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 Whole Night Sky
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I made it too hard
Every place they touched me
Is a laceration now
Sometimes a wind comes out of nowhere
And knocks you off your feet
And look, see my tears
They fill the whole night sky
Derailed and desperate
How did I get here?
Hanging from this high wire
By the tatters of my faith
Sometimes a wind comes out of nowhere
And knocks you off your feet
And look, see my tears
They fill the whole night sky
The whole night sky
Sometimes a wind comes out of nowhere
And knocks you sideways
And look, see my tears
They fill the whole night sky
The whole night sky
The song 'The Whole Night Sky' by Bruce Cockburn is a powerful and introspective piece that reflects upon the feelings of isolation, loss, and despair. The opening lines convey a sense of betrayal and abandonment: "They turned their backs, I made it too hard. Every place they touched me is a laceration now". The singer appears to have been hurt by someone or something, and their wounds have now become a part of their identity.
The second stanza speaks of the singer's current state of mind: "Derailed and desperate, how did I get here? Hanging from this high wire by the tatters of my faith". This suggests that the singer is questioning their own life choices and is struggling to hold on to what little belief they have left.
The song's chorus speaks of the unpredictability of life, how unexpected events can knock us off our feet and leave us feeling broken and lost. The image of tears filling the whole night sky is particularly poignant, as it speaks to the idea that the singer's pain is all-encompassing and inescapable.
Overall, 'The Whole Night Sky' is a hauntingly beautiful song that explores the complex emotions of pain, loss, and vulnerability.
Line by Line Meaning
They turned their backs
People I trusted abandoned me
I made it too hard
I pushed others away with my actions or words
Every place they touched me
Every interaction with those who abandoned me hurt me deeply
Is a laceration now
I am wounded and scarred by their betrayal
Sometimes a wind comes out of nowhere
Unexpected events can knock us off course
And knocks you off your feet
Causes us to stumble and lose our balance
And look, see my tears
My pain is evident in my weeping
They fill the whole night sky
My grief is overwhelming and all-encompassing
Derailed and desperate
My life is off track and I am struggling
How did I get here?
I am puzzled and uncertain about how I reached this point
Hanging from this high wire
I am precariously perched on the edge of disaster
By the tatters of my faith
I am holding onto what little hope and belief remains
And knocks you sideways
Unexpected events can throw us off balance and change our direction
The whole night sky
My sadness and despair seem to encompass everything
Contributed by Nathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@nissi.k
The Whole Night Sky
by Bruce Cockburn
They turned their backs
I made it too hard
Every place they touched me
Is a laceration now
Sometimes a wind comes out of nowhere
And knocks you off your feet
And look, see my tears
They fill the whole night sky
The whole night sky
Derailed and desperate
How did I get here?
Hanging from this high wire
By the tatters of my faith
Sometimes a wind comes out of nowhere
And knocks you off your feet
And look, see my tears
They fill the whole night sky
The whole night sky
Sometimes a wind comes out of nowhere
And knocks you sideways
And look, see my tears
They fill the whole night sky
The whole night sky
@nissi.k
I love this song and it has been a
comforting commiseration to me
more than once! If you really care,
you are going to cry enough to fill
the whole night sky! Scripture says
that God collects all our tears in a
bottle so some bottles must be very
big unless perhaps all the laughter
(and there has been much of that)
is like that warm May wind that dries
up all the damp residue of winter. 🤍
@user-nb4xd9wg9t
A song that makes you think.
I saw a ray of light in a difficult world.
@mikialex252
...I ❤🔥so much those moments🔭
@navirelibre
One of the reasons I listen to radio paradise
@nissi.k
The Whole Night Sky
by Bruce Cockburn
They turned their backs
I made it too hard
Every place they touched me
Is a laceration now
Sometimes a wind comes out of nowhere
And knocks you off your feet
And look, see my tears
They fill the whole night sky
The whole night sky
Derailed and desperate
How did I get here?
Hanging from this high wire
By the tatters of my faith
Sometimes a wind comes out of nowhere
And knocks you off your feet
And look, see my tears
They fill the whole night sky
The whole night sky
Sometimes a wind comes out of nowhere
And knocks you sideways
And look, see my tears
They fill the whole night sky
The whole night sky
@richardmann2819
Loved him for much of my life. What a treasure. A great poet, musician and humanitarian.
@sneakerfacevids441
Bob Weir on backing vocals !
@waysaund
I own the disc and I have to say, I can't make out Bobby's harmony in the mix. Then again, their two voices are quite similar.
@nissi.k
I love this song and it has been a
comforting commiseration to me
more than once! If you really care,
you are going to cry enough to fill
the whole night sky! Scripture says
that God collects all our tears in a
bottle so some bottles must be very
big unless perhaps all the laughter
(and there has been much of that)
is like that warm May wind that dries
up all the damp residue of winter. 🤍
@giannicoinu1098
❤️
@MrLeondo
Bonnie Raitt on slide !