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."
January In The Halifax Airport Lounge
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Worthless money changing hands
"Changing them to what?" -- I wonder
As in the dust the jet plane thunders
Carries every feeling into gloom
I miss you like I miss the flowers in bloom
There's a crisis in the outer world
Some Winnipeg boys are Cyprus-bound
I hope they live to touch home ground
I hope we live to touch, if just once more
I need you like the river needs the shore
In life so delicate and strange
Understanding seldom comes in range
We stumble through familiar scenes
Never thinking what it means,
In this cluttered landscape to be loved
I need you like I need the stars above
The song "January in the Halifax Airport Lounge" by Bruce Cockburn is a poignant reflection on the cyclical nature of time and distance. The lyrics capture the complexity and disorientation of modern life, as we constantly move between different places and experiences, struggling to make sense of it all. The opening lines allude to the futility of wealth and power in the face of our mortal limitations. In a globalized world, money can be exchanged across borders in an instant, but what does it really buy us?
As the singer watches the plane take off into the distance, carrying them further away from home, they feel a sense of loss and loneliness. The line "Carries every feeling into gloom" captures the emotional weight of travel, as we leave behind the people and places we care about. In this moment, the singer is reminded of the fleeting and ephemeral nature of beauty and joy, symbolized by the flowers in bloom that they miss.
But the song is not just about personal loss and longing. The second verse shifts to a wider perspective, as the singer reflects on the global crises and conflicts that impact us all. The smoke trails in the sky and the news of young men being sent off to fight in Cyprus highlight the precariousness of our collective fate. Yet despite these challenges, the singer still holds on to hope - hope that these young men will make it back home, hope that they can themselves touch "home ground."
Ultimately, the song is a meditation on the essential need we all have for love and connection, even in the face of the unknown and the challenging. In a world that can often feel cluttered and overwhelming, it is the power of human relationships that helps us make sense of it all. As the singer says, "In this cluttered landscape to be loved/I need you like I need the stars above."
Line by Line Meaning
Distant times in distant lands
Reflecting on the past and the geographical distance between places
Worthless money changing hands
Questioning the value of currency and its significance in the world
"Changing them to what?" -- I wonder
Questioning what the exchanged currency is ultimately used for
As in the dust the jet plane thunders
Observing the noise and chaos of air travel and its impact on society
Carries every feeling into gloom
Suggesting that air travel can be a melancholic experience
I miss you like I miss the flowers in bloom
Expressing deep feelings of longing and nostalgia
There's a crisis in the outer world
Acknowledging the presence of global problems and conflicts
In the sky the smoke trails curl
Describing the visual effect of pollution on the environment
Some Winnipeg boys are Cyprus-bound
Noting the movement of people and potential danger in travel
I hope they live to touch home ground
Expressing concern for the safety of others and their journey
I hope we live to touch, if just once more
Expressing a similar hope for reconnection and reunion
I need you like the river needs the shore
Comparing the necessity of a loved one to the presence of a shoreline for a river
In life so delicate and strange
Reflecting on the mysterious and unpredictable nature of existence
Understanding seldom comes in range
Suggesting the difficulty in comprehending the complexity of life
We stumble through familiar scenes
Acknowledging the routine nature of daily life and its challenges
Never thinking what it means
Noting the lack of reflection or deeper contemplation in daily life
In this cluttered landscape to be loved
Finding solace and meaning in the act of being loved
I need you like I need the stars above
Comparing the necessity of a loved one to the presence of stars in the sky
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRUCE COCKBURN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Brent Sutherland
I was at Stanfield the other day. The exact space that the Halifax Airport Lounge was in, is now a gift shop. My dad traveled a lot for work, and he did like to have a drink-so I can relate to this song.