If I Had A Rocket Launcher
Bruce Cockburn
Lyrics currently unavailable…
11 facts about this song
Song Background"If I Had a Rocket Launcher" is a song by Canadian musician Bruce Cockburn, from his album "Stealing Fire" released in 1984.
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Album InspirationThe song was inspired by Cockburn's visit to Guatemalan refugee camps in Mexico following the Guatemalan Civil War. The song expresses his outrage and pain over the suffering he witnessed there.
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Controversial ViewpointThe song was controversial at the time of its release due to its seeming advocacy of violence. Cockburn clarified that it expressed his personal anger rather than a call to arms.
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Track SuccessDespite its controversial nature, the song quickly became one of Cockburn's most popular songs and helped "Stealing Fire" become his most popular album.
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Memorable SamplingThe sound of an actual rocket launcher being fired can be heard at the end of the track, further emphasizing the serious content of the song.
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Award Achievement"If I Had a Rocket Launcher" and "Stealing Fire" earned Cockburn a Canadian Music Hall of Fame award in 2001.
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Chart PerformanceThe song peaked at Number 88 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and climbed to Number 9 on the Canadian charts.
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Public PerformanceBruce Cockburn performed "If I Had a Rocket Launcher" at the first-ever benefit concert for Amnesty International in 1986.
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Cover VersionsSeveral other artists have covered the song, including hardcore punk band Millions of Dead Cops (MDC) on their 1989 album "Metal Devil Cokes."
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Pop Culture ReferenceCockburn's song is referenced in the computer game Deus Ex, during a conversation with the character Alex Jacobson.
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Legacy"If I Had a Rocket Launcher" is now considered a classic folk-rock protest song, and its poignant message continues to resonate with listeners today.
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Citation
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"If I Had A Rocket Launcher Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/27072218/Bruce+Cockburn/If+I+Had+A+Rocket+Launcher>.
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