"If I Had A Rocket Launcher"- Bruce Cockburn

[enigmatic]

I've been listening to this alot lately; just him on acoustic and that wonderful voice...





Here comes the helicopter -- second time today
Everybody scatters and hopes it goes away
How many kids they've murdered only God can say
If I had a rocket launcher...I'd make somebody pay

I don't believe in guarded borders and I don't believe in hate
I don't believe in generals or their stinking torture states
And when I talk with the survivors of things too sickening to relate
If I had a rocket launcher...I would retaliate

On the Rio Lacantun, one hundred thousand wait
To fall down from starvation -- or some less humane fate
Cry for guatemala, with a corpse in every gate
If I had a rocket launcher...I would not hesitate

I want to raise every voice -- at least I've got to try
Every time I think about it water rises to my eyes.
Situation desperate, echoes of the victims cry
If I had a rocket launcher...Some son of a bitch would die

[Crazy Guggenheim]

1. I still like that song.

[AlienGirl]

2. Do you have "Fear is a Man's Best Friend"?

[enigmatic]

4. I've got it

I'll play it, as soon as I stop crying for Andy.

[NoSheep]

3. What an amazing songwriter and performer he is.

is it the record Humans that I love so much? we had this 20 odd yrs ago. Way after the "wonderin' where the lions are" stuff. I'm thinking rocket launcher wasn't on humans but humans is a great record.

[enigmatic]

5. It's off "Stealing Fire"

but the version I'm listening to is a solo version of just him on acoustic; it's even more powerful. God, what a great song.

[NoSheep]

6. I'm remembering "oh, Tokyo-I never could sleep in your arms..."

My favorite part is:

Me and all these other dice....
Bouncing around in the cup...
Did you have to show me that accident scene?
Didn't I get enough
shaking up?

He's the greatest phraseologist since Bob Dylan

[Heidi]

7. Thankk you, enigmatic.

:hug:

[enigmatic]

8. Back 'atcha, Heidi

:hug:

[Heidi]

9. Ever listen to any Greg Brown?

He's one of my favorites.

http://www.redhouserecords.com/Brown.html

[enigmatic]

10. No, but I will now

He looks great; what do suggest I look for?

[Heidi]

12. Listen here . . .

Some of my favorite Greg Brown CDs / Songs:

The Poet Game: http://www.redhouserecords.com/68.html

One More Goodnight Kiss and Canned Goods:
http://www.redhouserecords.com/23.html

[whirlygigspin]

11. Bruce Cockburn at Live 8

you can watch him perform at Live 8

http://music.channel.aol.com/artist/main.adp?tab=songvid&artistid=3930

He did 3 songs: Waiting For A Miracle
Call It Democracy
& Rocket Launcher

He had some good things to say as well, check it out.

[enigmatic]

13. Thanks for this

Everybody should know who he is..

[whirlygigspin]

14. Call it Democracy

Padded with power here they come International loan sharks backed by the guns Of market hungry military profiteers Whose word is a swamp and whose brow is smeared With the blood of the poor

Who rob life of its quality Who render rage a necessity By turning countries into labour camps Modern slavers in drag as champions of freedom

Sinister cynical instrument Who makes the gun into a sacrament -- The only response to the deification Of tyranny by so-called "developed" nations' Idolatry of ideology

North South East West Kill the best and buy the rest It's just spend a buck to make a buck You don't really give a flying f**k About the people in misery

IMF dirty MF Takes away everything it can get Always making certain that there's one thing left Keep them on the hook with insupportable debt

See the paid-off local bottom feeders Passing themselves off as leaders Kiss the ladies shake hands with the fellows Open for business like a cheap bordello

And they call it democracy And they call it democracy And they call it democracy And they call it democracy

See the loaded eyes of the children too Trying to make the best of it the way kids do One day you're going to rise from your habitual feast To find yourself staring down the throat of the beast They call the revolution

IMF dirty MF Takes away everything it can get Always making certain that there's one thing left Keep them on the hook with insupportable debt...and they call it democracy.

http://music.channel.aol.com/artist/main.adp?tab=songvid&artistid=3930

[ghostsofgiants]

16. My favourite part of his performance...

"Sometimes you'll hear the professional cynics in the media telling you that all of this is bullshit and we aren't accomplishing anything here because the countries in question are ruled by corrupt leaders who are just gonna take the money and do something with it we don't approve of. You will hear that said. But what you don't hear said, at the same time, and it should be, is that those leaders have been historically propped up in the positions they're in by the same governments of the G8 leaders that we're addressing today. So now is the time to make ourselves heard. If the G8 pulled its support away from those leaders they would topple in a second."

[Cornjob]

15. Many great songs!

He is not only an amazing guitarist and performer, but his songs have powerful, emotional messages.

Truly, one of the best out there!

[KG]

17. let's not forget the Cockburn spent time in central america

'If I Had A Rocket Launcher' is based on things he witnessed first hand. he stated his visits to the refugee camps there had a profound effect on him and his songwriting.

[KittyWampus]

18. It Certainly Did, His Work Became Tinged With A Bitterness

bitterness because I'm lacking a better term.

But I still adore him. :)