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."
Lily Of The Midnight Sky
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Over the salt pans pipelines masts and pavilions
Shimmering crescent moon recedes into working dawn
Lone crow against pallid sky
Single plume of white smoke on yellow speckled plain
Yellowing leaves sparkle in cold breeze
Wave patterns among wave patterns
Particles disperse and rejoin
Still
The cold of your absence blows from
The silent TV, the parking lot
The balcony with clothes waving good-bye and hello
In the rising day
You keep fading away
Don't I know that you're always around
I can reach you if I try
Lily of the midnight sky
Solders of sunrise, shooting into a forest of flowers
Slow motion
Petals float into pink crimson white
Grow wings
Flutter into mountainous distance
Flutter like a stadium full of applauding hands
I raise a fist to the marauding sun that has hidden you away
I'm the rag in a bottle of gasoline
Longing to ignite
Achilles
All of you, shining on the panther skin of night
Mirrored in a black lake in a night that glistens like blood on gold
Nobody else could be you
If only I could see you
I should be able to touch you somehow
I can reach you if I try
Lily of the midnight sky
While you look from on high
Spare a smile as I
Put on my dog mask and howl for you
I can reach you if I try
Lily of the midnight sky
The first stanza of Bruce Cockburn's "Lily of the Midnight Sky" begins by describing an overwhelming expanse, traversing entire continents and observing the various human activities below. Amidst this grand panorama, a "shimmering crescent moon" disappears in the dawn light, leaving a lone crow and a plume of white smoke as the only points of interest in the bleak, vast landscape. The words "wave patterns among wave patterns" and "particles disperse and rejoin / dissolve and reform" evoke a sense of perpetual motion and transformation, akin to a cosmic dance. However, amidst all this change, there is a sense of stillness that echoes the singer's feelings of absence and loss. The "cold of your absence" is felt keenly, even in mundane places like the parking lot or balcony, and contrasts with the warmth of the rising sun.
The second stanza shifts to a more surreal, dreamlike imagery. The person being addressed seems to be compared to a "Lily of the Midnight Sky", a flower that can withstand the darkness and yet bloom in the midst of it. Beautiful and rare, they exist in a world of "soldiers of sunrise" and "mountainous distance", which could signify a spiritual or emotional realm in contrast to the mundanity of the previous stanza. The singer echoes the sentiment of longing from the first stanza, expressing a desire to "touch" or "see" the person they are addressing. There is a tone of desperation as the singer recognizes their own limitations ("I'm the rag in a bottle of gasoline") and the futility of their attempts to grasp something that seems so ephemeral. Yet, the closing lines seem to suggest a sense of hope, an acknowledgement that even the most distant and mysterious things can be reached through effort and perseverance.
Line by Line Meaning
Over the slow slide of continents
The gradual movement of the Earth's land masses is evident
Over the salt pans pipelines masts and pavilions
The land is dotted with various structures and industries
Shimmering crescent moon recedes into working dawn
The moon fades as the morning sun rises
Lone crow against pallid sky
A solitary bird stands out against a dull sky
Single plume of white smoke on yellow speckled plain
One lone smoke signal stands out against the vast empty landscape
Yellowing leaves sparkle in cold breeze
The dying leaves glisten as they tumble in the cool wind
Wave patterns among wave patterns
The patterns of the water ebb and flow in complex ripples
Particles disperse and rejoin
The tiny pieces of matter scatter and come back together repeatedly
Dissolve and reform like the lining of a womb
The particles appear to dissolve and reform like the lining of a uterus during childbirth
Still
Despite all the movement around, there is a sense of stillness
The cold of your absence blows from
You are not physically present, but your absence can still be felt
The silent TV, the parking lot
The emptiness of the TV and the parking lot symbolize your absence
The balcony with clothes waving good-bye and hello
The balcony symbolizes the transition between goodbyes and returns
