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."
No Footprints
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Above mist hangs stone face of mountain
Above mountain face hangs a net of sky --
Crack! there are wings and they rip the net!
And the dance flows on
Everything flows toward the rim of that
Shining cup
Crossed sticks lie on earth
Between crossed sticks -- pile of ash
Something rises on the wisp of smoke
Dog's feet move by fast
And the dance flows on
Everything flows toward the rim of that
Shining cup
Through these channels/words
I want to touch you
Touch you deep down
Where you live
Not for power but
Because I love you
So
Love the Lord
And in Him love me too
And in Him go your way
And I'll be right there with you
Leaving
No footprints when we go
No footprints when we go
Only where we've been, a faint and fading glow...
The lyrics to Bruce Cockburn's song "No Footprints" are open to interpretation, but the opening verse evokes a sense of wonder and awe at the natural world, with the mist hanging above hills, the stone face of the mountain, and the net of sky that rips as wings pass through. The subsequent verse seems to refer to the passing of time, with crossed sticks on the ground and a pile of ash between them, perhaps symbolizing the ashes of a fire that has burned down. The reference to "dog's feet" moving by fast could be a nod to the fleeting nature of life.
Despite these somewhat abstract and mysterious verses, the chorus provides a more straightforward message of love and companionship. The singer hopes to touch someone deeply, not for power, but out of love. The reference to loving the Lord and being right there with someone as they go through life suggests a sort of spiritual unity, with the idea that there will be no footprints left behind, only a faint and fading glow of where they've been together.
Overall, the lyrics to "No Footprints" seem to blend a reverence for the natural world with a sense of the transitory nature of human existence. Despite this, the song ultimately celebrates connection and love as a way to transcend the boundaries of time and space.
Line by Line Meaning
Mist hangs above hills
The air is humid and foggy, and the mist is suspended above the hills
Above mist hangs stone face of mountain
The face of the mountain is visible above the mist, and there is a sense of stillness and solidity to it
Above mountain face hangs a net of sky --
The sky appears like a net, suspended above the mountain face, forming a transient barrier between earth and sky
Crack! there are wings and they rip the net!
Suddenly, the sky is split open by the sound of wings, as a bird or other flying creature pierces through the 'net' of sky.
And the dance flows on
Everything flows toward the rim of that
Shining cup
Life continues to move forward, with all things gradually drifting and merging towards a distant horizon
Crossed sticks lie on earth
Two sticks are crossed and lying on the ground
Between crossed sticks -- pile of ash
Beneath the crossed sticks is a pile of ashes, suggesting that a fire has burned out
Something rises on the wisp of smoke
Some kind of ephemeral form is suggested to be rising up from the smoke left behind by the fire
Dog's feet move by fast
The sound of a dog's feet can be heard moving quickly in the distance
Through these channels/words
I want to touch you
Touch you deep down
Where you live
Not for power but
Because I love you
So
Love the Lord
And in Him love me too
And in Him go your way
And I'll be right there with you
The artist is using music or poetry as a way to connect with another person on a deep emotional level, expressing their love and desire to share a spiritual journey together
Leaving
No footprints when we go
No footprints when we go
Only where we've been, a faint and fading glow...
The singer contemplates the transience of human existence, and how our impact on the world is fleeting and temporary. The idea is that we should embrace the present moment and cherish the memories we make, rather than worrying about leaving a lasting legacy.
Contributed by Lucas B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rebecca Helen
Still one of my go to LP's for comfort and inspiration. "Everything flows toward the rim of that shining cup".........thanks for all the inspiration, Bruce.
limestonegoth
That is the very line I always quote and repeat to myself often.
Souris Voleur
The bass playing on this album is superlative. Really anchors Bruce's guitar and the brilliant piano work.
lgcybernetics
Agree ! His recordings have a lot of killer bass lines, not to mention stellar bass players
Robert Davidson
Amazingly good acoustic album one I never get tired of listening to his best acoustic album ...
MWL4466
Had this with me while I hiked around Stanley Park in B.C. years ago..
I thought I was in heaven.
Perfect..
John Stallings
Love 💕 this album and the cover art too! ❄️🌍❄️👁️💝🎵💣💥❤️💕
R G
One if the most inspired songs from Bruce.
Robert Davidson
Met Bruce October 2019..memorable experience..someone took our picture together! Been a fan since teen!He released Crowing Ignites when met him Ontario!
RobH Heinbecker
Though I wish I had discovered his music earlier, I would've been 9 when this was released and had busied myself with a pencil eraser trying clean off the scratches on my Fleetwood Mac Rumours album. So maybe I wouldn't have been ready.