Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws
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| Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1979 | |||
| Recorded | May–June 1979 | |||
| Genre | Folk rock | |||
| Length | 36:37 | |||
| Label | True North | |||
| Producer | Gene Martynec | |||
| Bruce Cockburn chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws | ||||
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Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws is the ninth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn. The album has eight songs written around the acoustic guitar and "particularly showcased Cockburn's sparkling guitar work".[1] Up to that time Cockburn's records had been influenced by his Christianity; Third Way magazine wrote in 1987 that "in 1979 the simple Christian faith [Cockburn] had been celebrating was transformed with the release of his most popular ever album Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws, where, with the help of Charles Williams, his pre-Christian mysticism resurfaced after the baptism of faith as mature Christian mysticism. The poetry was astonishing, like no Christian musician had then, or would since, come even close to."[2]
The single "Wondering Where the Lions Are" reached No. 21 in the United States, and spent 17 weeks on the Billboard chart.[3] It was important in bringing Cockburn attention outside Canada, and would be his highest-charting single in the U.S.
The album cover is a painting by Canadian aboriginal artist Norval Morrisseau (1932–2007).[4] In 1992 a remastered edition was released by Rounder Records with two extra tracks, "Dawn Music" and "Bye Bye Idi".[1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [6] |
Music critic Brett Hartenbach, writing retrospectively for AllMusic, stated: "The album continues the jazz-inflected folk he had been pursuing on his past several releases, but with a heavier emphasis on the worldbeat rhythms that would play a larger part in his music in the years to come... though it can't match the sheer power of his next few releases, [it] may be his most beautiful record, as well as an excellent culmination of his '70s work."[5]
