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."
Incandescent Blue
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I could stand in this tunnel, waiting for the roaring train
And watch those black kids working out kung fu moves
If you don't want to be the horses' hoofprints you got to be the hooves
Hear that lonesome violin play
See the notes float up into the overcast
and change to white birds as they sail on through
People getting ready behind all those rectangles of light
"Put on your grin mask, babe, you know we're steppin out tonight"
You hear that sound, like hammers only small?
It's what the people's heads say when they beat them against the wall
Hear that lonesome violin play
See the notes float up into the overcast
and change to white birds as they sail on through
and soar away free into incandescent blue
Concrete vortex sucks down the wind
It's howling like a blinded violin.
Oh -- tongues of fire, come and kiss my brow
if I ever needed you, well I need you now
Hear that lonesome violin play
See the notes float up into the overcast
and change to white birds as they sail on through
and soar away free into incandescent blue
The song "Incandescent Blue" by Bruce Cockburn tells the story of someone who has crossed the border to witness a group of black kids doing kung fu moves in a tunnel. The person watching the scene feels inspired by the kids' determination to be the hooves rather than the horses' hoofprints. In the next verse, the song describes a scene where people are getting ready for a night out while wearing their "grin masks." The hammering sound in the background represents the frustration and anger of people beating their heads against the wall. In the next verse, the song talks about the concrete vortex that sucks down the wind and howls like a blinded violin. The singer calls out to the tongues of fire to kiss his brow because he needs them more than ever before.
The song is a passionate plea for change and hope. The lonesome violin playing throughout the piece represents the struggles of society and the beauty that is still present. The lyrics are painting a picture of a world that is both chaotic and beautiful at the same time. The incandescent blue that the white birds soar away into represents the hope that things will get better someday, even if they are not perfect now.
Line by Line Meaning
I sneaked across the border -- it was threatening rain --
The singer crossed the border secretly, under the threat of impending rain
So I could stand in this tunnel, waiting for the roaring train
The singer is waiting in a tunnel to observe a train as it passes by
And watch those black kids working out kung fu moves
The singer observes young African American individuals practicing Kung Fu
If you don't want to be the horses' hoofprints you got to be the hooves
In order to take control of one's own destiny, one must actively participate in their own life and not just be a passive bystander
Hear that lonesome violin play
The artist notices the sound of a lonely violin playing
See the notes float up into the overcast
The singer observes the musical notes rise up and drift into the cloudy sky
and change to white birds as they sail on through
The notes transform into white birds which soar freely
and soar away free into incandescent blue
The birds disappear into the bright blue sky, representing freedom
People getting ready behind all those rectangles of light
The artist observes individuals getting ready for the night in their illuminated apartments
"Put on your grin mask, babe, you know we're steppin out tonight"
The artist hears someone encouraging their partner to put on a happy façade as they go out for the evening
You hear that sound, like hammers only small?
The singer asks if the listener can hear the sound which resembles small hammers striking something
It's what the people's heads say when they beat them against the wall
The sound is the internal dialogue of people as they struggle and face difficulties in their lives
Concrete vortex sucks down the wind
The environment is bleak and hostile, with the wind being pulled into a metaphorical vortex
It's howling like a blinded violin.
The wind creates a sound similar to that of a violin being played in a painful, distressed manner
Oh -- tongues of fire, come and kiss my brow
The singer calls out for strength and passion during a difficult time
if I ever needed you, well I need you now
The artist expresses their current need for assistance and guidance
Contributed by Gianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
J Mac
This whole album is a masterpiece....
Mary-Beth Hallen
the bass lines ...incredable!
Luke S
@Scott Robbins that's Fergus Marsh. His brother Hugh was playing violin with Cockburn for a while. Played a Chapman Stick on later albums; not sure about this one.
Scott Robbins
Bass player was listening to some Jaco!
Peter Ramos
Great Song! Bruce is Greatly appreciated!
Rae Zola
this song is my fave I remember hitch hiking thru the Desert landing my feet at my Brother s and hearing this in my head ...everyone a hippy Cowboy we all got along ..
Veronica Funky
Rae Zola ok
emory0
I remember driving through the Yucatan on a tourist bus while listening to this: In Villadolid they'd built a sleeping policeman so high the people in the other bus had to get out and push their bus over it.
PaJó Afonso
Bruce Cockburn – guitar, chimes, synthesizer, dulcimer, vocals
Pat Godfrey – piano, marimba, background vocal on "Wondering Where the Lions Are"
Robert Boucher – bass
Bob Di Salle – drums, congas
except on "Wondering Where the Lions Are"
Larry "Sticky Fingers" Silvera – bass, background vocal
Ben Bow – drums, güiro, background vocal
CrispyDragons
Really nice fretless bass playing on this one.