"My dad was a guitar player. He played with Bob Wills and a little bit with Reba McEntire when she was first starting out," says Ragsdale. "He really didn't want me to be a drummer but I insisted. I found a set of drums in a neighbor's trash one day and hauled them into the cellar. He kind of figured out after about a year that I was serious and finally got me a new drum set. And when he met Cody, he realized his talent and how seriously we wanted to take music, and he really pushed us. He completely drove us up the wall, but later down the road, we realized he did it for a good reason."
Once the band got its chops they moved to Stillwater, Okla., where acts like Mike McClure's Great Divide and singer-songwriter Jimmy LaFave had established enough of a local scene to earn Stillwater the nickname "North Austin" (or, depending on your perspective, "West Nashville"). Inspired by McClure's self-penned Great Divide songs (and more than a little by early Steve Earle), the band quickly grew out of its Merle Haggard and classic rock covers and began focusing on Canada's uncommonly honest and straight-forward originals. A potent foursome of albums -- 1998's Carney, 1999's Live at the Wormy Dog, 2001's Highway 377 and 2002's Live at Billy Bob's Texas -- collectively sold more 70,000 copies to date. Combined with the band's average of 200 gigs a year, Cross Canadian Ragweed cinched a place at the top of the Texas-Oklahoma music totem pole.
"We're a little more rock 'n' roll than other people [from the Oklahoma/Texas scene], and that's not a bad thing," laughs Canada, whose Southern-fried lead guitar licks betray his love of heroes like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Pete Anderson (of Dwight Yoakam fame) and Eddie Van Halen -- not to mention the fact that he's been playing since he was 8 years old.
After building a huge concert following in Texas and Oklahoma, the band decided to look into signing a record deal. In 2003, fledgling label Universal South released a self-titled album (produced by McClure) that the band recorded prior to signing their record deal. They released Soul Gravy in 2004 and Garage in 2005.
Their offical website is at www.crosscanadianragweed.com.
17
Cross Canadian Ragweed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothin' better to do on a Tuesday night
But give me hell
Where you headed, what are you out for
Don't see much of you 'round here anymore
I guess it's just as well
Once upon a time you had it all
You let everybody down
Runnin' from your folks, runnin' from the law
Runnin' from love, runnin' from your fears, runnin' from it all
You keep on runnin' boy
You'll run yourself in the ground
You're always seventeen in your hometown
Her porch swing still looks the same
She probably won't even remember my name
Just like she didn't back then
Is she married, is she doin' fine
Does she know about all the nights
I laid awake cryin'
Just to know her hand
The door opens and I run away
Just like the same old clown
You're always seventeen in your hometown
Runnin' from your folks, runnin' from the law
Runnin' from love, runnin' from your fears, runnin' from it all
You keep on runnin' boy
You'll run yourself in the ground
You're always seventeen in your hometown
Nobody's gonna miss me
No tears will fall, no one's gonna weep
When I hit that road
My boots are broken, my brain is sore
From keeping up with their little world
I got a heavy load
Gonna leave 'em all just like before
I'm big city bound
You're always seventeen in your hometown
Runnin' from your folks, runnin' from the law
Runnin' from love, runnin' from your fears, runnin' from it all
You keep on runnin' boy
You'll run yourself in the ground
You're always seventeen in your hometown
"17" is a song by Cross Canadian Ragweed that speaks to the idea of nostalgia and the idea that one can never quite leave their hometown behind. The song opens with sirens wailing and a flashing light, setting the stage for a story that centers around a young man who is always on the run. The lyrics suggest that the singer is running from a range of things, including his past, his fears, and even love. Despite his efforts to escape his hometown, the singer is haunted by memories of his past and the people he left behind.
Throughout the song, the singer is confronted with the fact that time has moved on without him. He reflects on a past romance and wonders if the woman even remembers him. He also thinks about how he used to have it all, but lost everything through bad decisions. Despite these realizations, he is still determined to leave his hometown and make something of himself in the big city.
Overall, "17" is a song that captures the feeling of being stuck in one's past, unable to move forward. It speaks to the universal experience of growing up and leaving one's hometown, yet still feeling tied to it in some way.
Line by Line Meaning
Sirens wail and a flashing light
The sound of emergency vehicles and the sight of flashing lights can be seen in the background.
Nothin' better to do on a Tuesday night
There seems to be nothing happening in the town on a Tuesday night, hence the siren and flashing light being the most noticeable thing.
But give me hell
The person singing seems to want to rebel against the norm and perhaps indulge in some risky behaviour.
Where you headed, what are you out for
The singer is questioning someone about their destination and purpose for being out late.
