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."
My Beat
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Past the derelict mattress
and the overgrown pavement
over the tracks
and through the hole in the fence
Past graffiti-bright buildings
and the junkyard alarm bell
and it's all present tense
It's my beat
In my new town
Past the drunk woman reeling
with her bag of provisions
Down through the tunnel
with the stink-fuming bus
On to the bike path
where it's something like freedom
and the wind in my earring whispers
Trust what you must
It's my beat
In my new town
Ancient and always
The wheel's ever whirling
Today I'm riding
Tomorrow I walk
Step through forever
into this very moment
The heart is pumping
and the heart rocks
It's my beat
In my new town
The song "My Beat" by Bruce Cockburn is a song about exploring a new town and taking in all the sights and sounds that it has to offer. It describes the experience of walking through an urban landscape, past abandoned mattresses and overgrown pavement, through tunnels and past graffiti-laden buildings, and feeling the pulse of the city as represented by "screaming police cars" and "junkyard alarm bells." All the while, the singer is aware of the ever-present wheel of life, the cycle of beginning and ending that is always turning, and the importance of trusting oneself and embracing the present moment.
The lyrics convey a sense of freedom and independence, as the singer moves through the city on their own terms, navigating the urban landscape on a bike path that feels like "something like freedom." The idea of "my beat" suggests that the singer has found their own rhythm and pace, their own way of inhabiting this new town. There is a sense of excitement and possibility in the music and the lyrics, as if anything could happen in this new place, and the singer is ready to embrace it all.
Overall, "My Beat" is a song about exploration and self-discovery, about finding one's own way in a new place and feeling the pulse of the city. It is a celebration of life and movement, of the ever-turning wheel of time, and of the importance of trusting oneself and staying present in the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Past the derelict mattress
Starting from the derelict mattress that reminds me of the troubled past
and the overgrown pavement
Alongside the pavement that's been left unattended and neglected over time
over the tracks
Crossing the railway tracks that symbolize the irreversible things in life
and through the hole in the fence
Sneaking past the gap in the security fence that delineates the boundaries
Past graffiti-bright buildings
Moving through the brightly painted buildings covered in street art
and the junkyard alarm bell
Hearing the alarm that goes off at the junkyard to warn people about the danger
and the screaming police cars
Passing by the police cars that rush through the streets responding to an emergency
and it's all present tense
All of this is happening right now in real-time
It's my beat
This is my journey
In my new town
That I've just arrived at and discovering every corner of it
Past the drunk woman reeling
Walking by a woman who's had a little too much to drink, unable to maintain balance
with her bag of provisions
Holding on her bag of groceries which are her only means of survival
Down through the tunnel
Going down the passage that leads to the opposite end
with the stink-fuming bus
Breathing the air that's filled with the fumes of a diesel bus
On to the bike path
Moving onto the path that's meant for traveling on cycle
where it's something like freedom
Finding a sense of relief and freedom after spending most of their time in a confined space
and the wind in my earring whispers
Listening to the sound of the wind in the earring with rapt attention
Trust what you must
Believe and put faith in whatever that's important to you
Ancient and always
An enduring truth that has existed for ages
The wheel's ever whirling
The cycle of life's never-ending process that keeps on revolving
Today I'm riding
Today I'm experiencing the journey in a different way
Tomorrow I walk
Tomorrow might bring new experiences, but they'll be experienced in a different way
Step through forever
Overcoming obstacles that will last indefinitely in one's life
into this very moment
Living in the present, making the most out of every moment
The heart is pumping
The excitement and anticipation felt while experiencing the journey
and the heart rocks
The heart is full of emotions that are felt throughout the journey
It's my beat
This is my unique journey and experience
In my new town
In the new place that I'm exploring
Contributed by Lucas B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.