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."
Night Train
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's the sound somebody makes when they're getting away
Leaving next week's hanging jury far behind them
A prisoner only of the choices they've made
Night train
Night train
The moon is floating somewhere out at sea
On an island in the blur of noise and color
Alcatraz, St. Helena, Patmos and the Chateau D'If
Night train
Night train
And everyone's an island edged with sand
A temporary refuge where somebody else can stand
'Til the sea that binds us like the forced tide of a blood oath
Will wear it down, dissolve it, recombine it
Anyone can die here, they do it every day
It doesn't take much effort
Though it goes against the grain
And the ultimate forgetfulness of violence
Sweeps the landscape like the headlight of a train
Night train
Night train
Ice cube in a dark drink shines like starlight
Starlight shines like glass shards in dark hair
And the mind's eye tumbles out along the steel track
Fixing every shadow with its stare
Night train
Night train
And in the absence of a vision there are nightmares
And in the absence of compassion there is cancer
Whose banner waves over palaces and mean streets
And the rhythm of the night train is a mantra
In Bruce Cockburn's song Night Train, he describes the feeling of isolation and detachment one may experience from society. The sound of the night train passing by is symbolic of the act of running away and leaving behind problems that one has created for themselves. The lyrics "a prisoner only of the choices they've made" suggests that we are responsible for our own consequences and decisions. Additionally, the reference to Alcatraz, St. Helena, Patmos, and the Chateau D'If are all places of incarceration, further emphasizing the point.
However, the song isn't just about feeling alone or disconnected. It also touches on the futility of existence and the inevitability of death. The lyrics "anyone can die here, they do it every day" and "the ultimate forgetfulness of violence" suggest that we are all vulnerable to our own mortality. The mention of "the sea that binds us like the forced tide of a blood oath" evokes a sense of inevitability about death and how it will dissolve and recombine us all.
Overall, the song Night Train is a haunting and contemplative piece about the fleeting nature of life and the choices we make.
Line by Line Meaning
Not a knife throw from here, you can hear the night train passing
You can hear the sound of someone getting away from their troubles.
Leaving next week's hanging jury far behind them
They are trying to escape the consequences of their choices.
A prisoner only of the choices they've made
They are trapped by the decisions they have made.
Ice cube in a dark drink shines like starlight
The beauty of life is still apparent even in dark moments.
The moon is floating somewhere out at sea
The world is vast and full of unknowns.
On an island in the blur of noise and color
There are moments of peace even in chaos.
Alcatraz, St. Helena, Patmos and the Chateau D'If
These places represent confinement and isolation.
And everyone's an island edged with sand
We are all alone on our own islands of existence.
A temporary refuge where somebody else can stand
Others can find safety in our company, even if it is only temporary.
Til the sea that binds us like the forced tide of a blood oath
We are connected to each other by the power of the sea, and by the choices we've made.
Will wear it down, dissolve it, recombine it
Time and the elements will change and shape us in ways we cannot anticipate.
Anyone can die here, they do it every day
Death is an ever-present possibility.
It doesn't take much effort
Life is fragile and can be taken easily.
Though it goes against the grain
Despite this, we strive to live and survive.
And the ultimate forgetfulness of violence
The horror of violence is often forgotten in time.
Sweeps the landscape like the headlight of a train
Violence can obliterate everything in its path.
And in the absence of a vision there are nightmares
Without hope, there is only despair.
And in the absence of compassion there is cancer
Without love and kindness, cruelty and hatred can take over.
Whose banner waves over palaces and mean streets
Evil can infect anyone and any place.
And the rhythm of the night train is a mantra
The train represents the power of life and death, which is ever present in our lives.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bruce Cockburn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Richard Golub
The most underrated troubador in music history. Gifted musician, gifted song writer and poet!
primroseburrows
"Ice cube in a dark drink shines like starlight; starlight shines like glass shards in dark hair" The lyrics are amazing in this one. <3 <3
moonlitme
Agreed
Stephanie Wilson
Wow. Great song! His voice is amazing.
Rob Davidson
Bruce Cockburn a unique Canadians artist and treasure...Canadas best kept secret
carl mcnamara
brilliant track!
sounds of a train!
Chris M
Heard this for the 1st time today... had to look it up. The stand-up bass work is very impressive!
Torsten Kloeppner
Yeah great. One of the most talented songwriters gets a mere 200 likes for this gem ...
moonlitme
Rob Wasserman nails it in this song....
Steve Dewey
Heard on the car radio today, good driving tune, I like the drum sounding like steam engine