The band consists of original members Cuddy (guitar/vocals), Keelor (guitar/vocals) and Donovan (bass) plus newer additions Glenn Milchem (drums), and Bob Egan (multi-instrumentalist). Former members include Anderson (drummer), Wiseman (keyboardist), Kim Deschamps (multi-instrumentalist), Mark French (drummer), and Jamie Gray (keyboardist) and Bob Packwood (keyboards).
Blue Rodeo is one of the most successful and well known contemporary Canadian bands, having released 11 studio albums, one live album, a greatest hits collection and a DVD which have sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. In addition, both Cuddy and Keelor have released solo albums. Blue Rodeo members have collaborated extensively with other notable Canadian artists, including Jann Arden, Cowboy Junkies, Burton Cummings, Kathleen Edwards, Great Big Sea, Sarah McLachlan, The Sadies, Ron Sexsmith, Skydiggers, and The Tragically Hip. Blue Rodeo have won many Canadian music awards, including seven Juno Awards (Canada's Grammy) and principal songwriters Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor have been honoured with seven SOCAN awards.
The band released (November 2008) Blue Road a special 20th Anniversary Live 'bootleg' DVD which features an insightful documentary by Chris Mills and an acoustic CD of their 2008 February 29th Toronto Massey Hall concert. The DVD disc features some acoustic covers, including Neil Young's "Are You Ready For The Country", Randy Travis's "Diggin' Up Bones" and Ian & Sylvia Tyson's "Four Strong Winds." In addition, there's a new bonus studio track on the audio CD by Cuddy and Keelor called "Losing You", which is also performed Live on the DVD.
It was formally announced on June 16th, 2009, that Blue Rodeo will be inducted onto Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto in September, 2009.
On November 10th, 2009, Blue Rodeo released its twelfth studio album, The Things We Left Behind, which is a double CD featuring 16 original compositions by Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy. The release was produced by the band with engineering and mixing assistance from Darryl Neudorf (Neko Case, Jim Cuddy, Kevin Kane, Sarah McLachlan, The Sadies), and the first single to crack the airwaves is "Arizona Dust".
It was officially announced on December 12, 2011 that Blue Rodeo will be inducted into The Canadian Music Hall of Fame, with the formal presentation to occur on April 1st, 2012 at the Canadian Juno Awards.
Blue Rodeo released its 13th studio album on October 29th, 2013 entitled In Our Nature.
Canadian Governor General David Johnston announced on Dec. 30, 2013 that Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor will be celebrated as Officers of the Order of Canada, one of the country`s highest honours, in a ceremony to be scheduled later in 2014.
In the Fall of 2014, Blue Rodeo released their first seasonal holiday collection entitled, A Merrie Christmas To You, which is blessed with their favourite Christmas classics. The collection features beautiful songs by The Band, Big Star, Merle Haggard, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, and two moving originals entitled "Glad To Be Alive" and "Home To You This Christmas".
Blue Rodeo released its latest studio album on October 28, 2016 entitled 1000 Arms, which was produced by Tim Vesely and the band. The Warner Music Canada release features eleven new songs penned by Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, and the first single is entitled "Superstar".
For photo galleries, tour dates and other information on Blue Rodeo you can visit their official website, www.BlueRodeo.com.
Arizona Dust
Blue Rodeo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's not the way it was planned
I know I kept you waiting
I screwed up my timing again
You told me the fears that were in your head
Sitting there cross-legged on my bed
Don't you stay away long that's what you said
So quickly
Summer ran right into spring
I see your face lying next to me
Just on the edge of my dreams
So tired I can't explain
I lost something precious that was in my hand
Let it all slip away slow like grains of sand
If you're through with me
I guess I'll see
When I'm standing at your door
I finally got my balance back
To where I was before
And I've never been so lonely
So I'm singing a Skydiggers' song
As I'm eating Arizona dust
And wishing I was home
It's too hard to look back
When you don't like what you see
Pictures of all the people I love
I let them down so casually
You told me all the fears that were in your head
Sitting there cross-legged on my bed
Don't you stay away long that's what you said
If you're through with me
I guess I'll see
When I'm standing at your door
I finally got my balance back
To where I was before
And I've never been so lonely
So I'm singing a Skydiggers' song
As I'm eating Arizona dust
And wishing I was home
The lyrics to Blue Rodeo's song "Arizona Dust" tell the story of a person reflecting on a past relationship that they had messed up. They open the song with an apology, admitting that they didn't stick to the plans they made together, letting the person they were with down. The singer then reflects on the time they spent with their partner, and the intimate conversation they had, confessing fears and wishes; all the while revealing the regret of what was lost. They then realize that time has passed, and things have changed so quickly that they can only see the person they miss in their dreams. The singer is now in a state of loneliness and suddenly becomes aware that life is slipping away. And that although they are miles away, they can still recall the memories of people who love them, who they've let down.
