Bruce Cockburn Live Pacing The Cage

[MustangCoupe1951]

My favorite as hard as that is to choose.

[mutley2209]

check out Brooke Miller, very similar :)

[cruxie1]

I've seen Bruce live 20 years ago... one of the BEST concerts I've ever been to... The guys a genius with heart.. the imagery in his lyrics is sublime... I jammed a couple of his songs with one of his best mates Tom Cuyler... if we had people like Bruce running the govts of the world we'd make it to the next millenium..

[wildrose58]

@cruxie1' if we had people like Bruce running the govts of the world we'd make it to the next millenium.'. Amen...

[whippoorwillful]

Thank you, what a crisp and passionate version of one of the most profound songs of our time, sung by the Bard from the North. Song always stops me in my tracks when I hear it...chills.

[TheVludlow]

Lovely, lovely song. I love this guy. He's coming to my home town Sept 29- to the Jefferson Theatre- The acoustics suck at this place and the seating is far away from the stage- between the seating and the stage is a huge mosh pit/dance floor. The Paramount would be a much better venue-especially for Bruce's generation and fans.

[AngusShanks]

@TheVludlow

Don't worry bro. He'll be great. Have a good time. 

[briteness]

This song is really quite good, and he is one of the most literate lyricists around. Too few songs directly address experiences of middle age. This one does so in a general yet very personal way. This is top-shelf singer/songwriter work, right here.

Thank you Bruce, and tarkineWild for sharing.

[XanderMaas]

Good music, but am I the only one who thinks his last name is fuckin' funny?

[Pogopedia]

@XanderMaas Do your parents know you're using the computer?

[ThePardelote]

@XanderMaas Get a life

[DWSimmy]

@XanderMaas Yes

[infocus]

"I never knew what you all wanted, so I gave you everything."

"Sometimes the road leads thru dark places. Sometimes the darkness is your friend."

Damn. Magic, Bruce.

[jroberthadden]

Bruce's lyrics here couldn't be more relevant than now. He's a poet with a guitar. A wonderful bass line, too. Saw him around 1990 and again just last year. Hope he can keep this up for ever!

[cmc36905]

'I never knew what you all wanted

So I gave you everything'

I imagine that is what is required to succeed on the scale that he has.

[braggville]

one of the best tunes he ever wrote....

[donwp67]

my six year old loves BC.

[joecoyote42]

this another great song with lots of meaning, I hope you are really listening to those words.

[curiousgeorge555]

One thing I love about Bruce Cockburn is his constant exerimentation. He's frequently arranging new instruments into his songs et al. Great great song!

[nelliemuller]

Is it really about proving yourself? Or is that an attitude and not reality?

[saggacc]

@nelliemuller ; having studied this song for performing, i get the sense that he's seeing the end times come (with all the negative effect the global consumerist culture has had on him) while pacing the cage. "today these eyes scan bleached out lands for the coming of the outbound stage..." chilly

[jackoxpass]

Think I've got every one of B.C's records/cd's but this is certainly one of my very favorite songs out of 100's. Beautiful version. I assume, Tarkine, your name is taken from the Tassie wilderness. That makes this even better. I spent a week in there once and it's as beautiful as this song. Ty for posting. Wonderful fretless playing too.

[tarkineWild]

@jackoxpass Yes,yes it is.

Happy to see as many people discover & appreciate this wilderness erea in my remote corner of the world

[Haileysgramma]

And each time I was someone else, and they all were taken in.

[JoeGancher]

I note some fret lines on the bass but it has a distinctive fretless sound. Any insights ? Anybody ?

[slingshot657]

@JoeGancher Some fretless basses have fret markers, much like inlays they are flush to the fretboard. :)

[rhynohyni]

Greateset sing ever written.  I mean, right? And this guy can walk the streets of any city and no one would recognize him. CRAZY!

[quarfellow]

Always repectfully pronounce his name as Coburn.

[kalidasa4]

I'm crying now.

[quichcoupon]

this song makes me cry every time i hear it.

[MTondeleo]

The comments here are truly educational for me, awakening me to a funniness in Bruce's name I've never thought of. Silly me, wondeing only whether this incredible guitarist/vocalist is related to equally gifted The Nation writer Alexander Cockburn, a progressive who skewers the right but also puts misguided lefties in their place. Yes, I'm honored to be in intimate comradery with wise YT users.

[MTondeleo]

Reply to MTondeleo, well, like PS to meself: Bruce probably survived kidhood ok long as no one saw his name spelled. It's pronounced like "coburn."

[Fotsopp94]

beautiful song... but i can't help laughing at that last name... cockburn... had to be the biggest victim as a kid :P

Absolutely love the song ^^ no offence to the guy

[gillingham211]

A truly brilliant lyricist!

[hermankatnip]

He has a perfect gay pornstar name. has he ever worked with Ben Dover?

[wwwislandlightphoto]

YES!!!!!

[PresidentGackt]

BEAUTIFUL shit. I even googled eddy to find out what it was. Cockburning it up since 2009.

[lalunette]

This song always gives me goosebumps.

I heard Bruce play it live in St. Paul a few years ago and I was in tears by the end of it.

I had just started dating my now wife and she found my emotional reaction very charming and disarming.

Ya, I'm a big tough looking guy... but I have a soft spot for Bruce's songs.

[drviscus]

thats great you dig the tune but who gives a shit about your personal life. just leave that out of future youtube comments. get to the point . and pace the cage like bruce says.

[lalunette]

Wow, for a Cockburn fan you are quite a hater !!

[lalunette]

Thank you for your earth shattering reply of "Fuck you dickwad" when I called you a "hater".

Your choice of vocabulary makes it clear you are not truly a Cockburn fan... maybe more of a "cock burn" fan ???

Cheers !!

P.S. Who is the old foggy reading that "Revelations" BS posted on your Channel?

Looks like the love child of Colonel Sanders and Jimmy Swaggart. LOL

[adamchyk]

If it helps, Lalunette, when you share a little story like that, it shows how important this song is to some of us - I don't know why someone wouldn't appreciate it, but hey..

Surely that's what the 'comment' feature on youtube is all about.

[moonlitme]

@lalunette perhaps the love-child of rick moranis and liza minnelli? but his guitar playing...the incredible pathos of his LYRICS...more like Orpheus incarnate i'd say

[GeneralMitu]

You can't fool us, you're just a pussy ;) I kid you, I kid you :)

[lalunette]

LOL

I would categorize myself as a "softie"... who likes pussy !!!

[cocochanelleke]

Such a brilliant chap, his music gives me goose bumps each time.

Thanks very much for posting!

Best wishes from the NL

5*

[lalunette]

"Best wishes from the NL"

Don't you mean "Groetjes van NL" ??

Ja, ik spreek een beetje Nederlands !!!

[cocochanelleke]

Ja, inderdaad, wat grappig!

Hoe komt dat zo?

Groetjes uit NL :)

[lalunette]

Ik hed een jaar in NL gewoont... uitwisseling student .. 25 jaren geleden!

I lived for a year in NL... exchange student.. 25 years ago.

I'm going back in 2011 for my honeymoon as I'm officially getting remarried that year. LOL

[cocochanelleke]

Jouw Nederlands is nog prima!

Ik stuur een mailtje naar jouw site als je dat goed vindt.

Groetjes,

Coco

[lalunette]

Mailtje? Ja, zeker hoor !!

[sourisvoleur]

This is a mature man's song -- Bruce could never have written it in 1968 or 1978. Leave it to Bruce to find a way to put something as ugly as midlife crisis into words so beautiful and poignant. Yes, sometimes I catch myself. Thank you, Bruce, for teaching me this song!

[dertrommler54]

"Midlife crisis" ? This is a little more profound than that, I think...

[marjoriem2]

I agree with sourisvoleur's comment, and feel that midlife crisis is a very profound subject. Bruce so well describes that world-weariness and sense of futility and frustration that comes at a certain age when one might (at least part of the time) want to walk away and start over but it's no longer possible, for various reasons.

What is your take on the song? Please share why you feel it is profound. What dimension of the song have I missed?

[craignastic]

I've never heard better lyrics than Bruce Cockburn's and this is one of his best. He's a damn fine guitarist as well! simply amazing.

[tommyofiveone]

love this song

[shinnpick]

A great, great song!

[dertrommler54]

The album this comes from is The Charity Of Night. It is not only his greatest record, but no two songs are alike. There is no other "Pacing The Cage" there, but there are some breathtakingly beautiful, strange, frightening, joyous, erotic and violent songs from deep in the human soul. I own 4,000 CD's, and this album is in my "Desert Island ten"

[gene2u]

4000 cds? Wow. I guess you must have even more now. :-)

[Hodag71]

One of my all-time favorites. THANK YOU!

