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."
Sahara Gold
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Over dogs barking at a passing car
And your hair tumbles down like Sahara gold
Hot night, streets are full of life
Carnival faces in Rembrandt light
And your hair tumbles down like Sahara gold
Paints a vision of a different kind
And your hair tumbles down like Sahara gold
Wet limbs striped with silver light
Locked together at the center of the night
And your hair tumbles down like Sahara gold
Night bloom filling up the room
With the salt and musk of lovers' rich perfume
And your hair tumbles down like Sahara gold
Animal grins and wild shining eyes
Laughing and shouting we're a hundred stories high
And your hair tumbles down like Sahara gold
The lyrics to Bruce Cockburn's song "Sahara Gold" convey a scene of a hot summer night filled with lively carnival faces and the pulsing beat of dance music emanating from a corner bar. The imagery of hair tumbling down like "sahara gold" adds to the sensuality and exoticism of the setting. The verse about the half-moon shining through the blind paints a subtly different picture, hinting at a more intimate encounter between two people whose limbs are "locked together at the centre of the night." The night bloom filling up the room with the scent of lovers serves to intensify this feeling. The final verse portrays an even wilder, more animalistic vibe, with people laughing and shouting as if they are a hundred stories high.
The overall mood of the song is one of unrestrained passion and youthfulness, where briefly encountered moments of ecstasy are heightened by the heat and the dizzying sensory overload of it all. Cockburn's use of metaphors such as "sahara gold" and "animal grins" serve to deepen the mystique of the experience, lending it a kind of exotic, almost otherworldly quality. The use of light imagery, such as the "silver light" on wet limbs and the "Rembrandt light" on carnival faces, adds layers of depth and texture to the scene being depicted, further drawing the listener into the experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Dance music from the corner bar Over dogs barking at a passing car And your hair tumbles down like sahara gold
The excitement of dance music fills the air while the sound of barking dogs and passing cars can be heard in the background. Your hair falls gracefully, resembling the beauty of Sahara gold.
Hot night -- streets are full of life Carnival faces in rembrandt light And your hair tumbles down like sahara gold
The night is hot and lively, with carnival goers' faces illuminated by Rembrandt-like lighting. Your hair falls in a stunning manner, reminiscent of the beauty of Sahara gold.
Half moon shining through the blind Paints a vision of a different kind And your hair tumbles down like sahara gold
The half moon shining through the window creates a unique and captivating vision. Your hair falls elegantly, resembling the striking beauty of Sahara gold.
Wet limbs striped with silver light Locked together at the centre of the night And your hair tumbles down like sahara gold
In the center of the night, bodies are intertwined, glistening with silver light. Your hair falls gracefully, resembling the beauty of Sahara gold.
Night bloom filling up the room With the salt and musk of lovers' rich perfume And your hair tumbles down like sahara gold
The room is filled with a blossoming aroma of lovers' perfume, carried by the night breeze. Your hair falls beautifully, resembling the elegance of Sahara gold.
Animal grins and wild shining eyes Laughing and shouting we're a hundred storeys high And your hair tumbles down like sahara gold
The atmosphere is wild, with animalistic grins and shining eyes. Laughter and shouts fill the air as if we're at the top of a hundred-story building. Your hair falls exquisitely, resembling the alluring beauty of Sahara gold.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bruce Cockburn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Warren F
I know that it doesn't even need to be said, but this guy and these songs are utterly unreal.
Dave Frye
Amazing
Dale Andre
No comments, really? I"ve adored this song for decades.
David Garris
One of best songs ever