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."
Peggy's Kitchen Wall
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Noises in the hall
Roll over and go back to sleep
It's just a dream, that's all
So how come the window's broken?
What caused the glass to fall?
And who put that bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall?
Tell me, who put that bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall?
Police arrive
Muddy up the floor
Dig out half the plaster
It's a thirty-eight for sure
Kick the neighbour's door in
Saying "better tell it all"
Who put that bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall?
Tell me, who put that bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall?
Blaster on the back porch
Shaking up the lane
They're drinking gin and joking
Laughter falling down like rain
Everybody wears a halo
Never saw nothing at all
So who put that bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall?
Tell me, who put that bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall?
Tell me, who put that bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall?
The song "Peggy's Kitchen Wall" by Bruce Cockburn is a haunting narrative about a mysterious incident involving gunshots and broken glass in Peggy's kitchen. The song starts with crashing noise in the kitchen followed by the sound of breaking glass and the image of a bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall. The singer describes his confusion and attempts to make sense of what has happened. He wonders who could have caused the damage and how it could have happened. As the story unfolds, the police arrive, and the neighbours seem to be hiding something.
The song creates a feeling of anxiety, confusion and desperation with the raw, gritty imagery of gunshots, broken glass, muddy floors, and plaster. The tone of the song is dark, and the lyrics are full of blunt, direct language that paints a vivid picture of the scene. The use of repetition in the chorus serves to emphasize the sense of mystery and confusion surrounding the incident.
The song's true meaning is somewhat of a mystery, but many interpretations have been suggested. Some have suggested that the song is a political allegory, while others see it as a comment on violence and its effects on ordinary people. Some even claim that the song is autobiographical and is based on an incident in the singer's life. Regardless, the song powerfully evokes the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty that can arise from a sudden act of violence.
Line by Line Meaning
Crashing in the kitchen
There was a loud noise heard in the kitchen.
Noises in the hall
Other noises were heard in the hallway.
Roll over and go back to sleep
The sound was dismissed as something insignificant and the person went back to bed.
It's just a dream, that's all
The person thought they were just dreaming.
So how come the window's broken?
Upon waking up, they noticed that the window was broken and wonders what happened.
What caused the glass to fall?
They are questioning why the glass fell from the window.
And who put that bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall?
They noticed a bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall and wonders how or why it ended up there.
Police arrive
The police came to investigate the incident.
Muddy up the floor
During the police investigation, the floor got all muddy and dirty.
Dig out half the plaster
As part of their investigation, the police had to dig out a portion of the plaster on the kitchen wall.
It's a thirty-eight for sure
The police found out that the bullet was from a thirty-eight caliber weapon.
Kick the neighbour's door in
The police went to question the neighbour and entered forcefully.
Saying "better tell it all"
The police want to get all the information about what happened.
Who put that bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall?
The police continue to ask who could have caused the bullet hole to appear.
Blaster on the back porch
Someone had a loud stereo or speaker playing music on the back porch.
Shaking up the lane
The loud music was shaking up the street or neighborhood.
They're drinking gin and joking
People at the party were drinking gin and having a good time.
Laughter falling down like rain
There was a lot of laughter and joy coming from the party.
Everybody wears a halo
Everyone at the party was acting innocent and no one would take responsibility for the bullet hole.
Never saw nothing at all
Despite the noise and chaos, no one saw anything that could explain the bullet hole.
So who put that bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall?
The question of who caused the bullet hole is still left unanswered.
Tell me, who put that bullet hole in Peggy's kitchen wall?
The song concludes with a repetition of the question, emphasizing that the mystery is still unsolved.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bruce Cockburn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@PortlandPercussion
I've been listening to Bruce Cockburn since the mid to late seventies! He's an underappreciated mega talent! awesome singer-songwriter, great music, and intelligent lyrics...
@jneedee
and to think The Bare Naked Ladies had no idea who he was before they performed a cover for his tribute album is sincerely unforgivable.
@chrisbggr
im 22 years old and have listening to bruce cockburn since i was a young kid, i discovered him through my fathers record collection, and i have to say, i agree, he is a phenomenal songwriter!!
@johncockburn6517
are you related to Doug and Judy Biggar?
@jon-nolanacousticsingerson9920
This is always one of my favorite songs. I've seen Bruce many times. He is the best!
@tyme4mike
This song reminds me of a couple of my old neighbourhoods. Never knew when a gunshot would wake you up or when a stray bullet would fly through your balcony door....dayum...
@Sawler54
grew up with this music.now i can't live without it.
@paulagood7659
Everything he does is stellar! I've been in love since the wee 80's.
@barrytindall
Watched Bruce, Centre of the Arts, Regina, Saskatchewan. Alone no band. I was 15. unfrickenreal. Thanks to Denis. Even chased a coyote on way home.
@elizabethhann4028
Wow! That sounds great! I saw Bruce Cockburn live in Nanaimo, B.C, a few years ago (with band). He's still great.