Wondering Where the Lions Are

"Wondering Where the Lions Are" is a song written and performed by Bruce Cockburn.^[1] The track is from his 1979 album Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws.

"Wondering Where the Lions Are"
Single by Bruce Cockburn
from the album Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws
B-side	"After the Rain"
Released	February 1980 (1980-02)
Recorded	1979
Length	3:42
Label	True North
Songwriter	Bruce Cockburn
Producer	Gene Martynec
Bruce Cockburn singles chronology
"Laughter" (1978) "Wondering Where the Lions Are" (1980) "Tokyo" (1980)

Development and composition

The song was indirectly inspired by a dinner meeting between Cockburn and a relative that worked in a defence-related government position. The relative suggested that there was considerable concern that a war might break out between China and the Soviet Union saying, "We could wake up tomorrow to a nuclear war". Cockburn was upset, and had dreams that night about lions at his front door, but not in a threatening way. When he awoke the next morning to find war had not broken out, he began using elements of the dream to compose the song.^[2]

Chart performance

It was Cockburn's only Top 40 hit in the United States, peaking at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100,^[3] and it peaked at No. 92 in Australia.^[4]

While also a Top-40 hit in Cockburn's native Canada, it was not his biggest hit in that country, where seven of his subsequent singles reached higher chart positions. It was, however, named the 29th greatest Canadian song of all time in the 2005 CBC Radio series 50 Tracks: The Canadian Version.^[5]

Cockburn performed the song on the American television show Saturday Night Live, Season 5, Episode 18, with guest host Bob Newhart, on May 10, 1980. This version is notable as it is longer (4:18 compared with 3:42 for the studio version) than the studio version and includes some scat style singing. The backup vocals consist of an unnamed trio possibly the shows other musical guests, The Amazing Rhythm Aces, although it appears that one of the singers is Paul Shaffer.

Personnel

• Bruce Cockburn – guitar, lead vocals
• Pat Godfrey – piano, marimba, backing vocals
• Larry "Sticky Fingers" Silvera – bass, backing vocals
• Ben Bow – drums, güiro, backing vocals

Covers

• Leo Sayer on the 1982 album World Radio.
• Vigilantes of Love on the 2000 compilation album Roaring Lambs.
• Jimmy Buffett on the soundtrack for the 2006 film Hoot
• Donavon Frankenreiter on his 2007 album Recycled Recipes.