Burton Cummings; singer, pianist, songwriter was born in the Canadian city … Read Full Bio ↴Burton Cummings; singer, pianist, songwriter was born in the Canadian city of Winnipeg on December 31st, 1947. He played with a band called the Deverons before joining The Guess Who as lead vocalist in 1965. After spending ten years with that band, he decided to pursue a solo career. His first self-titled album was released in 1976. The single, "Stand Tall," sold over a million copies. He has written and co-written many of The Guess Who's tracks, as well as his own singles. After breaking up with The Guess Who and going it alone, Cummings ultimately made the move to Sherman Oaks, California and began writing and singing for films in the late 1970's. He currently winters in California and returns to Winnipeg in the summer, living in Canada throughout autumn. He also co-starred in the movie "Melanie."

A Touch Of Morning
Burton Cummings Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's just a touch of morning
It's just another I can tell
It's just a touch of morning
I'll set up a knock down, boy I fell

Can we at least delay it?
I'm in the grips of dyin'
It's just a touch of morning

I'll set up a knock down at the scene of the crime

Used to talk among the lions
Never came across a thread of fear
Used to stand out in the open
But that's all gone
Yeah that's all gone

It's just a touch of morning
The ringing of the distant bells
It's just a touch of morning
Tempered with a tear drop that says I might have done very well

Used to talk among the lions
Never came across a thread of fear
Used to stand out in the open
But that's all gone
Yeah that's all gone

It's just a touch of morning
Ringing of the distant bells
It's just a touch of morning
I'll set up a knock down, boy I fell

Ringing of the distant
I'm in the grips of
Ringing of the distant

It's just a touch of
Just a touch of morning

Overall Meaning

In Burton Cummings's song A Touch Of Morning, the lyrics describe the feeling of struggling with a personal failure or disappointment. The use of the phrase "just a touch" implies that this feeling is not overwhelming, but still significant enough to evoke a sense of sadness or regret. The repetition of the line "it's just a touch of morning" throughout the song emphasizes the cyclical nature of emotions, as morning is followed by afternoon and night, and this feeling of failure will eventually pass.

The lyrics also use the metaphor of a knock down, suggesting that the singer has fallen from a position of strength or success. The phrase "at the scene of the crime" could be interpreted as a sense of guilt or responsibility for this failure. The lines "I'm in the grips of dyin'" and "tempered with a tear drop that says I might have done very well" highlight the singer's internal struggle, as they come to terms with the fact that they may not have succeeded in the way they had hoped.

The final lines of the song, "ringing of the distant" and "I'm in the grips of," suggest that despite the passing of time, the feeling of regret or failure still lingers. Overall, the lyrics of A Touch Of Morning are a poignant reflection on the complex emotions that arise when we fall short of our own expectations.

Line by Line Meaning

It's just a touch of morning
A small amount of daylight

It's just another I can tell
This is a common occurrence for me

It's just a touch of morning
A little bit of morning time

I'll set up a knock down, boy I fell
I will prepare for failure since I already fell once

Can we at least delay it?
Can we postpone or slow it down?

I'm in the grips of dyin'
I feel like I am slowly dying

I'll set up a knock down at the scene of the crime
I will anticipate the worst and prepare for it

Used to talk among the lions
I used to converse fearlessly

Never came across a thread of fear
I was never afraid

Used to stand out in the open
I used to be bold and unafraid

But that's all gone
Those days are over