Toronto-based trio The Rural Alberta Advantage (Nils Edenloff, Amy Cole, an… Read Full Bio ↴Toronto-based trio The Rural Alberta Advantage (Nils Edenloff, Amy Cole, and Paul Banwatt) play indie-rock songs about hometowns and heartbreak, born out of images from growing up in Central and Northern Alberta. They sing about summers in the Rockies and winters on the farm, ice breakups in the spring time and the oil boom’s charm, the mine workers on compressed, the equally depressed, the city’s slow growth and the country’s wild rose, but mostly the songs just try to embrace the advantage of growing up in Alberta.

The Ballad of The RAA
The Rural Alberta Advantage Lyrics

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We invariably left the prairies
In my heart
Since we never moved an inch
Does the love grow
Home with the wild rose(?), now
Somethings(?) moving out here
We invariably left the prairies
In my heart

Since we never moved an inch
Then you found me
Alone on a Friday, now
Somethings(?) moving out here
So I'm going over (?)
My parents or your dad

Rockies or the Great Lakes
And my heart pounds as you say
So I'm going over (?)
My parents or your dad
Rockies or the Great Lakes
And my heart pounds as you say
And all these things will past
It's the good ones that will last
And right here what we've had
Is a good thing, it will last
And all these things will past
It's the good ones that will last

And right here what we've had
Is a good thing, it will last

Overall Meaning

The Rural Alberta Advantage's song The Ballad of The RAA is a reflection on the band's move from Alberta to Toronto. The song is a conversation between two lovers who are struggling with the idea of leaving the prairies and the familiarity that comes with it. The opening lines set the nostalgic tone for the entire song as the singer says, "We invariably left the prairies, in my heart since we never moved an inch. Does the love grow home with the wild rose?" The wild rose symbolizes the prairies and suggests that the singer is wondering if their love can survive away from the prairies.

The chorus of "So I'm going over / My parents or your dad / Rockies or the Great Lakes / And my heart pounds as you say" suggests that the couple is discussing where to go next. The singer's heart is racing with the idea of leaving and starting anew. However, despite their uncertainty, the singer believes that the good things will last. They say, "And all these things will pass / It's the good ones that will last / And right here what we've had / Is a good thing, it will last." The ending is hopeful, and while they may not know what's next, they believe that what they have is enough.

Line by Line Meaning

We invariably left the prairies
We always departed from the open grasslands

In my heart
Although not physically, it still feels like it's there

Since we never moved an inch
Despite not changing our physical location, time passes and things still occur

Does the love grow
Does affection develop over time?

Home with the wild rose(?), now
Now we've gone back to a place where roses grow in the wilderness

Somethings(?) moving out here
Possibly there's some sort of change happening here

Then you found me
At one point everything fell into place

Alone on a Friday, now
Now spending a Friday night solo

So I'm going over (?)
Possibly implying traveling, either to visit someone or leave somewhere specific

My parents or your dad
Considering leaving to visit family members

Rockies or the Great Lakes
Choosing between the mountains or the waterfront