The Life, Music and Lyrics of Jim Cuddy By Kelly Arndt October 2010 Figure 1. Photograph of Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo.com

"I always write from the wounded side of love." Jim Cuddy (Richard, 2009) Figure 2. Photograph of Broken Heart from Stock.xchang by Sara Williams

Beginning with Love “Cuddy met his wife, and he recalls the moment with a Zen-like clarity more than 30 years later. “ For the first time in my life, it crossed my mind that I could spend my life with one woman. (Richard, 2009)

Try (1987) Every time you walk in the room I couldn't even be sure of a smile You were never the same way twice But I'm falling in love … So many people who said Girl you've got nothing but time Oh you are a shining star Don't you worry about what you're leaving behind BlueRodeo.com

But Cuddy is the first to admit that it hasn't been all sunshine and roses for the past three decades…When Blue Rodeo began to break big," he admits, "it caused a major adjustment in our lives. We started out as equals; I was playing a bar band and she was a working actress. (Richard, 2009)

Rena (2005) No longer know the way To say goodbye Now I'm down here underneath Your bedroom light Rena please come out With me tonight I look in through The window And I though I'd take My chance I taught myself to play So I could be where people danced No higher call Than stars that fall I waited patiently A thousand miles of pavement That became my destiny You can wait a lonely lifetime Wondering when its gonna come

You can while away the hours Getting stoned But one day you get lucky And you look in someones eyes That tell you you don't Have to be alone Now I'm falling back Just out of your sight Rena please come out With me tonight Oh now I know the way things go And what I put you through Cause when they try to get to me They get to me through you I know its not the kind of hurt Thats easily set right BlueRodeo.com

Being in Love and Being on the Road It’s a funny thing, I was just talking about it earlier today, the on-the-road, off-the-road are very different things. Its difficult to start on the road, because there’s so much discipline involved, and so much depravation—you can’t drink, you’ve got to get lots of sleep, you’ve got to watch just talking and screaming and that kind of stuff. And then off-the-road you just think, ‘Ah, wow, it’s like having a life again.’ You can enjoy yourself. So the back and forth is difficult. Everybody has their own well worn path to the stage each night.” ( Hammond 2010)

“But when the opportunities come, you can't not take them, and I found myself on the road an awful lot of the time. I started to think that she didn't want to lead the life we were leading. And we had two kids by that time, which made it really tough.” (Hammond 2010)

Head Over Heels (1993) I know one night together Won’t make up for ten apart But I’m steady as rain Nothing ever changes in my heart Throw open the windows Pull back the covers I don’t care what we do I’ve been standing for hours Now I get to fall down with you Walking and talking Like birds in the sky You show myself to me How easily you lie That’s the way you come to me I’m head over heels And I’m always gonna be That’s okay I love the way you come to me BlueRodeo.com

“We worked it out. If you have a total commitment to a relationship, that’s what you do.” (Richard, 2009)

Growing Old and Love Age is bringing another side of reflection to Cuddy's thoughts on relationships. A few years ago, he wrote the poignant "Pull Me Through" when his aunt died, offering his feelings on what happens to someone when their long-term partner passes on. (Richard, 2009)

Pull Me Through I hope you're traveling well now And there's stars over your head And I hope the river carries you Everywhere you said I miss the way you look at me The way you wear your hair I miss the conversations we left hanging in the air Late at night I wake up Wonder what's been done But I know our life together Will go on and on You could pull me through You could always pull me through Wrap your arms around me And chase away my blues You could take the sting out of the rain And bring the sun back up again You could always pull me through

But now, Cuddy is starting to see those same shadows on his own personal horizon. Two of his kids have left home and the 53-year-old artist, although in excellent shape, describes this decade as "a real reckoning, an acceptance of alterations in the body that are difficult to take. The thought of turning 60 scares me more than anything else ever has before.“ (Richard, 2009)