Don't see much of you 'round here anymore
The individual being addressed hasn't been seen around the area as much as they used to be.
I guess it's just as well
The person singing seems indifferent to the fact that the other individual isn't around as much anymore.
Once upon a time you had it all
The person being addressed appears to have had some sort of success in the past.
You let everybody down
The individual has disappointed those around them.
You're always seventeen in your hometown
The person being addressed seems to be stuck in their past and unable to move on from a certain age or time period in their life.
Runnin' from your folks, runnin' from the law
The person singing talks about the individual they're addressing running away from their parents and the law.
Runnin' from love, runnin' from your fears, runnin' from it all
The individual is also running away from love and their own fears.
You keep on runnin' boy
The singer tells the person being addressed to continue running away.
You'll run yourself in the ground
The constant running away will lead to exhaustion and eventual burnout.
Her porch swing still looks the same
The singer is reminiscing about a particular place, describing how it still looks the same as it did before.
She probably won't even remember my name
The person being addressed may not even remember the singer's name.
Just like she didn't back then
The person being addressed may not have noticed the singer back when they last interacted as well.
Is she married, is she doin' fine
The singer is wondering about the other individual's current marital status and general well-being.
Does she know about all the nights
The singer is also wondering if the other person knows about the times they spent awake at night, thinking about them.
I laid awake cryin'
The singer was deeply affected by their feelings for the other person.
Just to know her hand
The singer would have gone to great lengths just to hold the other person's hand.
The door opens and I run away
When the opportunity arises to interact with the other person, the singer is too scared to take it and runs away instead.
Just like the same old clown
The singer feels like a joke or fool for their behaviour around the other person.
Nobody's gonna miss me
The singer feels like they don't matter to anyone in the town.
No tears will fall, no one's gonna weep
If the singer were to leave, no one would cry for them or mourn their absence.
When I hit that road
The singer is planning to leave town, hence the mention of a road.
My boots are broken, my brain is sore
The singer is dealing with physical and mental exhaustion from their troubles in the town.
From keeping up with their little world
The singer has been trying to fit in with the people in the town, but feels out of place and exhausted from it all.
I got a heavy load
The singer is carrying a heavy emotional burden that's weighing them down.
Gonna leave 'em all just like before
The singer is leaving town and its inhabitants behind, just like they did in the past.
I'm big city bound
The singer is headed to a larger city for a change of pace or scenery.
You're always seventeen in your hometown
The idea of being stuck in one's past and unable to move on is repeated once again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: CARLO FATH, FABRIZIO MASCHERONI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@orangeandblackattack
@@nickkyler4923 yeah there for a real short time on CMT late, you could see CCR, Chris Knight, Shooter Jennings...the whole "Alt/outlaw" artists..which blew all the shit they played in the daytime away! "Pickin Wildflowers " was another by i think Keith Anderson .
Then i think when they wouldn't cowtow to Nashville and people like Shooter telling them to fuck off, they dropped them.
Can't have artists who have control over their own lives in Nashville.
I've listened to "Cross Country" on the old xm. Now outlaw country on sirius.
Cross country was better..they played the Stone Coyotes and others
@manetasboy
Cody was born in Texas, Grady was born in St. Louis, Randy and Jeremy were born in Oklahoma. They got their start in Yukon and their time in Stillwater really launched them. They even helped earn Stillwater the nickname "North Austin" because they do have an amazing Red Dirt sound. I'm an Okie and proud of these boys. Even got to hang a couple times with them in Wichita Falls after their concerts at Kay Yeager. Texas fans did play a major role in helping them rise to fame. Thanks for that.
@1144Phoenix
Wrong!!!
@mr.spanks6990
Shut up Phoenix you dont even have a real page L boy
@jessicamartin2759
I was born in 2015 but they broke up before I was even born my father like dedicated to the song
So my family is from Oklahoma
@coltenley2195
I'm from stillwater & never once have I heard stilly be referred to as "North Austin" until now
@tjbelcher3144
Hell Texans are proud of these guys too. We got to see them in Kingsville,Tx at the rodeo right before they called it quits.
@TheDTrain2335
I have learned to appreciate this great song—even more over the years.
@jeffreyminney1758
Me too, this song gets better ever year
@ryanngank5963
I had this played at my Uncle's funeral almost 10 years ago. He was infamous in our hometown and loved CCR. I couldn't have chosen a better song than this. ❤️
@bmorgan1985
Best band of all time to me. I'm from Alabama and never even been to Oklahoma, but damn every time I hear these guys it takes me back to my college days and the best times of my life. I hope you all are doing well. Hate I never got to see a show. Still listening 20 years later.