Throughout the song, the singer's pleading with their partner to come back can be heard. However, they are in a state of confusion as to whether or not their partner would still want them back, and they express that standing outside their door is where they will see if their wishes can come true. They reflect on the fact that they are trying to regain balance, saying they've never been so lonely, singing a Skydiggers' song, eating Arizona dust, and wishing they were home. The song poignantly conveys the sense of loss and regret through a heartfelt exploration of a past relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh darling
The singer is addressing someone they care about deeply
That's not the way it was planned
Things didn't turn out as planned or expected
I know I kept you waiting
The singer acknowledges they made the other person wait for them
I screwed up my timing again
The singer made a mistake or misjudgment that affected their relationship with the other person
You told me the fears that were in your head
The other person confided their anxieties to the singer
Sitting there cross-legged on my bed
The setting where the other person discussed their fears with the singer
Don't you stay away long that's what you said
The other person expressed a desire for the singer to stay in their life
So quickly
Time passed by very fast
Summer ran right into spring
The seasons changed quickly
I see your face lying next to me
The singer remembers the other person so vividly it's as if they're still there
Just on the edge of my dreams
The other person is a recurring figure in the singer's dreams
So tired I can't explain
The singer is exhausted and doesn't have the energy to articulate why
I lost something precious that was in my hand
The singer had something valuable but lost it through their own carelessness or negligence
Let it all slip away slow like grains of sand
The singer lost something slowly and gradually, like sand slipping through their fingers
If you're through with me
The singer wonders if the other person has given up on them
I guess I'll see
The singer will find out if the other person has truly moved on
When I'm standing at your door
The singer will go to the other person's house to find out where they stand
I finally got my balance back
The singer has regained their emotional equilibrium
To where I was before
The singer has returned to their pre-relationship state
And I've never been so lonely
Despite being emotionally balanced, the singer has never felt so alone
So I'm singing a Skydiggers' song
The singer is using music to express their feelings of loneliness and heartbreak
As I'm eating Arizona dust
The singer is in a desert place, which may symbolize their emotional state
And wishing I was home
The singer longs for a place of comfort and familiarity
It's too hard to look back
The singer finds it difficult to reflect on the past because it's painful
When you don't like what you see
The singer is unhappy or disappointed with what they see when they look back
Pictures of all the people I love
The singer thinks of the people who are important to them
I let them down so casually
The singer feels guilty for not being there for their loved ones
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Glenn Swarbrick
Saw the show at The Borderline in Soho, London, England on 2 Oct. Absolutely brilliant. This is a great song (and I love the reference to The Skydiggers - another great Canadian band).
Claudie A
One of the best bands ever.........luv em'...:)
Claudie A
and the harmonies...ahhhhhhhhhh....nice
Shaun Cougar
The most underrated band
cal
this was on the radio almost every time I got on the school bus in seventh grade. I always got excited when it came on because it was ten times better than everything else on the radio. I'm kind of amazed that it doesn't have more views. Absolute classic.
pepperman03
Gotta love the shout out to the second best Canadian band...The Skydiggers.
smileybluegirl
Looove this! Whole album is amazing!! One of my favourites 😀👍
smileybluegirl
Love this song!! Sooo many great songs with this one on the album!! 👍
Deniz Bevan
Fun beginning to the video. Great song! Can't get enough of the new album!
smileybluegirl
One of the best!!! Sounds and sights of summer from one fantaaaastic album! :)