Big Circumstance

Big Circumstance is the sixteenth full-length album by Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn. The album was released in 1989 by True North Records. Rounder Records issued a remastered CD of the album in 2005 with a new acoustic version of "If a Tree Falls" as a bonus track.

Reception
In his retrospective review for Allmusic, critic Rob Caldwell wrote the album "was a move away from the somewhat dated, overblown sound of his previous World of Wonders, toward a leaner, more guitar-dominated sound... he takes pains to differentiate himself from right-wing Christianity and express his different view of the faith."

Track listing
All songs written by Bruce Cockburn.
 * 1) "If a Tree Falls" – 5:43
 * 2) "Shipwrecked at the Stable Door" – 3:38
 * 3) "Gospel of Bondage" – 5:45
 * 4) "Don't Feel Your Touch" – 4:49
 * 5) "Tibetan Side of Town" – 6:59
 * 6) "Understanding Nothing" – 4:26
 * 7) "Where the Death Squad Lives" – 4:28
 * 8) "Radium Rain" – 9:22
 * 9) "Pangs of Love" – 5:18
 * 10) "The Gift" – 6:04
 * 11) "Anything Can Happen" – 4:31

The 2005 reissue also contains an acoustic version of If A Tree Falls.

Personnel

 * Bruce Cockburn – composer, vocals, guitar, harmonica
 * Fergus Jamison Marsh – bass, Chapman Stick
 * Hugh Marsh – violin
 * Jon Goldsmith – keyboards, autoharp
 * Michael Sloski – drums, percussion
 * Myron Schultz – clarinet
 * Judy Cade – background vocals
 * Mary Margaret O'Hara – background vocals
 * Mose Scarlett – background vocals

Production

 * Jon Goldsmith – producer
 * George Whiteside – photography
 * Bart Schoales – art direction