Bruce Cockburn - Stealing Fire (1984)

One of Canada's most potent, prolific and consistently provocative singer-songwriters, Bruce Cockburn hammers out a powerful anti-war message on this politically charged album which was released a year after his first trip through the strife-torn parts of Central America.

I was totally mesmerised the first time I heard the LP, which got played a lot before my record player died on me. Hence, I was overjoyed to find a second-hand copy of the CD at a shop in Sydney, Australia in the early '90s. Songs like 'Lovers in a Dangerous Time', 'If I Had a Rocket Launcher' and 'Nicaragua' are among the most incendiary political tunes you're ever likely to hear. (A recent remastered CD reissue, which comes with two bonus tracks, is well worth seeking out.)