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
Take My Money And Run
Cuff the Duke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You sit behind your desk count every penny you own
You and your stupid smile I hope you both die
I have no money left I have no reason to try
Take my money and run
Take my money and run
I'm so sick and tired of all your bullshit
The rich get richer and the poor get treated like shit
I sit around town living off overdraft
Take my money and run
Take my money and run
Go on, take it!
The lyrics to Cuff the Duke's song Take My Money and Run express the frustration and hopelessness of someone who is struggling financially. The singer is addressing someone who they believe can't possibly understand how broke they are and is dismissive of their situation. The singer is resentful of the person behind the desk who is able to count their money and wears a "stupid smile." The singer declares they have no money left and no reason to try. The phrase "Take my money and run" is repeated as a wish for some sort of release from the pain of poverty. The singer is tired of the unfairness of the system where the rich seem to get richer while the poor continue to be treated poorly. The lyrics touch on the idea that not only do the poor lack material resources, they are also robbed of their dignity and their humanity.
The song expresses a sentiment that is very relatable to many people, especially those who have struggled with financial hardship. The feeling of powerlessness and being trapped in a cycle of poverty is something that can be difficult to articulate, but this song brings those emotions to the surface. The repetition of "take my money and run" is a plea for someone to take the burden of financial stress away from the singer.
Overall, Take My Money and Run is a powerful commentary on inequality and poverty. The lyrics are straightforward and emotionally charged, making it an effective piece of protest music.
Line by Line Meaning
You think you understand how really broke I am
You believe you comprehend the extent of my financial insecurity
You sit behind your desk count every penny you own
From the comfort of your desk, you meticulously calculate the entirety of your financial worth
You and your stupid smile I hope you both die
Your foolish grin fills me with dread, wishing ill upon both you and it
I have no money left I have no reason to try
I am left with no funds and thus no motivation to continue striving
Take my money and run
Abscond with my funds with intention to never return
Take my money and run
Remove the entirety of my monetary holdings and abandon me in your wake
I'm so sick and tired of all your bullshit
I am incredibly weary and exasperated with all of your deceit and nonsense
The rich get richer and the poor get treated like shit
Those who already possess wealth only continue to accumulate more, while the impoverished are ruthlessly disregarded and belittled
I'd spare a dollar sir but I don't have a dime
Though I would happily offer even a minute quantity of capital, I am completely devoid of any monetary resources
I sit around town living off overdraft
I reside within this region as an existence sustained by the borrowed extension of my financial limits
Take my money and run
Carry off my wealth in haste and escape without intention of a return
Take my money and run
Deceive me through the procurement of my financial worth and then vanish from my sight
Go on, take it!
Without hesitation or reluctance, seize my monetary holdings!
Contributed by Chase T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
crassenti
I love this band after over a decade of first discovering them...back in like 2003
Kerosecstacy
I have been trying to find this song for years!!! I heard it on the country music chanel and I could not find it. It didn't help that I mis-remembered the lyrics as 'take the money and run' so I was always getting the Steve Miller Band. Wow. Just wow. Yes. So happy right now. The chorus has been stuck in my head for years. Now I can finally learn more than one line!!!
Kat Burns
ooooh blast from the past! 'Bout time 2018 saw this.
Rémi Dion
This song ages like a fine wine!
Scruffbeard
Awesome job guys.
Cooldude 1776
That’s my stepdad in the drums in the back