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.
In Our Nature
Blue Rodeo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That twists and turns inside your mind
Like a sheet hung on the line
It's in our nature to fly
Like a kite tossed side to side
The wind will guide us ‘til we die
Like the clouds chased thru the night
I fell into your bright green life
We rode those colours for a while
Until the sky unleashed her light
It's in our nature to say goodbye
It's in our nature to say goodbye
The song In Our Nature by Blue Rodeo speaks about the transient and ephemeral nature of human life. The lyrics describe how life often seems like a storm-filled sky, twisting and turning inside our mind, but at the same time, we have the ability to take flight and soar above our troubles. The metaphor of a kite tossed side to side in the wind is used to describe how we are guided through life until death, like clouds chased through the night.
The second verse of the song speaks about a brief, yet meaningful encounter with someone special. The singer remembers how they fell into their bright green life, and they rode those colors for a while. However, just like the storm in the first verse, things eventually come to an end, and the sky unleashes its light. This line is likely referring to a harsh and sudden reality that ended a particular chapter of the singer's life. It is then expressed that saying goodbye is in our nature.
Overall, In Our Nature is a poignant reminder of the impermanence of life, how we must embrace the fleeting moments and cherish them before they pass. It's also reflective of how human nature is to always take flight and push forward, no matter how hard life may seem.
Line by Line Meaning
When life feels like a storm-filled sky
When life seems turbulent and uncertain
That twists and turns inside your mind
Causing confusion, anxiety, and turmoil within oneself
Like a sheet hung on the line
Like a piece of fabric being blown around by the wind
It's in our nature to fly
It's innate in us to aim higher, beyond our current situation
Like a kite tossed side to side
Like a kite being blown around by the wind
The wind will guide us ‘til we die
We'll keep striving forward, letting fate guide us, until the end
Like the clouds chased thru the night
Like clouds that continuously move in the sky
I fell into your bright green life
I became a part of your vibrant world
We rode those colours for a while
We enjoyed those intense emotions for some time
Until the sky unleashed her light
Until something shook us out of our euphoria or comfort zone
It's in our nature to say goodbye
It's inevitable that we'll have to bid farewell to things and people that were once a big part of our lives
It's in our nature to say goodbye
We must accept the transience of life and keep moving forward
Contributed by Max M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.