
jon preuss
me too two guys in leather jackets glance at each other and shiver
steve austin
Paints such a vivid picture with his lyrics supported by the music. Hugh Marsh's violin work just bring you right in. Brilliant
Guy Esentals
same here / meet him in stockholm he played on my guitar a few songs during the consert and signed it/ nice guy andgreat guys in the band GUY
Brian Lynch
pure lyrical and guitar genius.
Strahan Pharmacy
Sun went down looking like the eye of God
Behind icy mist and stark bare trees
Inside the dim empty cinema two guys in leather jackets
Glance at each other and shiver
"They never built these places with winter in mind"
Out the window down the gray road
You can see old walled monastery
Now become a barracks for the paramilitary police
I saw an old lady's face once on a Japanese train
Half lit, rich with soft luminosity
She was dozing straight upright head bobbing almost imperceptibly
Wheels were playing fast in 9/8 time
Her husband's friendly face suddenly folded up in a sneeze
Across the straight a volcano flew a white smoke flag of surrender
In a Roman street on a full moon night
I was sick and there was a young cop in a circle of yellow light
As we drew near he snapped the safety off his machine pistol
And slid a trembling finger to the trigger
I wanted to say something calming but couldn't catch his eye
He didn't want contact -- he was trained to see movement
"Well don't shoot me, man, I'm a graceful slow dancer
I'm just a dream to you not real at all"
I wonder if I'll end up like Bernie in his dream
A displaced person in some foreign border town
Waiting for a train part hope part myth
While the station changes hands
Or just sitting at home growing tenser with the times
Or like that guy in "The Seventh Seal"
Watching the newly dead dance across the hills
Or wearing this leather jacket shivering with a friend
While the eye of God blazes at us like the sun...
Carl McNamara
they never built these places with winter in mind
this whole album is excellent
Brian Lynch
Don’t shoot me man. I’m just a graceful slow dancer, just a dream to you, not real at all.
Webb Music
A wizard of words and music
Brian Lynch
Many years have past. I still fear the paramilitary police. Especially when they snap the safety off their machine pistols.