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."
Morning Hymn
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brittle corners slide away
Smile back at the day
Shadows flying
Like the mist before the sun
See the sadness run
Silk-spun web of pearls
Glistens in the grass in summer
To dazzling glass in winter
Come near to me
Hear this song I sing to you
Are you singing, too?
The lyrics to Bruce Cockburn's song Morning Hymn evoke a sense of nature and its many transformations. The wind chimes flicker and the brittle corners slide away, showing the beauty and fragility of life. The singer smiles back at the day as shadows fly like mist before the sun. We can see sadness literally run away from him, and the silk-spun web of pearls glistening in the grass in summer is a testament to nature's splendor.
However, the North wind changes all the fields to dazzling glass in winter, reminding us that nature can also be harsh and unforgiving. Still, the song ultimately exhorts the listener to come near and hear the song being sung, asking whether they too are singing. It's a subtle reminder that while we may be different in many ways, we share a common humanity that transcends borders and boundaries.
Overall, Morning Hymn is a powerful reminder of the beauty of nature and the importance of connection and community. It's a song that speaks to the heart and soul, reminding us to appreciate the world around us and to celebrate diversity and unity.
Line by Line Meaning
Wind chimes flicker
The wind chimes are moving gently due to the breeze
Brittle corners slide away
The rough and sharp edges are smoothing out
Smile back at the day
Welcome the new day with a happy face
Shadows flying
The shadow shapes are moving fast
Like the mist before the sun
The darkness disappears before the light
See the sadness run
Negative emotions are leaving quickly
Silk-spun web of pearls
Dewdrops are shining on a spider web
Glistens in the grass in summer
The dew on the grass sparkles in the summer sun
North wind changes all the fields
The cold wind transforms the landscape
To dazzling glass in winter
The frozen fields shine like glass in winter
Come near to me
Approach me and listen closely
Hear this song I sing to you
Listen to the words and meaning of this melody
Are you singing, too?
Are you joining in with the song and expressing yourself?
Contributed by Aubrey T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Robert Davidson
Weeee a new song!