// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did "In the Falling Dark" say to the lamp? You're always dim compared to me.
| In the Falling Dark | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1977 | |||
| Recorded | September – November 1976 | |||
| Genre | Folk | |||
| Length | 48:29 | |||
| Labels | True North (Canada) Island Records (United States) | |||
| Producer | Eugene Martynec | |||
| Bruce Cockburn chronology | ||||
| ||||
In the Falling Dark is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn. The album was released in 1977 by True North Records.[1] It is considered a watershed moment in Cockburn's recording career, as he leaves behind the minimal acoustic arrangements of his earlier albums, presenting a fuller band sound.
Release
[edit]Cockburn embarked on a tour across Canada beginning in Fredericton on February 20, 1977 and concluding on May 15 at the McPherson Playhouse in Victoria, British Columbia. He was accompanied on this tour by Bill Usher on percussion, Bob Boucher on bass, and Pat Godfrey on keyboards.[2]
Cockburn extensively toured in Quebec, where he spoke in French both in radio interviews, on Motreal television, and in front of audiences. One of the songs on the album, "Vagabondage", was written in French.[3] According to James Holt of RPM Cockburn's performances in Quebec were nearly sold-out and frequently received standing ovations from the audience and encores.[4] Two of his concerts at Massey Hall were recorded and planned for release as a live album in autumn 1977.[5] Material from these concerts was included on Cockburn's Circles in The Stream album later that year.[6]
By May 1977, In the Falling Dark had sold 25,000 copies in Canada.[7] It received a Canadian Gold Record Award in 1985.
In the Falling Dark was released in the United States by Island Records and initially received airplay on over 25 FM radio stations across the country, including WNEW-FM and WHFS.[8] It was his first album to chart in the United States, reaching No. 191 on Cashbox.[9] Prior to its debut on the chart, Cockburn had played at Alice Tully Hall in New York City, serving as the opener for Leon Redbone.[8][10]
Reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
Cashbox lauded Cockburn's guitar playing, specifically on "Water Into Wine" and said that "it's in his lyrical expression that Cockburn makes his greatest impact."[12]
In a retrospective review, AllMusic critic Brett Hartenbach wrote, "As a whole, this record trumps anything that its predecessors had to offer, almost to the point where it's difficult to imagine that it followed the release of Joy Will Find a Way by only a year. The sound that was merely suggested on his previous recordings is fully realized here... His first U.S. release since 1972, In the Falling Dark may not have made Bruce Cockburn a household name, but it did mark his emergence as an important artist."[11]
Track listing
[edit]All songs written by Bruce Cockburn except where noted.
- "Lord of the Starfields" – 3:22
- "Vagabondage" – 4:17
- "In the Falling Dark" (Bruce Cockburn, Marcel Moussette)– 4:50
- "Little Seahorse" – 4:30
- "Water into Wine" – 5:30
- "Silver Wheels" – 4:41
- "Giftbearer" – 4:39
- "Gavin's Woodpile" – 8:07
- "I'm Gonna Fly Some Day" – 4:02
- "Festival of Friends" – 4:38
2003 Deluxe remaster bonus tracks
- "Red Brother Red Sister" – 4:16
- "Untitled Guitar" – 8:46
- "Shepherds" – 7:15
- "Dweller by a Dark Stream" – 4:18
Album credits
[edit]Personnel
- Bruce Cockburn – composer, vocals, guitar, dulcimer
- Dennis Pendrith – bass on 4 and 9
- Michel Donato – bass on 1–3 and 6–7
- Bob DiSalle – drums on 1–4, 6–7, and 9
- Bill Usher – percussion on 1–2, 4, 6–7, and 9
- Tom Anderson – percussion on 3
- Kathryn Moses – flute on 2, 4, and 7; piccolo on 9
- Fred Stone – flugelhorn on 6 and 9; trumpet on 7
- Luke Gibson – backing vocals on 9
- Lynn MacDonald – backing vocals on 9
- Erin Malone – backing vocals on 9
Production
- Marcel Mousette – translation
- Eugene Martynec – producer
- Arnaud Maggs – front cover photo
- Ted Grant – back cover photo
- Bart Schoales – art direction
- Bernie Finkelstein – direction
Chart performance
[edit]| Chart (1977) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Albums (RPM)[13] | 44 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles[9] | 191 |
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[14] | Gold | 50,000^ |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
[edit]- ↑ "Dates slated for Canada tour by Cockburn" (PDF). RPM. February 19, 1977. p. 4. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- ↑ "In the Falling Dark: Sales, airplay & tour" (PDF). RPM. March 5, 1977. p. 5. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- ↑ "Cockburn scores with first full Quebec tour" (PDF). RPM. April 9, 1977. p. 2. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- ↑ Holt, James (April 16, 1977). "Harmonium & Cockburn - a cultural exchange!" (PDF). RPM. p. 9. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- ↑ "Concert Notes" (PDF). RPM. May 21, 1977. p. 7. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- ↑ "Circles In The Stream | BRUCE COCKBURN". Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- ↑ "In The Falling Dark enters U.S. trade" (PDF). RPM. May 14, 1977. p. 22. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- 1 2 "Cockburn Celebrates U.S. release with NYC debut" (PDF). RPM. March 19, 1977. p. 10. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- 1 2 "Cash Box Top Albums 101 to 200" (PDF). Cashbox. May 14, 1977. p. 58. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- ↑ "Artists Visit New York" (PDF). Cashbox. April 23, 1977. p. 14. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- 1 2 Hartenbach, Brett. "In the Falling Dark > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- ↑ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Cashbox. April 23, 1977. p. 22. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- ↑ "RPM Top 100 Albums" (PDF). RPM. June 4, 1977. p. 17. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
- ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Bruce Cockburn – In the Falling Dark". Music Canada. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
