Bruce Cockburn

Bruce Cockburn - 1970
Bruce Cockburn – 1970

RELEASE DATE: 1970
PURCHASE: iTunes | True North
RE-ISSUE: November 24, 2022
PURCHASE: the 180g black vinyl from True North

Look out the window, what do I see?
Cows hangin’ out under spreading trees.
Zoom! They’re gone behind the sign
White letters pointing to the long white line
and I’m going to the country
O, la la la la la
I’m going to the country
Sunshine smile on me

I can smell the grass growing in the field
Wind in my hair tells me how it feels
Farm house, silver roof flashing by
Tractor-trailer truck says goodbye with a sigh
And I’m going to the country
O, la la la la la
I’m going to the country
Sunshine smile on me

Birds singing, I’m singing in my bones
Doesn’t much matter now where I’m going
Get it when I get there is what I’ll do
If I get enough I’ll give some to you
And I’m going to the country
O, happy as can be
I’m going to the country
Sunshine smile on me

released 1970

Also On:
Waiting For A Miracle – 1987
Rumours Of Glory box set – disc 1 – 2014
Greatest Hits (1970-2020)

Rain rings trash can bells
And what do you know
My alley becomes a cathedral

Eyes can be archways
To enter or leave by
Vacuums replaced by a crystal

Jesus don’t let Toronto take my song away

It’s easy to love if
You let yourself love it
But like a moth’s wing it’s easily crushed

Jesus don’t let tomorrow take my love away

released 1970

Also On:
Mummy Dust – 1981
Rumours Of Glory box set – disc 1 – 2014

So many things to see in this old world
But all I can see is you
In a crowded subway train
Or walking in the country rain
You’re there with me too

Of all the songs sung in any day
Your voice is all I hear
For though each song has its own place
And, finished, quickly fades away
I hear you everywhere

And though I know you won’t be pleased
By all that I do
Surely we can find a way
To overlook what you don’t like

It’s been said many times that we’re all by ourselves
And each man is on his own
I don’t care, that may be true
I just want to be with you
Together alone

released 1970

Drift along
Hear the gravel crackle
Butterflies
Shades of the eternal dancer
God has buttered the land with sunlight
Sunlight

Corn grows high
Like a tall watusi
Katydid
Hums a monotonous tune
Rather hypnotically
Hmmmmmm
Overhead there’s a parrot with boxing gloves
Singing like me
What a clever bird
Even knows the words
But he doesn’t seem to see
Me
Making my great escape

You can just take so much of your own advice
Who needs a king
Sitting in a tree
So loquaciously
Pigeonholing everything
Pigeons have a way of taking wing

Back again
Purple thistles bristle
All around
Bane of the Eternal Dancer
Hmmmmmm

Home is just around the bend…
The end

released 1970

Sable sky anoints the earth with crystal ‘neath my foot
Wide-eyed, white-plumed owl plays upon his magic flute
Silver-circled moonlight cresting waves of shadow blue
And the river is secretly flowing

Shining stars dance high above the cobweb treelimbs’ grace
Fairy castles crowned with light fly banners of white lace
Tangled boughs of holly watch with eyes of scarlet hue
And the wind is silently blowing

Are no men is only Man seeking one love
Searching vainly for excuse among the stars above
Eyes too tired to see the river flowing ‘neath the ice
And too numb to see the purpose behind knowing

released 1970

Musical friends are keeping me happy
They know what I need
Now I can sleep on anyone’s floor without
Feeling cold
Inside or outside me

The closer we get the easier life be –
Comes for each of us
We can sing songs and play at each other
Over wine
In bottles or in pipes

And we can pass
On endings till the end
We can laugh
Me and my musical friends

Nobody’s quite sure just where they’re going
They’ll find out soon enough
When they get there some sunny morning or
Windy night
If they can just keep moving

And we can pass
On endings till the end
We can laugh
Me and my musical friends

Musical friends are keeping me happy
They know what to do
Musical friends have many things to
Offer you
And you can be one too

(Who ever heard of drinking wine from a pipe anyway?)

released 1970

Also On:
Waiting For A Miracle – 1987
Rumours Of Glory box set – disc 1 – 2014
Greatest Hits (1970-2020)

Living in the past
Is not living at all
The old fear going fast
Everybody’s scared to fall
Turn with the times
Change your mind

Sullen and profane
The ancient temple stands
Dissolving in the rain
Its gods long turned to sand
Forgotten childhood rhyme
Change your mind

Listen for the ring
Of tomorrow’s bell
Be the first to sing
From beyond the wishing well
Know what’s behind
But change your mind

released 1970

Also On:
Rumours Of Glory box set – disc 1 – 2014

I’m looking to be by a window
That looks out on the sea
Anybody here know
Where such a place is?

Surf of golden sunlight
Breaking over me
Man of a thousand faces

In the Garden paths take form
But the hailstorm guards its own
Things forbidden, things unknown
You must travel on alone

In memorium friends come round
But the hard ground holds its own
Time for pulling, time to ride
It’s my turn but where’s the guide?

On the jetty shadows lie
And the gulls cry once or twice
Swelling thunder, truth is hid
Behind the glass eye of the idol…
Anybody here know
Where such a place is?

You know, these city towers,
Jewels on the Serpent’s crown,
Twist the space between them
Till every eye is blinded

Lord will you trade your sunlit ocean
With its writhing filigree
For any one of my thousand faces?

released 1970

Also On:
Rumours Of Glory box set – disc 1 – 2014

When we come
When we come again
To celebrate renewal
At the heart
At the heart of us
Our eyes will touch life

Though we may be hard to find
Where we stand in time
The mirrors of the past shine
With the light of unborn days
We wander in the flames
With nothing but our names
And no-one for the blame
We love so well to focus on

When we come
When we come again
To search beside the Fool
For the heart
For the heart of us
Our eyes will touch Life

By ornaments entranced
We trace in frenzied dance
The patterns carved by chance
On the pavement of memory
Seasons turning yet again
The Mother’s breast is full again
As in heaven, so with men
Is now and ever shall be

Till we come
Till we come again
To recognize renewal
At the heart
At the heart of us
Our eyes will touch life

released 1970

When thoughts rush by
And your signals seem to fly
Keep it open
Keep it open
And help me keep mine open too

Some will lie behind
But we needn’t be unkind
Keep it open
Keep it open
And help me keep mine open too

Sun stoned in the east
In our eyes let there be peace
Keep it open
Keep it open
And help me keep mine open too

released 1970



“First Bruce Cockburn album that launched True North Records; includes the track ‘Going To The Country’ ”

Album Info:

Production notes:
Released April 1970. All songs written by Bruce Cockburn
Produced by Eugene Martynec for True North Productions

Musicians:
Bruce Cockburn: 6 and 12 string guitar, piano, bass drum
Michael Ferry: Tongue
Dennis Pendrith: Bass

Production and Electronics: Eugene Martynec
Engineer: Bill Seddon
Cover Design and Illustration: Meek-Cairo-Brown
Photography: Tim Saunders

Special thanks to Toronto Folklore Centre

Recorded at Eastern Sound, Toronto, Canada-December 1969