In the rising day
As the sun comes up
You keep fading away
You are constantly slipping away from me
Don't I know that you're always around
Despite your physical absence, you are still present in my thoughts
I can reach you if I try
I can connect with you emotionally
Lily of the midnight sky
You are like the flower that blooms in the darkness
Soldiers of sunrise, shooting into a forest of flowers
The sunrise is like an army of soldiers marching towards the blooming field
Slow motion
The movement is exaggerated and slowed down
Petals float into pink crimson white
The flower petals are a mix of different shades of red and white
Grow wings
The petals appear to take flight and grow into wings
Flutter into mountainous distance
The petals fly off into the distant landscape
Flutter like a stadium full of applauding hands
The petals resemble a crowd of clapping hands
I raise a fist to the marauding sun that has hidden you away
I am angry at the sun for taking you away from me
I'm the rag in a bottle of gasoline
I am a volatile and explosive individual
Longing to ignite
I am desperate to light a spark and connect with you
Achilles
A reference to the Greek mythological character known for his strength and bravery
All of you, shining on the panther skin of night
You shine like stars on the dark canvas of night
Mirrored in a black lake in a night that glistens like blood on gold
The reflection of the stars in the black lake creates a shimmering effect
Nobody else could be you
There is nobody else like you
If only I could see you
If only I could have you in my physical presence
I should be able to touch you somehow
I wish I could physically connect with you
While you look from on high
While you observe from a higher position or perspective
Spare a smile as I
Please give me a small gesture of kindness
Put on my dog mask and howl for you
I am willing to do anything for your attention
Lily of the midnight sky
You are a rare and beautiful flower in the darkness
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bruce Cockburn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leesiuleung1816
The two thumbs down are from people who can’t understand lyrics that have more than two syllables.
Love ya Bruce!
@MrJeffreyromain
This track has always elicited thoughts of David Gilmour for me. I don't think it's a stretch to think this one could have worked nicely on The Division Bell or Momentary Lapse Of Reason. Such a wistful yet triumphant tune.
@carlosmarsh7585
OMG how long i have waited for this gem to be uploaded! THANK YOU THANK YOU!
@mouffetard5261
AWESOMENESS!!! love him
@mouffetard5261
MIRROR IN THE BLACK LAKE AND BLOOD THAT GLISTENS
@moonlitme
Bruce is well known for his remarkable songwriting, and for his love affair with the moon...but honestly, I don't think anything matches the lyrical longing of this song:
Over the slow slide of continents
Over the salt pans pipelines masts and pavilions
Shimmering crescent moon recedes into working dawn -
Lone crow against pallid sky
Single plume of white smoke on yellow speckled plain
Yellowing leaves sparkle in cold breeze -
Wave patterns among wave patterns
Particles disperse and rejoin
Dissolve and reform like the lining of a womb
Still
The cold of your absence blows from
The silent TV, the parking lot
The balcony with clothes waving
good-bye
hello
In the rising day
You keep fading away
Don't I know that you're always around
I could reach you if I try
Lily of the midnight sky
Lily of the midnight sky
Solders of sunrise - shooting into a forest of flowers
Slow motion
Petals float into air
pink crimson white
Grow wings
Flutter into mountainous distance
Flutter like a stadium full of applauding hands
I raise a fist to the marauding sun that has hidden you away
I'm the rag in a bottle of gasoline
Longing to ignite
Ich will alles (I want it all)
All of you - shining on the panther skin of night
Mirrored in a black lake in a night that glistens like blood on gold
Nobody else could be you
If only I could see you
I should be able to touch you somehow
I could reach you if I try
Lily of the midnight sky
While you look from on high
Spare a smile as I
Put on my dog mask and howl for you
I could reach you if I try
Lily of the midnight sky
Lily of the midnight sky
Lily of the midnight sky
@carmenlov4739
lyrical longing...bruce couldn't have described it better...
@moonlitme
except, perhaps, maybe 'Berlin Tonight'