"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.
Hey Hey My My
Cross Canadian Ragweed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's better to burn out than to fade away. My, my, hey, hey.
Out of the blue and into the black.
They give you this but you paid for that.
Once you're gone you can never go back,
When you're out of the blue and into the black.
The king is gone but he's not forgotten.
It's better to burn out than it is to rust.
The king is gone but he's not forgot- - -en.
Hey, hey, my, my. Rock and roll will never die.
Just hang your head down in your eye. Hey, hey, my, my.
Hey, hey, my, my. Rock and roll will never die.
More to the picture than meets to eye. Hey, hey, my, my.
The song Hey Hey My My by Cross Canadian Ragweed is a cover of the Neil Young classic from his iconic 1979 album Rust Never Sleeps. The song is a bold affirmation of the enduring power of rock and roll music, and it's ability to transcend the passing of time. The opening lines "My, my, hey, hey. Rock and roll is here to stay. It's better to burn out than to fade away. My, my, hey, hey" are widely regarded as one of the most memorable and anthemic chorus in rock and roll history. The song speaks to the idea that although things change, music can still serve as a constant source of inspiration and passion in people’s lives.
Throughout the song, the lyrics allude to the idea of a cycle in life where things come and go, but music remains timeless. The line "Out of the blue and into the black. They give you this but you paid for that. Once you're gone you can never go back, When you're out of the blue and into the black" is a reflection on life being unpredictable and the need to embrace the present moment while we can. The verse "The king is gone but he's not forgotten. This is a story of a Johnny Rotten It's better to burn out than it is to rust" is a tribute to the late rock stars who have left their mark on music and serves as an encouragement to make the most of every moment.
Overall, Hey Hey My My is a timeless rock and roll anthem that speaks to the power and timelessness of music in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
My, my, hey, hey. Rock and roll is here to stay.
Rock and roll music will always be prevalent and popular.
It's better to burn out than to fade away. My, my, hey, hey.
It's better to go out in a blaze of glory than to slowly fade into obscurity.
Out of the blue and into the black.
Suddenly and unexpectedly going from a positive situation to a negative one.
They give you this but you paid for that.
People may offer you something, but it may come at a cost you didn't expect.
Once you're gone you can never go back, When you're out of the blue and into the black.
Once you leave a situation, you can never fully return to the way things were before.
The king is gone but he's not forgotten.
Despite someone's absence, their influence and legacy can still be felt.
This is a story of a Johnny Rotten
A reference to the punk rock singer of the band Sex Pistols, Johnny Rotten.
It's better to burn out than it is to rust.
It's better to go out in a blaze of glory than to slowly decay and lose vitality.
Hey, hey, my, my. Rock and roll will never die.
Rock and roll music will always have a place in society and culture.
Just hang your head down in your eye. Hey, hey, my, my.
The artist is encouraging the listener to feel the emotion and passion of the music.
More to the picture than meets to eye. Hey, hey, my, my.
There is more to understand and discover about a situation than what is initially visible.
Contributed by Levi M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.