SONGS:
-- Five Fifty-One --
Brooklyn - March 2008


Found on:

Small Source of Comfort (March 2011)
Lyrics:

Knots in my muscles, too much traffic in my mind
traffic in my mind, traffic in my mind
knots in my muscles, too much traffic in my mind
it was five fifty-one, gray light creeping through the blind

Small source of comfort, dawn was breaking in the air
breaking in the air, breaking in the air
small source of comfort, dawn was breaking in the air
you don't take these things for granted when you think of
what's in need of repair

Out on the sidewalk there was diesel on the breeze
diesel on the breeze, diesel on the breeze
out on the sidewalk there was diesel on the breeze
they're always getting away with something when they
think there's no one there to see

Middle of the night cops came kocking on my door
knocking on my door, knocking on my door
middle of the night cops come knocking on my door
still don't know what my neighbor went and called them for
Knots in my muscles, too much traffic in my mind
traffic in my mind, traffic in my mind
knots in my muscles, too much traffic in my mind
it was five fifty-one, gray light creeping through the blind



Musicians
BC - Vocal, 12 String Guitar, Harmonica
Gary Craig - Drums
Colin Linden - Slide Electric Baritone Guitars, Harmony

Editors Note: This song was first played in front of humans on the Slice O Life tour, 1 May 2010.


Known comments by Bruce Cockburn about this song, by date:

  • From the Small Source of Comfort liner notes:

    Five Fifty-One (Brooklyn 3/08) - "Brooklyn..."

  • 1 May 2010:

    (paraphrased from show notes)
    Bruce introduced it as a new song, which meant to him any song since the last album which was five years ago (four actually, but it will be released five years after last one). He said this was an old new song. He had the occasion to spend some time in Brooklyn and this song came out of the "Brooklyn experience."

    "Knots in my muscles
    Too much traffic in my mind"
    5:51 refers to the time on the clock when dawn breaks. It's a bluesy number, played on the 12-string ~ Submitted by a Human.


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    This page is part of The Cockburn Project, a unique website that exists to document the work of Canadian singer-songwriter and musician Bruce Cockburn. The Project archives self-commentary by Cockburn on his songs and music, and supplements this core part of the website with news, tour dates, and other current information.