"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.
Look At Me
Cross Canadian Ragweed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's all shiny, crisp, and clean
And it's burning a hole in the pocket of my jeans
I think I'll spend it on some pills
Instead of gasoline
I don't see any kind of fun in coming clean
Pick me up and watch me fall
And do it all again
I like pissing in the wind and on my dreams
Look at me
[Chorus]
Look at me I'm on my way down
So close now I can almost see the ground
Yeah another night another town
Set em up I'll knock em down
Workin' on sympathy
Look at me
Hey bartender another round
This one's on mine
Let's see how many friends I can buy in just a little time
See the girl at the bar
Tell her I'm somebody and I got a fast car
I'm in room 331 with a bottle of wine
Tell I'm a superstar
She won't give it a second chance
Tell that I play guitar but I never learned how to dance
And here's my key
Yeah look at me
The lyrics to Cross Canadian Ragweed's song "Look At Me" are a mix of defiance, disillusionment, and self-destruction. The first few lines describe the singer's dilemma of having a shiny new hundred-dollar bill and not being able to use it for anything that would actually help him. He decides to buy pills instead of gasoline, rationalizing that there is no fun in being sober and responsible. The lines "Pick me up and watch me fall / And do it all again" signify his willingness to engage in self-destructive behavior repeatedly. He admits to having no sense at all and enjoys defying the odds by "pissing in the wind and on my dreams."
The chorus contains a bleak outlook on life, with the singer acknowledging that he is on his way down and can almost see the ground. However, he is still defiant and will set up more opportunities to get drunk or high. He buys rounds for everyone hoping to garner sympathy, and he plans to impress a girl by lying about his identity and material possessions. He gives her the key to his hotel room and boasts that he plays guitar even though he never learned how to dance.
"Look At Me" is a powerful reminder of the dangers of substance abuse and the consequences of a self-destructive lifestyle. The lyrics deal with complex emotions such as self-hatred, low self-esteem, and a lack of purpose. The singer knows he is on a downward spiral, but he continues to indulge in his vices, hoping for some semblance of validation or escape from reality. The song portrays addiction as a form of escapism and a coping mechanism for underlying emotional issues. It serves as a warning to anyone who is struggling with addiction or self-destructive behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a one hundred-dollar bill
I possess a fresh, neat, 100-dollar bill
It's all shiny, crisp, and clean
The 100-dollar bill I have is new and shiny
And it's burning a hole in the pocket of my jeans
I am eager to spend the money I have on something exciting
I think I'll spend it on some pills
I am considering using the money to buy drugs
Instead of gasoline
I will choose to use the money for drugs rather than fuel
I don't see any kind of fun in coming clean
I do not think being sober is interesting
Pick me up and watch me fall
Rescue me and see me repeat my mistakes
And do it all again
Allow me to continue making the same errors
I ain't got no sense at all
I lack the ability to make wise decisions
I like pissing in the wind and on my dreams
I enjoy doing reckless and meaningless things, even if they ruin my hopes and aspirations
Look at me
Notice my behaviors and choices
Look at me I'm on my way down
Observe that I am going downhill
So close now I can almost see the ground
My situation is so dire that I can see the imminent failure
Yeah another night another town
I am living a life of constant partying and traveling
Set em up I'll knock em down
Provide me with more drinks and I will finish them quickly
Workin' on sympathy
Trying to gain people's affection or assistance using manipulative tactics
Hey bartender another round
Requesting the bartender for more drinks
This one's on mine
I will pay for this round
Let's see how many friends I can buy in just a little time
I want to win other people's support by buying them drinks
See the girl at the bar
Notice the woman sitting at the counter
Tell her I'm somebody and I got a fast car
Inform her that I am someone important who drives a speedy vehicle
I'm in room 331 with a bottle of wine
My current location is in room 331 of a building where I have a bottle of wine with me
Tell I'm a superstar
Exaggerate my status and tell her that I am a celebrated personality
She won't give it a second chance
She will not consider my lies and deceit once she knows the truth
Tell that I play guitar but I never learned how to dance
Mention that I play the guitar, but I have poor dancing skills
And here's my key
Here is the key to my room
Yeah look at me
Acknowledging my presence and my flawed behavior
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOSHUA RAGSDALE, TAMMI KIDD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind