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.
Beautiful Sorta
Ryan Adams Lyrics
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In the morning in the morning
And not want to die tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow
I feel alright when I think about you
Walking through a star field covered in light
Wasted like you're losing your job you're so fired
Just like the ones you used to make fun of
It's beautiful sorta, beautiful sorta
Beautiful sorta but not
Beautiful sorta, beautiful sorta
Beautiful sorta but not
All I want to do is get high get high get high
In the evening in the evening
And not want to die tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow
I'm buzzing like a jar full of lightening bolts!
Wasted like a bum with somebody's wallet
Pictures inside of you and I wasted and sad
I'm past sorry
It's beautiful sorta, beautiful sorta
Beautiful sorta but not
Beautiful sorta, beautiful sorta
Beautiful sorta but not
I do anything I can to remove you but it hurts
From all the shit that we started
It's beautiful sorta, beautiful sorta
Beautiful sorta but not
Beautiful sorta, beautiful sorta
Beautiful sorta but not
The lyrics of Ryan Adams & The Cardinals' song Beautiful Sorta express feelings of longing, dissatisfaction, and self-destructive behavior. The singer is struggling with a desire to escape from reality, to find some kind of pleasure or relief from the pain and disappointment of everyday life. The repeated refrain "all I want to do is get up get up get up / In the morning in the morning / And not want to die tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow" captures this desire to break free from the monotony of existence and find something worth living for.
Despite this yearning, however, there is a sense that the singer knows that these solutions are not healthy or sustainable. They acknowledge the fleeting nature of the things they seek: "It's beautiful sorta, beautiful sorta / Beautiful sorta but not / Beautiful sorta, beautiful sorta / Beautiful sorta but not." The juxtaposition of the beauty and the not-quite-there nature of the things they desire underscores the sense of disillusionment and disappointment that runs throughout the song.
The final lines - "I do anything I can to remove you but it hurts / From all the shit that we started" - add another layer to the song's meaning, suggesting that the pain and dissatisfaction the singer feels may be rooted in a past relationship or other trauma. It's a complex, emotionally fraught piece of music that captures the complex mix of longing and nihilism that can arise from living in a world that often seems unrelentingly bleak.
Line by Line Meaning
All I want to do is get up get up get up
Desire to start afresh with each passing day
In the morning in the morning
Wishing to experience the first rays of sunlight
And not want to die tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow
Yearning to not lose hope for the future
I feel alright when I think about you
The mere thought of you brings me peace of mind
Walking through a star field covered in light
Imagining being surrounded by celestial beauty and glory
Wasted like you're losing your job you're so fired
Being exhausted and dejected like never before
Just like the ones you used to make fun of
Ironically facing a similar situation like the people we once mocked
It's beautiful sorta, beautiful sorta
Finding a silver lining in every situation
Beautiful sorta but not
Realizing that sometimes things may seem attractive but not beneficial
All I want to do is get high get high get high
Craving for an escape from reality
In the evening in the evening
Seeking comfort in the twilight hours
And not want to die tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow
Fighting to survive each challenging day
I'm buzzing like a jar full of lightening bolts!
Feeling electrified and alive
Wasted like a bum with somebody's wallet
Living recklessly and irresponsibly
Pictures inside of you and I wasted and sad
Reflecting on the moments of misery and regret
I'm past sorry
Feeling apologetic but unable to change the past
I do anything I can to remove you but it hurts
Struggling to move on from an intense emotional attachment
From all the shit that we started
Enduring the repercussions of the mistakes we made together
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRADLEY SMITH PEMBERTON, CATHERINE ANNE POPPER, JOHN P BOWERSOCK, RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind