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."
Scanning These Crowds
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eyes like moonlight on barbed wire and veins showing under the skin
The uniforms made me nervous, I got ready for the chase
But they left me scanning these crowds for some sign of your face
Something fell on Saskatchewan in 1885
Where is it now that we need it, in this century of jive?
The axe falls as if through water, never leaves a trace
The world shot down love as a spy, once upon a time ago
Now people stand around here, like crows in the snow
Like the shadow of the rope on Louis Riel, they look so clean out of place
And I'm scanning these crowds for some sign of your face
Though storms may still kiss the grasslands with primal fire
In the land of passive revolution, everything's for hire
Are they demons, are they lemmings, or just the humans in this place?
Lord, I'm scanning these crowds for some sign of your face
The song Scanning These Crowds by Bruce Cockburn is a social commentary on the state of the world, where people are all around but the singer cannot find a specific person. The opening lines detail the singer's state when he encounters someone or something that makes him nervous. He is wary of the uniforms and ready to run, but instead, he is left searching for someone he cannot find. The tone of the song is somber and filled with longing as the singer searches through the crowds.
The lyrics speak of Saskatchewan, where something happened long ago that the world needs now. The song hints at the need for a solution to a specific problem, but it is not specified what that problem is. The verse is cryptic but speaks of the axe falling without any traces, which could indicate a violent event with no accountability. The chorus repeats the theme of the singer searching for someone among the crowds.
The song's title and chorus line, "Scanning These Crowds for Some Sign of Your Face," is a protest against the disconnectedness of people in society. The world shot down love as a spy, and people have become like crows in the snow, disconnected, and unrecognizable from one another. The song's underlying message is the need to connect with one another to solve the world's problems.
Line by Line Meaning
I was half asleep in the washroom when they came in
The singer was caught off guard when someone unexpected walked in.
Eyes like moonlight on barbed wire and veins showing under the skin
The people who entered were intimidating and their tense posture was noticeable.
The uniforms made me nervous, I got ready for the chase
The sight of law enforcement caused the singer to feel uneasy and cautious.
But they left me scanning these crowds for some sign of your face
The artist was no longer being pursued but instead had to focus on finding a specific person in a large group.
Something fell on Saskatchewan in 1885
A significant event occurred in Saskatchewan in 1885.
Where is it now that we need it, in this century of jive?
The singer is looking for a solution, perhaps something from the past, to the current problems in the world.
The axe falls as if through water, never leaves a trace
Destructive events occur without leaving physical evidence behind.
And I'm scanning these crowds for some sign of your face
The artist is still searching for a specific person in a large group.
The world shot down love as a spy, once upon a time ago
At one point in history, love was rejected and viewed with suspicion.
Now people stand around here, like crows in the snow
People are present, but appear to be idle or unresponsive to the world around them.
Like the shadow of the rope on Louis Riel, they look so clean out of place
People seem to be out of touch with their surroundings, like a shadow that doesn't fit where it's cast.
And I'm scanning these crowds for some sign of your face
The artist is still looking for a specific person in a large group.
Though storms may still kiss the grasslands with primal fire
Natural disasters can still occur with incredible force and passion.
In the land of passive revolution, everything's for hire
Even though change is happening, people will still profit from it.
Are they demons, are they lemmings, or just the humans in this place?
The singer is questioning the nature of the people around them and if their actions are out of free will or blind following.
Lord, I'm scanning these crowds for some sign of your face
The artist is still looking for a specific person in a large group.
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bruce Cockburn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind