If I Had A Rocket Launcher: Relevant Retribution for Forever Wars
Bruce Cockburn fires a masterful fusillade of musical frustration
Before the pandemic fiasco, Canadians were thought to be the nice neighbors to the north of those obnoxious Americans.
After the truckers’ convoy protest and authoritative government decisions against everyday citizens, now everyone’s not so sure anymore.
But in the 1980’s I encountered one pissed-off Canuck. He wrote one of the most mesmerizing and angry songs I’d ever heard. His choir boy looks betrayed the turmoil taunting his inner soul.
Bruce Cockburn is a poet and a musician. He is a legendary voice in Canada and beyond. He turns artforms into a magical journey of passion.
If I Had a Rocket Launcher is a reaction to the atrocities of military rule, foreign interventions and affliction of the poor.
This song never fails to evoke strong emotions.
Rage Against the Madness
Cockburn’s talent is his ability to tap into the realities of life. He transforms sorrow into meaningful words underscored by melodic tones too pretty for the message.
Listening to a Cockburn song defies normal expectations.
The album that solidified Cockburn’s sound in the mind of many Americans was Stealing Fire in 1984. Here’s a list of my favorite songs from this master work:
From the song titles alone, you might surmise the influence of a trip to the Mexican border, a year prior to releasing the album. The world hunger outfit, OXFAM, sponsored artists to visit Guatemalan refugee camps and tour Nicaragua.
In a Washington Post article, Cockburn reflects on the anger in writing these “very personal” songs:
Aside from airing my own experience, which is where the songs always start, if we're ever going to find a solution for this ongoing passion for wasting each other, we have to start with the rage that knows no impediments, an uncivilized rage that says it's okay to go out and shoot some one.
This sentiment resonates with my own approach to songwriting.
Personal experience is, of course, the context for finding songs. But anger and rage act as surefire catalysts to finish the damn thing.
In the same Post article, Cockburn points out the songwriters’ dilemma:
I don't consciously or not consciously write certain kinds of songs, in fact, I almost didn't put 'Rocket Launcher' on the album because of the ease with which it could be misinterpreted.
Now in his 70s, Cockburn still manifests a simple and powerful presentation in this acoustic version.
Lashing Out at Humanity (Both Ways)
The dichotomy of protest songs is a balance of calling out the culprits and the call for counter action. Emotions run deep. Revenge runs in your veins.
At critical moments it doesn’t really matter if your God is involved:
Situation desperate, echoes of the victims cry
The old adage of “let God sort them out” is far too often the end result of heinous crimes against humanity, mostly the poor and displaced ones.
Here comes the helicopter, second time today Everybody scatters and hopes it goes away How many kids they've murdered only God can say, hey If I had a rocket launcher, if I had a rocket launcher If I had a rocket launcher, I'd make somebody pay
For refugees, there is no escape from tragedy and death. Common folk are only pawns in military, tribal and political games to gain and secure power and property.
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, if I had a rocket launcher If I had a rocket launcher, I would not hesitate
Despair is a sad human condition. It descends into depths of desensitized behavior. It triggers you to act on raw feelings, no matter the consequences of logical thought.
Even a rocket launcher is probably insufficient to change the dynamics.
But fighting back is a basic human act, as long as you still accept your worth.
Coda
Forever wars are the currency of empire states. No conflict, no conquer.
In the 1980s, Central America was a hotbed of military interference as the United States fought off communist revolutions in the region. The Red Scare was getting too close to the capitalist control of these bountiful nations.
Not to mention the Latin America drug wars that provided cover for the lucrative trade in narcotics by CIA operatives and compliant generals.
Yesterday it was Guatemala, today it’s the Gaza Strip. In between it was Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Ukraine.
Refugees are good for big business. They’re just not that good for the impoverished and powerless.
So as a fledgling songwriter, I understand the outrage of Bruce Cockburn’s unforgiving payback:
If I had a rocket launcher, some son of a bitch would die
[Image Credit: Janet Spinas Dancer, CC 2.0]
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