The members of Cross Canadian Ragweed -- Grady Cross, Cody Canada, Randy Ra… Read Full Bio ↴The members of Cross Canadian Ragweed -- Grady Cross, Cody Canada, Randy Ragsdale and Jeremy Plato -- have known each other pretty much since kindergarten in the band's hometown of Yukon, Oklahoma. They all wanted to get out, and music seemed like a good escape. When they all had graduated (except for Ragsdale, the youngest member), they started jamming at a party, and Cross Canadian Ragweed was born. Yukon as a rule wasn't a very musician-friendly town, but they had one notable local squarely in their corner: Ragsdale's father Johnny.

"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.

Broken
Cross Canadian Ragweed Lyrics

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Ain't it true what they say
Every dog has his day
I never had mine
I guess it was time
Send me on down the line
One piece at a time

She got her way

I bet it made her day
Through me off to the side
Took me out for a ride
Kicked me down to the curb
Now for all that it's worth
I'm lookin' to find
One that's broken like mine

Broken like mine
Or some piece of mind
I'll be happy when I find
A love less unkind
Broken like mine

I wish I was in her shoes
With nothin' left to lose
Carry myself down
To the lonely side of town
Tell her just how I feel
I need something now that's real
Don't you tell me that love is blind
A heart ain't got that kind of time
Unless it's broken like mine

Broken like mine
Or some piece of mind
I'll be happy when I find
A love less unkind
Broken like mine

Broken like mine
Or some piece of mind
I'll be happy when I find

A love less unkind
Broken like mine

Overall Meaning

The song "Broken" by Cross Canadian Ragweed is a classic country rock ballad that speaks to the heart of those who have been broken by love. The song has a simple melody that accentuates the lyrical depth of the song. The opening line, "Ain't it true what they say, every dog has his day, I never had mine," is a statement of regret that sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is lamenting the fact that he has never been lucky in love and feels like he has been left behind.

The second stanza is about his breakup. He feels like he was thrown to the side and was not given any value. He is now searching for love, preferably someone who is also broken like him. This search for someone broken shows how desperate and hurt he is. The lyrics "I wish I was in her shoes, with nothing left to lose" suggest that the singer wants to escape his pain and start over fresh.

The third and final stanza continues his search for love, hoping to find someone who understands him and his pain. The singer believes that love does not have to be perfect, but it should be less cruel. He wants a love that is less judgmental and more forgiving, and he wants to find that love with someone who is also broken like him.

Overall, the song "Broken" is a poignant tribute to anyone who has experienced heartbreak. It is a song that speaks to the pain of being rejected, and the search for love and acceptance.

Line by Line Meaning

Ain't it true what they say
Isn't it true what they say

Every dog has his day
Everyone will have their moment of glory

I never had mine
I never had my moment of glory

I guess it was time
Maybe it was time for me to accept that I won't ever have my moment of glory

Send me on down the line
Just let me move on

One piece at a time
Slowly and gradually, one step at a time

She got her way
She got what she wanted

I bet it made her day
It probably made her very happy

Through me off to the side
She discarded me or put me aside

Took me out for a ride
She tricked or deceived me

Kicked me down to the curb
She rejected me or left me unceremoniously