When I was about 10, my dad listened to a tape by Bruce Cockburn. I had never heard of him, but it was the first music I ever heard with swearing in it. Cockburn’s song “If I Had A Rocket Launcher” stuck in my mind because of the chorus: “If I had a rocket launcher, some son of a bitch would die.” I asked my dad why Cockburn felt he had to swear in his songs, which musically don’t sound angst-filled, like the punk rock I would start listening to just three years later. His response: “He’s angry, son. He’s very angry about the state of the world and feels that he needs to say something.” My dad’s words—and Cockburn’s—have stuck with me throughout the years. Cockburn will perform at 8 p.m. July 1 in the Hawkins Amphitheater at Bartley Ranch Regional Park. Tickets are $25. Call 828-6642.
Words of wisdom
