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."
The Gift
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stranger still to come
Sometimes the prayers of strangers
Are all that keeps them from
Trying to stay static
Something even death can't do
Everything is motion
To the motion be true
In this cold commodity culture
Where you lay your money down
It's hard to even notice
That all this earth is hallowed ground
Harder still to feel it
Basic as a breath
Love is stronger than darkness
Love is stronger than death
The gift
Keeps moving
Never know
Where it's going to land
You must stand
Back and let it
Keep on changing hands
Hackles rise in anger
Heat waves rise in sex
The gift moves on regardless
Tying this world to the next
May you never tire of waiting
Never feel that life is cheap
May your life be filled with light
Except for when you're trying to sleep
The gift
Keeps moving
Never know
Where it's going to land
You must stand
Back and let it
Keep on changing hands
The Gift is a poignant and introspective lyrical treasure from Bruce Cockburn. The song is about the inevitability of change and the transient nature of our existence. The lyrics suggest that nothing in this world is constant - everything is always in motion. The verses are introspective and draw from the singer’s personal experiences. The opening lines hint at a journey that the singer has undertaken, a journey that has taken them through strange places, and though the way forward is still unclear, the singer notes that the prayers of strangers keep them going.
The second verse begins by lamenting what the singer describes as the “cold commodity culture” that exists today. We live in a world where money is everything, and it can be hard to see beyond the materialistic and often selfish ideals that have dominated society. However, the singer notes that even in this vast and complex world, there are pockets of magic that are often ignored or overlooked. The message is simple – love is more powerful than any kind of darkness, and it is up to us as individuals to recognize and embrace it.
The chorus talks about something that is fundamental to human existence – the gift of life. The singer suggests that this gift keeps moving and that we have no control over where it ends up. It is up to us to stand back and let it change hands - this change could be due to death or rebirth, but it is something that is inevitable. The song ends with a call to live one's life in the light, not shirking away from the difficulties that come when we are trying to sleep.
Line by Line Meaning
These shoes have walked some strange streets
I have been through many unfamiliar and strange situations in life.
Stranger still to come
More of such unknown situations lie ahead in my life journey.
Sometimes the prayers of strangers
Sometimes the words of support and kindness from unfamiliar people can bring relief in tough times.
Are all that keeps them from
Such kind prayers are the only things that can prevent me from
Trying to stay static
Trying to cling on to things or being afraid of changes.
Something even death can't do
Even death cannot keep stillness and stop progress in this world.
Everything is motion
The world is continuously moving and changing, and there is no way to stop that process.
To the motion be true
In order to succeed in this dynamic environment, we must adapt our actions and thoughts according to the flow of circumstances.
In this cold commodity culture
The world has become very materialistic and characterized by commercial values.
Where you lay your money down
Where people are judged based on their wealth and financial status.
It's hard to even notice
It is difficult to appreciate the real value of nature and our surroundings in this kind of environment.
That all this earth is hallowed ground
The entire world is sacred and deserves our respect and care.
Harder still to feel it
But it is even more difficult to experience this connection with everything around us.
Basic as a breath
Ultimately, this connection with the world is as vital and essential as breathing air into our lungs.
Love is stronger than darkness
Love has the power to overcome any negative feelings, emotions or events that we may face in life.
Love is stronger than death
Love has such a profound and everlasting impact that even death cannot defeat it.
The gift
Love is the most valuable gift that we can give or receive.
Keeps moving
It is not something that can be kept or possessed for ourselves only.
Never know
We can never be sure who will receive this gift nor how.
Where it's going to land
Love has a life of its own and can reach people in unexpected ways and places.
You must stand
We need to trust the process and be patient, allowing it to flow freely.
Back and let it
To hold on to love is to diminish its beauty and power. We should let it go and
Keep on changing hands
Let it spread, encouraging love and kindness in all those we meet and creating a chain reaction of positivity.
Hackles rise in anger
Anger is a very natural response to the injustices we face in society, making our blood boil and muscles tense.
Heat waves rise in sex
Physical desire or passion can also cause our emotions to flare up and our bodies to react.
The gift moves on regardless
But the flow of love continues unabated, traveling through people from all walks of life and bridging worlds.
Tying this world to the next
This beautiful and transformative energy connects and unites the living across generations, cultures and experiences.
May you never tire of waiting
May you always be open and patient to the love that others show you, even if it takes time.
Never feel that life is cheap
And may you never lose sight of the value of human life and dignity in this world, no matter how bleak it may seem.
May your life be filled with light
I hope your journey through life is illuminated by goodness, kindness and compassion, that makes you and those around you happy.
Except for when you're trying to sleep
The only exception is the time when you rest at night, and do not have to deal with all the burdens of this world.
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: BRUCE COCKBURN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@timchesterton
I first heard Bruce play in 1977. Still enjoying him now, 45 years later!
@nissi.k
Always wonderful!
@tedscanlon4666
This guy is such a fabulous musician
@AndrewDeneHelbig
perfect rhythm throughout the whole thing, how's he maintain that complicated riff the whole time? :)
@cbcmusic
Skills + practice!
@MorganTrotter
@CBC Music And a lifetime of experience!
@brucecockburn5025
Hi dear🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
Thanks for your love and support that has brought me this far, it has been a hard time for me going through this but your love and support keeps me going and standing strong in this difficult times. I do read your heartwarming comments and I truly appreciate all you’ve done for me throughout the years.
It’s a season of love😍❤️❤️ for me and so I decided to put a smile on the faces of my fans by going through my YouTube channel and checking out on my fans, so I can get to communicate with my fans better through discussion of depth and humor listening to o and criticism of my career.💞💞🙏💖💕💕
@Theo_Kah
It's a gift ... ;-)
@robertdavidson9393
Met Bruce in person first time October 2019..hes 74 years old still has the fire!His new album is all instrumental and it's of course Bruce so it's good!
@MorganTrotter
Yes, it's so great to see that his powers seem undiminished by age.