Adams dropped out of high school at age 16 to work in a shoe shop and make music. He formed a band named Whiskeytown in 1994; they disbanded in 1999 having released two full albums, Faithless Street and Strangers Almanac. Adams went on to put out his first solo record, Heartbreaker, in 2000. After a long delay, in 2001 Whiskeytown's third album Pneumonia was finally issued.
In 2002, Ryan contributed backing vocals on Butterfly in Reverse, from the Counting Crows album, Hard Candy; after Adam Duritz (Counting Crows lead singer) appeared on the album Gold.
Ryan is highly prolific, and in 2005 released one double album and two regular albums: Cold Roses, Jacksonville City Nights and 29, respectively. His album, 29, was produced by friend Ethan Johns (who also produced his first two albums, Heartbreaker and Gold). In between those two releases and his 2005 triple-header, Ryan released Demolition (a collection of out-takes), Love Is Hell and Rock N Roll. Unreleased studio albums include 48 Hours, Exile On Franklin Street and Suicide Handbook.
In addition, Adams worked with Jesse Malin to form the punk-rock group The Finger (under the pseudonyms, "Warren Peace" and "Irving Plaza" respectively), who released two E.P.s which were collected together to form We Are Fuck You, released on One Little Indian Records in 2003.
In 2006 Ryan went on a minor UK-tour and a minor US-tour along the west-coast and has streamed 11+ mini albums on his website, under numerous jokey pseudonyms (DJ Reggie, Werewolph, The Shit, Rhoda Ro, Ghetto Birds).
The following solo record, entitled Easy Tiger, was released on June 26, 2007. The newest and last record with his backing band The Cardinals, Cardinology, was released in October 2008 and followed by extensive touring through the UK, US and Australia.
In January 2009 he announced that he would be going on an indefinite hiatus from music. The Kindness Songfacts reports that the major reason for Adams’ temporary retirement was his struggles with Ménière’s disease, a disorder of the inner ear that wrecks havoc on hearing and balance. Adams resumed performing in October 2010, and released his thirteenth studio album, Ashes & Fire, on October 11, 2011. His now ex-wife, pop singer and actress Mandy Moore, contributed some backing vocals.
A Kiss Before I Go
Ryan Adams Lyrics
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But I ain't goin' nowhere, tonight
I ain't been goin' nowhere for quite awhile
Can't tell the truth in a house of lies
Can't explain what I don't know
One shot, one beer and a kiss before I go
One more kiss 'fore I go
Breath all heavy and slow
One shot, one beer and a kiss before I go
I'll miss those nights at the bar
With every girl all loaded like freights
And the pain in the morning comes as easy as it goes
Can't find the truth in a house of lies
And you can't see tomorrow with yesterday's eyes
One shot, one beer and a place where nobody cries
One more kiss 'fore I go
One more night and day
Breath all heavy and slow
One shot, one beer and a kiss before I go
The lyrics of Ryan Adams's 'A Kiss Before I Go' paint a picture of a man who is stuck in a rut, unable to move forward or find fulfillment. The opening line of 'the engine turns on a dime, but I ain't goin' nowhere tonight' sets the tone for the song, as the singer seems to be going through the motions of his life without any real direction or purpose.
He references not being able to tell the truth in a 'house of lies', suggesting that he is surrounded by people who are not genuine or sincere. This could be interpreted as referring to a romantic relationship or even his own internal struggles with honesty and authenticity.
The chorus of 'one more kiss 'fore I go, one more night and day' speaks to a sense of longing for something more, but also a resignation to the fact that he is not likely to find it. The references to 'one shot, one beer' suggest that he is trying to numb himself, perhaps as a means of coping with the pain of his current situation.
The bridge of 'I'll miss those nights at the bar, with every girl all loaded like freights' paints a picture of a man who is drawn to temporary pleasures but ultimately finds them unfulfilling. The idea of 'the pain in the morning comes as easy as it goes' suggests that he recognizes the fleeting nature of these indulgences but can't seem to break free from the cycle.
Overall, 'A Kiss Before I Go' is a melancholy exploration of a man who is struggling to find meaning and purpose in his life, despite his attempts to distract himself with temporary pleasures.
Line by Line Meaning
The engine turns on a dime
The car is ready to move at any time.
But I ain't goin' nowhere, tonight
The songwriter is not looking to travel tonight.
I ain't been goin' nowhere for quite awhile
The songwriter has not gone to different places in a long time.
Can't tell the truth in a house of lies
The truth cannot be spoken in a house where there are many lies.
Can't explain what I don't know
There are things that the songwriter doesn't know how to explain.
One shot, one beer and a kiss before I go
The songwriter wants a drink and a kiss before leaving.
I'll miss those nights at the bar
The songwriter will miss his nights at the bar.
With every girl all loaded like freights
Every girl at the bar was drunk like a cargo on a freight train.
And the pain in the morning comes as easy as it goes
The pain that comes with drinking is just as easy to handle as it is to get it.
Can't find the truth in a house of lies
People who lie all the time won't be able to find the truth.
And you can't see tomorrow with yesterday's eyes
One cannot look or go towards tomorrow if they keep focusing on the past.
One shot, one beer and a place where nobody cries
The singer would like to go to a bar where people can drink and forget their sorrows.
One more kiss 'fore I go
The singer wants one last kiss before leaving.
One more night and day
The singer would like to have one more night and day to enjoy.
Breath all heavy and slow
The singer is breathing slow and heavy.
One shot, one beer and a kiss before I go
The songwriter wants one last drink and one last kiss before leaving.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRADLEY SMITH PEMBERTON, CATHERINE ANNE POPPER, JOHN PAUL BOWERSOCK, JONATHAN GRABOFF, RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind