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.
Restless
Blue Rodeo Lyrics
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Like some matador raising his steel
It's the same old useless ceremony
And a last bow before the kill
Every junkie in this laundromat
Is equal in the eyes of your lord
But you just put your hand to your hip
You're gonna give them a taste A taste of your sword
I get so restless
I get so restless
I get so restless
Restless sir
In what you hoped looked so dignified
You played your exit for a laugh
And like they've done so many times before
They made excuses on your behalf
And every street Jesus and suicide,
Is just another voice that goes unheard
Every candle in the cathedral
A prayer for a better world
I get so restless
I get so restless
I get so restless
Restless sir
You were so poised
Like some matador raising his steel
It's the same old useless ceremony
And a last bow before the kill
And in the not too distant future You'll have the preacher and soldier
Floating round in space
The soldier's finger on the trigger
The preacher's joined in a state of grace
I get so restless
I get so restless
I get so restless
Restless is a song by the Canadian band Blue Rodeo, which was released as a single from their album "Casino". The song is known for its powerful lyrics that tell a story of someone who is frustrated and restless with the world around them. In the first verse, the singer describes someone who is like a matador, poised and ready to strike, but their actions are just a useless ceremony before the inevitable kill. The second verse continues with the idea of people being ignored and overlooked, no matter how much they pray or try to make a difference. The chorus repeated throughout the song seems to express the singer's own restless feelings.
The use of the matador as a metaphor is interesting. It can be interpreted as a symbol of power and control, but ultimately their actions are meaningless and futile. The image of the "street Jesus and suicide" also adds to the feeling of hopelessness and sadness. The chorus, "I get so restless" suggests a frustration with the world and perhaps a desire for change.
Additionally, the line "the preacher and soldier/ Floating round in space/ The soldier's finger on the trigger/ The preacher's joined in a state of grace" suggests a dark future where those in power cause destruction and chaos without remorse or accountability.
Overall, Blue Rodeo's lyrics in Restless are a poignant reflection on the human condition and the desire for meaningful change.
Line by Line Meaning
You were so poised
You carried yourself with confidence and elegance
Like some matador raising his steel
Just like a bullfighter prepares for a fight by raising his sword, you were also getting ready for something, with the same sort of spirit and energy.
It's the same old useless ceremony
Despite the grandeur of the occasion, it was all pointless and ineffective.
And a last bow before the kill
It’s time for the final bow or the last bow before what might be the end.
Every junkie in this laundromat
People coming to this place have nothing left- no money, no hope, no family, and hence, have to resort to leaving their clothes at the laundromat for cleaning.
Is equal in the eyes of your lord
Every human being is equal in the eyes of God.
But you just put your hand to your hip
You, however, think that you're superior to them, as you put your hand on your hip condescendingly.
You're gonna give them a taste
You're going to provide them with some sort of an experience, probably not a positive one, but you're still eager to do so.
A taste of your sword
By saying that you would give them a 'taste of your sword,' you mean that you'll make them feel the 'blow' of your actions, which could possibly be harmful.
I get so restless
I'm so anxious, overwhelmed, and restless.
I get so restless
I'm so anxious, overwhelmed, and restless.
I get so restless
I'm so anxious, overwhelmed, and restless.
Restless sir
Sir, I'm telling you, I'm worried and restless.
In what you hoped looked so dignified
You attempted to present yourself in a dignified manner and hoped that it would be noticed and appreciated by others.
You played your exit for a laugh
You tried to be playful in your exit, attempting to elicit laughs from those who watched.
And like they've done so many times before
Similar to what others have done before, they let it go without any real thought or care.
They made excuses on your behalf
They spoke on your behalf, defending your actions as they usually would.
And every street Jesus and suicide,
Every road is full of people trying to keep themselves alive, all of whom are struggling and daring to hope for a change of pace.
Is just another voice that goes unheard
However, no matter how hard they try, their voices fall on deaf ears; no one really cares or listens.
Every candle in the cathedral
Each candle bears a message, a prayer for a better life, that the people have placed there in the church.
A prayer for a better world
A prayer for a world that's peaceful, fair, and happy, with people who are content and honest.
In the not too distant future
Upcoming, a little too soon, very shortly
You'll have the preacher and soldier
You will have both the minister and the military couplet; both seem to have little in common on the surface because the first is a man of God, while the second is a soldier, but a lot connects them.
Floating round in space
They exist in the same atmosphere, but they are disconnected and separated from each other.
The soldier's finger on the trigger
The soldier has his finger on the trigger, waiting for orders to carry out.
The preacher's joined in a state of grace
As opposed to fighting, the pastor is thinking about holy things and is most likely praying for the world's betterment or trying to convert someone to faith.
I get so restless
I'm so anxious, overwhelmed, and restless.
I get so restless
I'm so anxious, overwhelmed, and restless.
I get so restless
I'm so anxious, overwhelmed, and restless.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREW SCOTT, BRIAN CONNOLLY, MICHAEL TUCKER, STEPHEN PRIEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind