Cuff the Duke is a Canadian band from Oshawa, Ontario, that has been active… Read Full Bio ↴Cuff the Duke is a Canadian band from Oshawa, Ontario, that has been active from 2001. They play a blend of traditional country and folk music with indie rock influences, and can be categorized as an alt-country group. The line-up of the band has evolved, with the consistent members thus far being Wayne Petti (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica, bass) and Paul Lowman (bass, piano, backing vocals, fiddle, guitar, lap steel). Petti and Murray have also released solo albums.

Cuff the Duke’s debut Life Stories for Minimum Wage was released on Toronto-indie Three Gut Records on October 15, 2002 to rave reviews. Critics heralded their efforts as “intense” and “timeless.” Emphasis was placed on the mature aspect of the album…a surprise considering the members (all originally from Oshawa) were only 21.

July 2005 saw the sophomore release of the self-titled Cuff the Duke on Hayden’s Hardwood imprint (a first besides Hayden himself), distributed by Universal. A favourite of the fans, college radio (#2 national) and critics alike, they wowed audiences with their live show wherever they played. Early in 2006, Halifax’s Dale Murray (The Guthries) joined the band to play electric and steel guitar. With founding members Wayne Petti and Paul Lowman, the band embarked on additional extensive North American touring.

Somewhere amongst all of that, several van breakdowns included, Cuff the Duke managed to be part of an exciting, primarily instrumental band called The Hylozoists, led by producer/musician Paul Aucoin, who’s La Fin Du Monde came out spring ’06 on Boompa/EMI. 2007 saw the re-release of Cuff the Duke’s 2002 debut Life Stories for Minimum Wage, Wayne Petti’s solo debut City Lights Align, as well as the band's third full-length album, Sidelines of the City. Later releases include Way Down Here (2009) and Morning Comes (2011).

Current members:
Wayne Petti – vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica, bass (2001–present)
Paul Lowman – bass, piano, backing vocals, fiddle, guitar, lap steel (2001–present)
Dale Murray – guitar, pedal steel, backing vocals (2005–present)
AJ Johnson - drums, percussion, backing vocals (2011-present)
François Turenne - Live Guitars (2009–present)

Past members:
Jeff Peers – guitar, keyboards, percussion (2001–2005)
Brad Fudge – drums, percussion (2001–2003)
Matt Faris – drums, percussion (2003–2006)
Patrick Conan – live drums, percussion (2006)
Paul Aucoin – live keyboards, percussion (2005–2006)
Steve Krecklo – lead guitar, lap steel, keyboards, organ, percussion, backing vocals (2002, for Life Stories for Minimum Wage)
Christopher Sandes – live keyboards (2007–2008)
Corey Wood – drums, percussion (2006-2010)

Official website: www.cufftheduke.ca

Blackheart
Cuff the Duke Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We go down

To the lake

To say our last, our last goodbyes

And time

Stands still

As I hold my heart in the burning sand

And you know

That I can't

Walk away

When you have my heart

And you see

That I try

I try too hard

Not to try at all

And I wait

Every breath

That I take

Feels like an hour

But I'll wait in your eyes

I found peace

The piece of me that you stole

And you know

That I can't

Walk away

When you have my heart

And you see

That I try

I try too hard

Not to try at all

And I wait

And you know

That I can't

Walk away

When you have my heart

And you see

That I try

I try too hard

Not to try at all

And I wait

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cuff the Duke's song "Blackheart" speak to a heart-wrenching struggle between holding on and letting go. The singer and the person they are addressing are at the lake saying their last goodbyes. As they stand on the burning sand, the singer holds their heart and feels time stand still. Even though they may try not to try, they cannot walk away because the other person has their heart. The singer waits in agony for every breath because they cannot turn away from the other person's eyes.

The singer has found peace in the part of themselves that this other person has stolen, so it becomes even harder for them to let go. The internal struggle is palpable - the singer wants to move on, but they are too attached to the other person. The lyrics convey the idea that sometimes, even when we know something is not good for us, we hold on because it's what feels right. We can try to convince ourselves not to try, but our hearts don't always listen.

Line by Line Meaning

We go down
We're heading to a place that represents an ending

To the lake
The location where we say our goodbyes

To say our last, our last goodbyes
Our final farewell at this place

And time
The moment slows down

Stands still
Time ceases to progress

As I hold my heart in the burning sand
I'm emotionally exposed and vulnerable, holding my heart in the heat of the moment

And you know
You are aware

That I can't
I am unable to

Walk away
Leave this behind

When you have my heart
Because you have my love

And you see
You notice