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.
Palace of Gold
Blue Rodeo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of how a man sells his soul
And how it's lost before he knows
And all he's left with is his palace of gold
He's got more than he needs
He's so very hard to please
Finds it difficult to be kind
Easy to criticize, he's so high
Yeah he's so high in the palace of gold
Yeah he's so high in the palace of gold
The palace of gold
The palace of gold
In the prison of your soul
Where every man must carry his own soul
Some men fall, some men fly
High in the palace of gold
Yeah he's so high in the palace of gold
Yeah he's so high in the palace of gold
The palace of gold
Yeah he's so high
Yeah he's so high
Yeah he's so high
In the palace of gold
In the palace of gold
The lyrics of Blue Rodeo's "Palace of Gold" talk about the perils of selling one's soul to gain material wealth and power. The song begins with a familiar tale of a man who sells his soul, only to realize too late that he has lost something more valuable than money, his humanity. The chorus captures the sense of isolation, loneliness, and disconnection that comes with wealth and power. The man finds it difficult to be happy, loses his ability to empathize with others, and becomes highly critical of those around him. He lives in a "palace of gold" but is a prisoner of his own soul.
The second verse of the song continues with the theme of the prison of the soul, a metaphor for the internal struggles and demons that we all must confront in our lives. Some people, like the man in the first verse, fall into despair, while others find a way to rise above and overcome their struggles. The song argues that it is possible to fly high, even in the midst of one's own internal struggles, but it is also possible to become mired in the weight of one's burdens, as the man in the palace of gold has become.
"Palace of Gold" is a heartbreaking meditation on the consequences of greed, power, and the loss of empathy. The song reminds us that, ultimately, our material possessions and social status mean very little in the face of our own spiritual and emotional well-being.
Line by Line Meaning
So the story is often told
People often recount the tale
Of how a man sells his soul
About how a man gives up his morals
And how it's lost before he knows
Without realizing the impact of the decision
And all he's left with is his palace of gold
Only material wealth as a result
He's got more than he needs
An excess of possessions
He's so very hard to please
Unsatisfied with what he has
Finds it difficult to be kind
Struggles to be compassionate
Easy to criticize, he's so high
Quick to judge and self-important
Yeah he's so high in the palace of gold
Arrogant and entitled because of wealth
The palace of gold
Referring to the world of materialism and selfishness
In the prison of your soul
Judgment and guilt from one's own conscience
Where every man must carry his own soul
The burden of choices made fall on the individual
Some men fall, some men fly
The outcome of choices isn't the same for everyone
High in the palace of gold
A warning to those consumed by wealth
Yeah he's so high
The power wealth can hold over someone
In the palace of gold
A world of greed and arrogance
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bungalow Jonathan
Been trying to find more high quality videos of their live performances. RIP Dallas, true legend
April A. Severin
Good job, Sadies. I love the vocals by Dallas!
Anna Chamberlain
nice one...THE SADIES RULE!
Jon Van Wieren
Crying. RIP Dallas. Just damn
Pigs of Oblivion
The Sadies - An absolute must see band if you’ve not already , Shame On You !! haha
Seriously , videos don’t come close
The Sadies are a Treasure , never mind a Canadian Treasure ! A Treasure , truly that good
Probably a good 15 times over a good twenty years ... by far the real deal ... of Link Wray , Neil Young status
Mike S
beautiful 😢
Heidi Wittmann
I miss Dallas being in this World. 😪
Tristan Shears
RIP DALLAS.
Clint Daniels
RIP Dallas