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.
Florida
Blue Rodeo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The land of endless malls
Images of Elvis flicks
Convertibles and blondes
And I remember crying
As you walked away along the shore
The last words I heard you say were what a bore
In those air-conditioned bars
Putting all my quarters in a juke-box
With big silver stars
And I remember Nat King Cole
Singing a song about the rain
Oh I'm feeling blue again
Oh yeah I'm feeling blue again
And it was just like a vacation
And I'm sure we had us some fun
It was just like a vacation
And I swear we even sat out in the sun
You see my mother owned a trailer home
On west Broward past A1A
And to beat the north wind
We took a spin
To that tin can by the sea
But she was just passing time
Well I thought she was mine
She even passed out of town in my car
And left me with Nat King Cole
And the silver stars
Oh Nat King Cole and the silver stars
And it was just like a vacation
And I'm sure we had us some fun
It was just like a vacation
And I swear we even sat out
Yeah I swear we even sat out
Yeah I swear we even sat out in the sun
In the sun
In the sun
In the sun
The song "Florida" by Blue Rodeo touches on themes of nostalgia, heartbreak, and the passing of time. The track reminisces on a past relationship that took place in the titular state, with the singer recalling details of the trip and the fleeting happiness it brought. There are hints of sadness and regret woven throughout the lyrics, such as the mention of the last words the former lover spoke before walking away ("what a bore"). Drinking in air-conditioned bars, putting quarters into a juke-box with big silver stars, and listening to Nat King Cole singing about the rain are all markers of a perfect vacation, but as the song progresses, the truth of the relationship's impermanence comes into focus.
The singer's mother owns a trailer home in Florida, and the couple takes a trip there to escape the cold. However, it's clear that the relationship was never meant to last, with hints of infidelity from the singer's partner ("she even passed out of town in my car and left me with Nat King Cole and the silver stars"). The overall effect of the song is bittersweet, as the singer wistfully remembers the happy moments they shared in Florida and acknowledges that they were fleeting, similar to a vacation that always must come to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
And I remember Florida
The singer recalls their time in Florida
The land of endless malls
A characteristic of Florida being pointed out
Images of Elvis flicks
The association of Elvis Presley with the state of Florida
Convertibles and blondes
Another association with the state of Florida
And I remember crying
The singer remembers crying when someone walked away
As you walked away along the shore
Describing how the person walked away
The last words I heard you say were what a bore
A description of the last thing the person said
And I remember drinking
The singer remembers drinking in Florida
In those air-conditioned bars
The type of bars being pointed out
Putting all my quarters in a juke-box
Playing music on a juke box at the bar
With big silver stars
Describing the design of the juke box
And I remember Nat King Cole
Recalling listening to Nat King Cole
Singing a song about the rain
The title and content of the song being listened to
Oh I'm feeling blue again
The emotions aroused by the song
Oh yeah I'm feeling blue again
Reinforcing the emotions
And it was just like a vacation
Describing their time in Florida as a vacation
And I'm sure we had us some fun
The artist asserts that they enjoyed themselves
You see my mother owned a trailer home
Explaining why the singer was in Florida
On west Broward past A1A
Describing the location of the trailer home
And to beat the north wind
A reason for going to Florida
We took a spin
Going for a drive
To that tin can by the sea
Referring to the trailer home
But she was just passing time
The singer describing the other person's intentions
Well I thought she was mine
The artist's mistaken perception
She even passed out of town in my car
The other person left in the singer's car
And left me with Nat King Cole
Leaving the singer with only the music
And the silver stars
Referring to the juke box
Oh Nat King Cole and the silver stars
Repeating the things left behind by the other person
In the sun
The joy of being in the sunshine
In the sun
Repeating the previous line
In the sun
Repeating the previous line
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GREG KEELOR, JIM CUDDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind