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."
Wait No More
Bruce Cockburn Lyrics
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Everything's transforming into pure crystals of light
The heart is a mirror; it throws back the blaze of love
Bathed in that glow it's no secret what I'm thinking of
I want to wait no more
Wait no more
Wait no more
Sipping wine with angels in this torch-lit tavern by the sea
Fold me into you, you know where I'm dying to be
When my ship sets sail on that ocean of deep mystery
I want to wait no more
Wait no more
Wait no more
What does it take for the heart to explode into stars?
One day we'll wake to remember how lovely we are
Lightning's a kiss that lands hot on the loins of the sky
Something uncoils at the base of my spine and I cry
I want to wait no more
Wait no more
Wait no more
The lyrics of Bruce Cockburn's "Wait No More" speaks about the beauty and power of love, the desire to break free from life's holding patterns, and the anticipation of a greater spiritual awakening. The first two lines of the chorus describe the singer's yearning for change and transformation. He has reached the point where he wants to be done with waiting and embrace transformation into pure crystals of light. The third and fourth lines suggest that the heart is a potent force and that when bathed in the "blaze of love," one can think of nothing but that.
In the second stanza, the singer is transported to a torch-lit tavern by the sea, where he explores the question of what it takes for the locked-up emotions inside to be free. The subsequent lines allude to the intimacy and oneness that comes from love, the longing to be one with the person he loves, and the anticipation of exploring the unknown mysteries of life without any hindrances. The last two lines of the stanza affirm his desire to not wait any longer to experience these things.
In the third and final stanza, the singer acknowledges the beauty of the stars and the wonder of the universe. He speaks of lightning as the kiss of the heavens and the awakening of something profound within himself. He concludes that he cannot wait any longer for this spiritual awakening to manifest.
Line by Line Meaning
Wild things are prowling - storm winds are howling tonight
The environment is getting dangerous and uncertain with a lot of wild things wandering tonight.
Everything's transforming into pure crystals of light
The whole world is changing and turning into glowing, pure crystals of light.
The heart is a mirror; it throws back the blaze of love
The heart acts as a reflection of the love, and it reflects back the same radiance.
Bathed in that glow it's no secret what I'm thinking of
Being surrounded by that brightness, it's pretty evident what the person is thinking of.
I want to wait no more
The person is eager to take action and not wait anymore.
Sipping wine with angels in this torch-lit tavern by the sea
The person is drinking wine and spending time with angels in a bar that's lit by torches by the seaside.
What does it take for what's locked up inside to be free?
The person is contemplating what it takes to free oneself from any limitations or restrictions within oneself.
Fold me into you, you know where I'm dying to be
The person is requesting another to hold or encompass them since that's where they want to be.
When my ship sets sail on that ocean of deep mystery
The person is referring to a ship on a deep ocean of a mystery that's unknown.
What does it take for the heart to explode into stars?
The person is questioning how much it takes for the heart to expand so much as to be like a galaxy full of stars.
One day we'll wake to remember how lovely we are
One day, people will awaken and remember how beautiful and lovable they are.
Lightning's a kiss that lands hot on the loins of the sky
The lightning is like a passionate kiss that the sky feels.
Something uncoils at the base of my spine and I cry
The person is feeling something that uncoils or untangles somewhere near the base of their spine, making them cry.
Contributed by Gabriel G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.