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."
Love Song
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
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There I find you
Your face shines in my sky
In your heart where the world comes from
There you will find me
Your eyes dance in my mind
We will sail on the wind
We will sway among the yellow grass
When you be beside me
I am real
Though my eyes be closed forever
Still I would find you
You shine across my time
Come with me
We will sail on the wind
We will sway among the yellow grass
When you be beside me
I am real
In the place my wonder comes from
There I find you
The lyrics to Bruce Cockburn's Love Song are ethereal and spiritual, invoking imagery of two souls connected in a cosmic sense. The first verse talks about the singer's "wonder," possibly referring to a deep sense of awe or amazement, and how they find their loved one in that same place. The use of "my sky" and "your eyes dance in my mind" gives the impression of two people connected in a vast, open space, a spiritual union that transcends physical limits.
The chorus repeats the idea of sailing on the wind and swaying among the yellow grass, creating a sense of movement and freedom. The line "When you be beside me, I am real" speaks to the idea of finding oneself through union with another. The last verse talks about the singer's love shining across their time, even if their physical eyes are closed, suggesting the idea of eternal love and a connection beyond the temporal.
Overall, Love Song is a beautiful testament to the power of love and a spiritual connection that transcends physical boundaries.
Line by Line Meaning
In the place my wonder comes from
I find you in the source of my amazement
There I find you
You exist in that same place
Your face shines in my sky
Your charming countenance illuminates my surroundings
In your heart where the world comes from
I find myself within you, the origin of everything
There you will find me
You will discover me within yourself
Your eyes dance in my mind
The gleaming of your eyes festively displays within my thoughts
Come with me
Join me in my journey
We will sail on the wind
Together we will travel on the gusts of air
We will sway among the yellow grass
Our bodies will sway amidst the golden meadow
When you be beside me
Only then do I exist
I am real
My existence is only because of you
Though my eyes be closed forever
Even in death
Still I would find you
I will always find you
You shine across my time
Your shimmering persists through all eternity
Contributed by Kennedy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.