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
The Ballad Of Poor John Henry
Cuff the Duke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So frustrated always underrated I sure hope he makes it in the end
He wakes up each day always empty handed I sure hope he makes it in the end
Do you ever think of me 'cause I'll be thinking of you and you'll be thinking of
Do you ever think of me 'cause I'll be thinking of you and you'll be thinking of
Do you ever think of me 'cause I'll be thinking of you and you'll be thinking of yourself
She works for nothing and nothing works for her I sure hope she makes it in the end
John and Mary like so many I sure hope they make it in the end
Do you ever think of me 'cause I'll be thinking of you and you'll be thinking of
Do you ever think of me 'cause I'll be thinking of you and you'll be thinking of
Do you ever think of me 'cause I'll be thinking of you and you'll be thinking of yourself
The Ballad Of Poor John Henry is a song about a man named John Henry who struggles to prove his worth and make ends meet. The opening lines of the song describe how John Henry can never prove his worth, and the singer hopes that he makes it in the end. The lyrics convey a sense of frustration and helplessness that John Henry must be feeling.
The song goes on to talk about Mary Ellen, who ends up with John Henry. Mary Ellen is also struggling and seems to work hard, but nothing seems to work for her. The lyrics again express a hope that they both make it in the end.
Throughout the song, there is a recurring question, "Do you ever think of me?" The answer is, "I'll be thinking of you, and you'll be thinking of yourself." This line suggests that the characters in the song are all caught up in their own struggles and may not have the capacity to think of others.
The song addresses universal themes of struggle, frustration, and hope. Its simple, folksy melody, and repetitive structure allow listeners to focus more on the lyrics' message.
Line by Line Meaning
Poor John Henry could never prove his worth
John Henry always struggled to show his true value
I sure hope he makes it in the end
I hope John Henry finds success in the long run
So frustrated always underrated
John Henry constantly felt discouraged and undervalued
He wakes up each day always empty handed
John Henry starts each day with nothing to show for his efforts
Do you ever think of me 'cause I'll be thinking of you and you'll be thinking of
Do you think about me as much as I think about you? Or are you solely focused on yourself?
Poor Mary Ellen ended up with John
John ended up with Mary Ellen, but their future is unknown
She works for nothing and nothing works for her
Mary Ellen struggles to find success despite her hard work
John and Mary like so many
John and Mary's situation is similar to many others in the same boat
I sure hope they make it in the end
I hope John and Mary find success in the end
Do you ever think of me 'cause I'll be thinking of you and you'll be thinking of
Do you think about me as much as I think about you? Or are you solely focused on yourself?
Do you ever think of me 'cause I'll be thinking of you and you'll be thinking of
Do you think about me as much as I think about you? Or are you solely focused on yourself?
Do you ever think of me 'cause I'll be thinking of you and you'll be thinking of yourself
Are you capable of thinking about others, or only yourself?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dorothy Read
Facebook suggested your video...I like your band!
Darth Anddedeu
I've seen these guys a bunch of times, first time was in a 50 seat bar back when this album was released, I was dead center, show was awesome..
M
@Darth Anddedeu went to high-school with some of them should have been made it big. IMO. Darn cbc rules with our tax dollars 👨🔧