[nicola5154]

Thank You Bruce!

[shadowm73]

daumen hoch und 10 plus

[shadowm73]

noch meine bewertung!

[shadowm73]

alles englisch-viele kanadier

icch muß sagen einfach schön-

überhaupt alles von ihm

hut ab

[meloriel]

He's so amazing. This is one of my favorite songs. I never cease to be impressed by his musicianship and his skill with the word. Thanks for the music, Bruce.

[Ratbas]

I remember this song from Wrestling With Shadows. Who remember who covered it.

[marjoriem2]

Jimmy Buffett covered it. Not sure who else may have.

[Ratbas]

It was a female on vocals. Probably done just for the film.

[marjoriem2]

In the Wikipedia article on Bruce, it says that Judy Collins has covered "Pacing the Cage." She has a gorgeous silvery voice, perhaps that's the one they used in the film. I haven't seen the film so I'm guessing here. You can find it on Amazon doing a search for Judy Collins Pacing the Cage. Hope that's the one!

[Ratbas]

Thank-you.

[dertrommler54]

Jimmy Buffett also covered BC's beautiful "Someone I Used To Love" and Crowded House ' wonderful "Weather With You."

Someonee puleezzeeeeeee kidnap Buffett next time he leaves for the recording studio. Friends don't let friends listen to Parrotboy ruin great songs !

I beggin' ya people...stop Buffett, now...

[marjoriem2]

LOL!! I am a Crowded House Fan, also! Saw them on their tour in 2007, and saw Tim Finn solo in 2008. But I must admit that I bought Jimmy's first couple of albums, and particularly liked "Come Monday" and "Railroad Lady" (a Jerry Jeff Walker song.) Think of it this way: Jimmy is bringing Bruce and the Finn brothers to the attention of lots of people! Dare I say I thought his cover of "Pacing the Cage" was ok? (Found it here on YouTube.) He didn't mess with the arrangement.

[dertrommler54]

Buffett was, indeed, a quality writer many decades ago. But as soon as I heard "Fins" in 1980, I knew he needed to change the songwriting batteries. Sounds like he still has to get some new "AAA"'s.

[joecoolmccall]

Buffett is actually a good (very good ?)song writer who basically sold out to the Parrothead crowd. "He Went to Paris" is a plain work of art and "Come Monday" is a good song. But he did sell out...

[Beadbud5000]

Thanks for posting my fav BRUCE tune tarkineWild!!

[airdriver]

This man's music is one of the best gifts Canada could ever give the world.

[iceaxe56]

to be able to put those thoughts into words is truly a gift

[danalimb]

there are some people that need lights and fireworks to get you to have an experience..this guy need s a giutar and a song

[frenchmusician12]

Some of the most haunting lyrics you'll ever hear.

[Notbadphonedaddy]

My life is a lot better now. Who I am and who I'm going to be is different.

BUT, who I was, where I was, how I felt, everything about me, in every symbolic way possible was and I suppose always will described by this very song.

[dropover]

These days the term, "artist", is used to describe anybody who picks up a guitar and tries to sing. But in the case of Bruce Cockburn, the term absolutley fits. Bravo!

[nickanddeb]

i've proven who i am so many times

the magnetic strip's worn thin...

great lines from a great artist.

rob wasseman on bass. i love his work, too.

[curiousgeorge555]

One of my all time Bruce Cockburn songs. First time hearing it live. Love him for his music and what he stands for. 5*z ~cg5

[Ottawarocket]

Sometimes the best map can not guide me : ) Love ya North shore Girl

[imafishgod]

Thanx for the share My Northern Star!Keep your eyes on that foggy road while I pace around this corner I've painted myself in.Peace♥ Love,your North Shore girl.Beautiful musician.

[nameless1972]

at least you've only painted yourself into a corner and aren't trying to find a corner in a round room as my dad is fond of saying. wouldn't have found this if not for your viewing. thanks

[Mfelgen]

What do we say... If only many others knew. This should be our mission.

[storms13]

Excellent lyrics, playing, vocals....

as usual Bruce never leaves me thinking he hasn't givin' it his all.....

[aussiecancrew]

Love you Bruce!!!

[tqug24tq]

bruce cockburn is the epitome of excellence. his music is what i love, its content is what i will allow myself to love.

[plautus5648]

Nice. Excellente. Formidable in fact. BC is a gmall g god.