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

It's Over
Cuff the Duke Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Long ago time was still just a friend of mine
It's over, it's over, it's over my head

I'm a slave to time it no longer waits for me
It's over, it's over, it's over my head

Over my head
Over my head

It's over my head
It's over my head

It's over, it's over, it's over my friend

Overall Meaning

The opening line of Cuff the Duke's "It's Over" immediately suggests that some time has passed since the singer had a positive relationship with the concept of time. The lyrics "Long ago time was still just a friend of mine" indicate that there was a time when the singer felt that time was on their side, but that has since changed. The repetition of "It's over" throughout the song emphasizes the sense of finality associated with the loss of that friendship.

The second stanza further emphasizes the singer's sense of powerlessness when it comes to time. They feel like they are now "a slave to time" and that "it no longer waits" for them. This feeling of being trapped and unable to control one's own fate is both universal and relatable. The song's repeated assertion that all of this is "over my head" suggests that the singer is overwhelmed by the changes happening around them.

Overall, "It's Over" is a melancholic yet thought-provoking meditation on the nature of time and how it affects us all. The song's simple yet evocative lyrics invite listeners to reflect on their own relationship with time and how that relationship has evolved over the course of their lives.

Line by Line Meaning

Long ago time was still just a friend of mine
In the past, time was a friend that I could rely on

It's over, it's over, it's over my head
The situation has become too difficult for me to handle

I'm a slave to time it no longer waits for me
I am no longer in control of time and it does not wait for me

Over my head
The situation is overwhelming and beyond my control

It's over my head
The situation is too difficult for me to handle on my own

It's over, it's over, it's over my friend
The situation has come to an end and there is nothing more that can be done

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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