"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.
Dimebag
Cross Canadian Ragweed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The only thing in his plan
Was love and rock 'n roll
Cowboy from hell on a twisted trail
Swept away where the wild winds wail
Sad truth is you can never tell
When it's your time to go
Than any good news that you hear
Just one more dark disaster
Makes you wonder why we're here
Where were you in '94
When they found him
Down there on the floor
Guess Kurt could take no more,
Needle and a gun
Where did you sleep last night
With the angels locked up tight
Love was his only lie,
Did she have another one?
Bad news travels faster
Than any good news that you hear
Just one more dark disaster
Makes you wonder why we're here
Makes you wonder why we're here
Makes you wonder why we're here
The song "Dimebag" by Cross Canadian Ragweed is a tribute to the late guitarist Darrell Abbott, also known as Dimebag Darrell, who was tragically shot and killed while performing on stage in 2004. The lyrics express sorrow and anger over his senseless death, as well as reflecting on the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. The opening verse addresses Dimebag directly, expressing love and admiration for him and lamenting the fact that he was taken from the world by the "devil's hand." The song goes on to contemplate the meaning of life and the randomness of death, asking where the listener was in 1994 when Kurt Cobain died and wondering why bad news seems to spread faster than good news.
The song's title references Dimebag's nickname, which he earned during his time with the band Pantera. The lyrics mention some of his well-known tracks, such as "Cowboy from Hell," and make reference to the fact that he was a deeply respected and admired figure in the world of rock music. The final verse addresses the idea that love is the only truth in a world full of deception and lies, questioning whether Dimebag's former partner was faithful to him.
Overall, the song is a powerful tribute to a talented musician whose life was cut tragically short, and it reflects on some of the big questions about life, death, and the meaning of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
Dimebag Darrell god bless that man ripped from us by the devil's hand
The singer pays tribute to Dimebag Darrell, who was tragically killed by a fan while performing on stage.
The only thing in his plan Was love and rock 'n roll
Dimebag Darrell was passionate about music and his fans. His plan was to spread love and rock n' roll with his art.
Cowboy from hell on a twisted trail Swept away where the wild winds wail Sad truth is you can never tell When it's your time to go
Dimebag Darrell lived a wild and free life, but his untimely death showed that you never know when your time is up.
Bad news travels faster Than any good news that you hear Just one more dark disaster Makes you wonder why we're here
The media often focuses on bad news and tragedies, leading to a sense of hopelessness and questioning of life's purpose.
Where were you in '94 When they found him Down there on the floor Guess Kurt could take no more, Needle and a gun
The singer references the suicide of Kurt Cobain, a fellow musician who also tragically died. He wonders where people were when it happened and speculates about what led to Kurt's decision.
Where did you sleep last night With the angels locked up tight Love was his only lie, Did she have another one?
The singer questions the motives of Dimebag's killer, suggesting that love was not their true intention. He also references the song 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night' which was covered by Nirvana.
Makes you wonder why we're here Makes you wonder why we're here Makes you wonder why we're here
The repetition of this line emphasizes the uncertainty and questioning that comes with tragedy and loss.
Lyrics © Bluewater Music Corp., Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CODY JAY CANADA, MICHAEL R MCCLURE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bretthansen3560
16 years ! Hes still alive in my heart
@MikeHenderson-tq5oj
I saw "dime" in '85 in Dallas. Incredibly gifted guitarist!
@Legendairy_Angel94
Just lost a good friend today. He loved this song. RIP Josh
@milanphillips9794
I lost a good friend and musician his name was Josh also o know what your going thru its hard
@sjeverett75
I saw Pantera and Type O Negative at Ozzfest 97. Black Sabbath headlined. I never would have guessed that Sabbath would out live Dime and Pete Steele. I'm very fortunate to have gotten 4 Dimebag picks at that show.
@kiprandom7208
Best ozzfest year. I wish i was more sober during less sunburned after. Maybe an extra $40 would have been great. Still have my Black Sabbath shirt
@jonahgarcia71
God bless
@cliftoneggers529
I was there. Alamo dome San Antonio
@steelreign1773
Today is Dimebags birthday I would say that I'm alone in the cemetery drinking a beer but I'm really not. I'm hanging out with The Abbotts. Happy Birthday Darrell! Getcha'Pull!
@nopenope4158
MUCH RESPECT MY BROTHER🤘🏻💪🏻