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.
Avalanche
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a cardboard box in a magazine
I can't remember you, remember us or anything
I taught you how to feel, but you just feel numb
They taught you how you feel, but you just feel numb
She comes apart in the avalanche
Fades out like a dance
Crawls back into bed when it's over
I watch the window and listen for the sound of cars
I can't remember the last time that it was yours
I taught you how to feel, why do you feel numb
They taught us how to feel, but we just feel numb
She falls apart in the avalanche
Fades out like a dance
And crawls back into bed when it's over
And it's over
The song "Avalanche" by Ryan Adams is a poignant and introspective piece about the aftermath of a failed relationship. In the opening lines, the singer discovers a photograph of his ex-partner and feels unable to recall anything about their time together, suggesting a sense of disconnection and emotional distance. He reflects on his efforts to help his partner "feel" but ultimately notes her subsequent numbness. This could suggest a failure of communication or empathy, as though their emotional connection was too strained or the relationship too damaged to foster genuine, enduring feelings.
The chorus repeats the phrase "she comes apart in the avalanche/fades out like a dance/crawls back into bed when it's over/and it's over." The metaphor of an avalanche suggests something sudden, disorienting, and potentially life-threatening, a powerful force that can sweep away everything in its path. The image of someone who comes apart in this way could suggest a person who is unable to withstand the pressures of life without succumbing to despair or defeat. The fact that she returns "to bed" once the "avalanche" has subsided could evoke feelings of resignation or defeat, suggesting a sense of hopelessness or resignation that things will never change for the better.
In conclusion, "Avalanche" is a heartrending and raw power ballad that captures the pain and grief of a failed relationship. It deals with themes of distance, disconnection, and emotional numbness, while exploring the relationship between empathy and communication, and the ways in which our efforts to connect with others can sometimes fall short.
Line by Line Meaning
I found your photograph
I came across your photo
In a cardboard box in a magazine
It was kept in a box made of cardboard, amidst pages of magazine
I can't remember you, remember us or anything
I am unable to recall you, our memories or anything related to us
I taught you how to feel, but you just feel numb
I helped you understand your emotions, but you seem emotionless
They taught you how you feel, but you just feel numb
People other than me, taught you how to feel, but you still feel emotionless
She comes apart in the avalanche
She falls apart in a sudden and overwhelming event
Fades out like a dance
The fall apart is like a fading dance performance
Crawls back into bed when it's over
After everything has passed, she gets back to bed
And it's over
Everything has ended
I watch the window and listen for the sound of cars
I look out the window and wait for car sounds
I can't remember the last time that it was yours
I cannot recollect the last time something belonged to you
I taught you how to feel, why do you feel numb
I taught you to recognise your emotions, then why are you still not feeling anything?
They taught us how to feel, but we just feel numb
We learned about emotions, but still don't feel anything
She falls apart in the avalanche
Again, she breaks apart in a sudden and overwhelming event
Fades out like a dance
She seems to fade away, like a dance performance concluding
And crawls back into bed when it's over
Eventually, she moves back to bed, when everything's finished
And it's over
It concludes
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind