"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.
Leave Me Alone
Cross Canadian Ragweed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Bout what I do with my life
People talk but I don't hear a sound, fabricated lies
You think you got me all figured out, you couldn't even try
Talking smack behind my back, can't look me in the eye
(chorus)
Tuck your tail and head for home
Leave me alone
Your eyes, they're quicker than your tongue
You think that I don't know
They cut through me like the blazin' sun
You got no cards to show
They stare me down from across the room
You think my ears, they burn
You'll feel the heat from my fire soon
Hey stand in line, wait your turn
(repeat chorus)
Hey, grab your shovel, boy, keep on digging
You'll find that nowhere's what you're getting
(repeat chorus)
The lyrics to "Leave Me Alone" by Cross Canadian Ragweed talk about the frustration of being judged and talked about behind one's back. The first two lines set the tone for the song by saying that people are talking about what the singer does with their life, but it doesn't matter because they are all lies. The singer knows that people think they have them figured out, but they couldn't even try. The next lines are a direct attack, saying that the people talking smack behind their back can't even look them in the eye.
The chorus is a defiant stand, telling those who are talking about the singer to cast their stone, dig their bones, and leave them alone. In other words, the singer doesn't care what others say or think about them, they just want to be left alone. The second verse is just as pointed as the first, with the singer saying that they know people are staring at them, but they've got nothing to hide. They also promise that those who are talking about them will soon feel the heat of their fire. The chorus is repeated once more, with the added line about grabbing a shovel and digging because nowhere is what those who are talking will find.
Line by Line Meaning
Been a lot of word floatin' 'round
There are a lot of rumors going around about me
'Bout what I do with my life
They are about my personal life and how I choose to live it
People talk but I don't hear a sound, fabricated lies
People are spreading fake rumors behind my back, but I choose not to listen to any of it
You think you got me all figured out, you couldn't even try
You believe you know everything about me, but you have no idea
Talking smack behind my back, can't look me in the eye
You talk badly about me behind my back, but you are too scared to say it to my face
Cast your stone, dig your bones
Throw your insults, but they will only come back to hurt you
Tuck your tail and head for home
Leave me alone and go home
Leave me alone
I don't want to deal with your drama anymore
Your eyes, they're quicker than your tongue
You give me dirty looks, but you don't actually say anything to me
You think that I don't know
You underestimate my ability to pick up on nonverbal cues
They cut through me like the blazin' sun
Your looks are hurtful and piercing, like the heat of the sun on a hot day
You got no cards to show
You have no real evidence to back up your rumors
They stare me down from across the room
You give me intense and hostile stares from a distance
You think my ears, they burn
You believe that your rumors are affecting me emotionally
You'll feel the heat from my fire soon
You will regret your actions when I confront you
Hey stand in line, wait your turn
If you have something to say to me, say it to my face and wait your turn
Hey, grab your shovel, boy, keep on digging
Keep spreading rumors if you want, but you're only digging yourself into a deeper hole
You'll find that nowhere's what you're getting
You will eventually realize that your rumors won't get you anywhere in life
Lyrics © Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: CODY JAY CANADA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind