Lovers in a Dangerous Time

"Lovers in a Dangerous Time" is a song by Bruce Cockburn, originally released on his 1984 album "Stealing Fire". The song was a Top 40 hit for Cockburn, peaking at #25 on the Canadian charts the week of August 18, 1984. [ [http://www.collectionscanada.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.6799&volume=40&issue=24&issue_dt=August%2018%201984&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=3p2vga9k0f6fq14h899m1m8rd5] "RPM"]

According to Cockburn, the song was inspired by seeing teenagers expressing romantic love in a schoolyard [ [http://cockburnproject.net/songs&music/liadt.html "Lovers in a Dangerous Time"] at The Cockburn Project] . In the song, he contrasts the hopefulness and joy of new love with the despair of a wider world where notions of the future often carried a sense of foreboding and doom. However, especially in light of Cockburn's next single "If I Had a Rocket Launcher", the song has also been interpreted by listeners and critics as referring to the same Guatemalan refugee crisis that inspired the later song, or to the then-emerging HIV/AIDS crisis. Cockburn acknowledged in later interviews that he was pleased by both of these alternate interpretations. [ [http://cockburnproject.net/songs&music/liadt.html "Lovers in a Dangerous Time"] at The Cockburn Project]

U2 alluded to "Lovers" in their 1988 single "God Part II", with the lyric "Heard a singer on the radio late last night/He says he's gonna kick the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight."

In 2005, "Lovers" was named the 11^th greatest Canadian song of all time on the CBC Radio One series "".

Barenaked Ladies cover

The song was subsequently covered by Barenaked Ladies on the 1991 Cockburn tribute album "Kick at the Darkness". Their rendition became their first Top 40 hit on the Canadian charts, reaching #16 the week of February 15, 1992. [ [http://www.collectionscanada.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.2054&volume=55&issue=8&issue_dt=February%2015%201992&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=3p2vga9k0f6fq14h899m1m8rd5] "RPM"] It also appeared on their greatest hits compilation "".

References