"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.
Number
Cross Canadian Ragweed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep it in my wallet, right on my hip
When my paycheck's steady and I'm damn good and ready
I roll it up to my lip, and I go to the moon
I got my foot down on the throttle
Hands around the bottle, I think my speakers are blown
Higher than I've ever been
And I ain't coming down soon
I can't remember the last time I touched the ground
You look at me like I'm gonna let you down
Hey, every time I come around
You got your finger on my button
Acting like it's nothing, bitching from your golden throne
You ain't no anybody acting high and mighty
Waiting for me to explode, fire in the hole
Look out down below, here I go
You're wasting time
Why bother even coming 'round
If you know I'm gonna let you down
The song "Number" by Cross Canadian Ragweed is a tale of a man who has a number in his pocket that he keeps in his wallet on his hip. He uses this number to purchase drugs, notably marijuana, which he then smokes to take him to the moon. The song also mentions the man's fondness for alcohol, which he drinks while listening to loud music. He acknowledges the danger in his actions, such as not having rubber on his tires and not remembering the last time he touched the ground, but he's seemingly unbothered, preferring the high he gets instead. This lifestyle, however, comes at a cost as he faces judgment from others, particularly from someone who thinks he's acting high and mighty.
"Number" speaks to the reality and consequences of addiction and how it can impact a person's relationships and reputation. Despite this, the lyrics are delivered in a nonchalant, carefree way which could be interpreted as the man's denial, acceptance, or both.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a number in my pocket
I have some drugs in my pocket
Keep it in my wallet, right on my hip
I keep it safe with me all the time
When my paycheck's steady and I'm damn good and ready
I use it when I have enough money and good mood
I roll it up to my lip, and I go to the moon
I smoke it and feel high
I got my foot down on the throttle
I am going fast
Hands around the bottle, I think my speakers are blown
I am drinking and the music is loud and distorted
No rubber on my tire, I'm a getting higher
I am driving carelessly and getting more high
Higher than I've ever been
I am feeling more high than before
And I ain't coming down soon
I will stay high for a long time
I can't remember the last time I touched the ground
I am so high that I feel like I am floating
You look at me like I'm gonna let you down
You think I can't be trusted
Hey, every time I come around
Whenever I visit you
You got your finger on my button
You are ready to judge me
Acting like it's nothing, bitching from your golden throne
You pretend that you don't care, but you complain from your privileged position
You ain't no anybody acting high and mighty
You are not better than anyone else
Waiting for me to explode, fire in the hole
You expect me to fail and enjoy watching me fall
Look out down below, here I go
You should watch out, because I can still surprise you
You're wasting time
You are spending your time uselessly
Why bother even coming 'round
Why do you bother to invite me
If you know I'm gonna let you down
If you think I will disappoint you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: CLAYDES SMITH, DENNIS RONALD THOMAS, DONALD BOYCE, GEORGE BROWN, GEORGE M. BROWN, RICHARD WESTFIELD, ROBERT MICKENS, ROBERT E. BELL, ROBERT EARL BELL, ROBERT SPIKE MICKENS, RONALD BELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind