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.
Truscott
Blue Rodeo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
These are for pain
And here are the words
You can't get back again
Well I'm holding a picture
Of you on your lawn
Smiling like an angel
The fortunate one
Well it's alright now
People get through this somehow
It's alright now
We will keep moving I know
If you remember cause I do
When the fever was breaking
I was sweat soaked and frail
I dreamed I was
Stephen Truscott a child in jail
And when I awoke
And I felt your cool breeze
I wept like an ocean
Sweet tears of relief
Well it's alright now
People get through this somehow
It's alright now
We will keep moving I know
If you remember cause I do
The lyrics to Blue Rodeo's song "Truscott" are rife with themes of sadness, pain, memories, and hope. The opening lines, "This one's for sadness, These are for pain," set the tone for the rest of the song, which deals with personal struggles and emotional turmoil. The singer then talks about holding a picture of someone smiling "like an angel," and acknowledges that these positive memories can never be undone or forgotten. The chorus repeats the phrase "It's alright now," a mantra of sorts for the singer who believes that people can and will get through their struggles.
The lyrics of the second verse shift to a dream sequence where the singer envisions themselves as Stephen Truscott, a Canadian man wrongfully convicted of murder in 1959. The imagery here is incredibly powerful, with the singer describing the physical toll of the fever that transforms them into Truscott. However, once they awaken and feel the breeze, they experience a deep sense of release, crying "sweet tears of relief." The song ends with a final repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the recurring theme of hope in the face of adversity.
Overall, "Truscott" is a song that deals with complex emotions and serious subject matter, but ultimately chooses to focus on the possibility of healing and moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
This one's for sadness
Starting this song on a melancholic note, as it speaks about sadness
These are for pain
Acknowledging that pain is also an important theme of this song
And here are the words
Introducing the lyrics of the song
You can't get back again
Acknowledging that once spoken, words cannot be unsaid or taken back
Well I'm holding a picture
The singer is holding a picture, which implies a sense of nostalgia or longing for the past
Of you on your lawn
Describing the picture as being of a person on their lawn, evoking imagery of summer and happiness
Smiling like an angel
The person in the picture is depicted as being happy and pure, as if they are an angel
The fortunate one
Describing the person in the photo as lucky or blessed
Well it's alright now
The singer is trying to reassure someone, perhaps even themselves
People get through this somehow
Expressing that people have the ability to overcome hardships and difficult times no matter how insurmountable they seem
We will keep moving I know
Declaring that no matter what happens, life goes on and people should keep moving forward
If you remember cause I do
Suggesting that the singer is trying to recall a specific memory or conversation, expressing that they are not ready to let go yet
When the fever was breaking
Introducing a new chapter in the song, using the metaphor of a fever to convey a sense of illness or discomfort
I was sweat soaked and frail
Describing the singer's state of being during the time of the fever, which contributes to the overall atmosphere of pain and hardship
I dreamed I was
Introducing a narrative dream sequence, implying that the following lines may not be literal
Stephen Truscott a child in jail
Revealing that the dream is about Stephen Truscott, a real-life Canadian who was wrongly convicted of murder as a child
And when I awoke
Returning to the present moment and ending the dream sequence
And I felt your cool breeze
Describing a comforting experience, evoking a sense of relief and tranquility
I wept like an ocean
Using vivid imagery to convey the depth of the singer's emotions, as if they are an ocean that has been stirred up
Sweet tears of relief
The tears that the singer is shedding are described as being sweet and relieving, suggesting that they have been holding back their emotions and can now release them
Contributed by Ian J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Patrick Peters
Met every member of Blue Rodeo. They are the epitome of kindness and humbleness. Each and every one of the band are such great souls. Wonderful band.
Jessica Smith-Rehel
It's the only way us Canadians know 😊
Rajen Murugan
lucky you
MsFreudianSlip
Yes, and even recently (well, a bit more than a year ago, before Covid) I saw Jim at the Horseshoe - he was there to see his son play, but it was a Tuesday and hardly anyone was there, and he was so kind and took time to talk to anyone who spoke to him. People were kind enough to let him watch his son, but between sets people would approach him. I spoke with him for about 5 minutes and he was so kind, fully open and connected, even asked me where I grew up. Solid, salt of the earth guy!
Brian Bumstead
One of my poker buddies got to meet them also. Big time hash smokers. Wouldn’t mind meeting them
Dave Sweetman
Greatest Canadian band. Ever.
Shampoo Boy
These guys are so good and so consistent they should be international superstars.
Carolyn Simpson
This song is perfection — one of our Canadian gems.
James Lopez
Hello Cj how are you doing hope you’re having a great time with your family may God bless you and your family
Krystal Richardson
I'm right there with you