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.
Bow to the Sad Lady
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the curtains, sees the town and the parades
Oh, you know how innocence fades, don't you, mara lise?
Marching softly through the weeds in her front yard
Up onto the porch to a sip of tea
Wounded soldier with a cane and a bitter remedy
On the boys that were lost out at sea
Oh they drowned in your memory, didn't they, mara lise?
You'll repay every senseless act
To the boys who were dead in the field
Oh you know they're were already killed, don't you, mara lise?
Through the curtains, sees the town and the parades
Oh, you know how innocence fades, don't you, mara lise?
Were you even capable of love?
If you were, then how do you know
Innocence keeps tabs on the ones it can't see
It wet it's lips, and it said "mara lise"
Marching softly through the weeds in her front yard
Up onto the porch to a sip of tea
Wounded woman with a cane and a bitter remedy
You'll repay every trick you pulled
To the boys that were lost out in the field
Oh you know they're were already killed, don't you, mara lise?
The song "Bow to the Sad Lady" by Ryan Adams is a haunting and introspective piece that delves into the guilt and regret of someone named Mara Lise. The lyrics suggest that Mara Lise may have caused harm to boys who went missing in the sea or were killed in the field. The first verse presents the idea of waiting for something to happen: "Oh, just wait and you will see, won't you, mara lise?" Through the curtains, Mara Lise sees the town and the parades, and the lyrics suggest that she knows how innocence fades, perhaps implying that she has lost her own innocence. The second verse describes Mara Lise as a wounded soldier with a cane and a bitter remedy, who will repay every trick she pulled on the boys who were lost out at sea.
The third verse asks the question of whether Mara Lise was even capable of love, hinting at a lack of empathy or concern for others. The use of "Innocence" as a character that keeps tabs on Mara Lise is a compelling choice, suggesting that her actions have been watched and recorded. The song ends with a repetition of the second verse, with Mara Lise again described as a wounded woman with a cane and a bitter remedy, and the idea that she will repay every trick she pulled to the boys who were lost in the field. The lyrics overall paint a picture of someone haunted by their own actions, unable to escape the weight of their past behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, just wait and you will see, won't you, mara lise?
Peering through the curtains, observing the town and its parades, you are reminded of how easiness expires, aren't you, mara lise?
Through the curtains, sees the town and the parades
Mara Lise watches the happenings in her home town from her window
Oh, you know how innocence fades, don't you, mara lise?
Marching unhurriedly through the grasses in her front garden, up to the veranda for a cup of tea, the focused lilting of an injured soldier using a cane and bitters to soothe his pain triggers memories for Mara Lise of instances where she toyed with boys’ hearts and made them lose their lives, which makes her realize how carefree existence slowly vanishes, doesn't it, mara lise?
Marching softly through the weeds in her front yard
Walking gently through the plants that grow wild in her garden
Up onto the porch to a sip of tea
Going to the veranda to have a cup of tea
Wounded soldier with a cane and a bitter remedy
A soldier that has been wounded, using a cane to walk and a bitter potion for alleviating the pain
You'll repay every trick you pulled
You will atone for all the times you betrayed those who loved you
On the boys that were lost out at sea
On the boys who died in the ocean
Oh they drowned in your memory, didn't they, mara lise?
The memories of these boys and the way they died has left a profound effect on your mind, hasn't it, mara lise?
You'll repay every senseless act
You will make up for every foolish deed that you committed
To the boys who were dead in the field
You will make up for the boys that died while fighting
Oh you know they're were already killed, don't you, mara lise?
You are aware that they had already died, aren't you, mara lise?
Were you even capable of love?
Do you possess the capacity for loving someone?
If you were, then how do you know
If you did have that quality, how would you recognize it?
Innocence keeps tabs on the ones it can't see
Innocence is aware of things and people it can't see
It wet it's lips, and it said "mara lise"
Personified innocence/childhood speaks Mara Lise's name
Contributed by Lila V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MH90
Excellent fluffed note at the end.
@martinwelke
Memories
@bobertramirez6456
this is where he works best.
@wlgj1341
What mistake is that, puppy snoot.?
@2K10stang
Rare for ryan yo make a mistake
@Cicocolala
What mistake do you mean?
@natemekis3959
Oh, just wait and you will see, won't you, mara lise?
Through the curtains, sees the town and the parades
Oh, you know how innocence fades, don't you, mara lise?
Marching softly through the weeds in her front yard
Up onto the porch to a sip of tea
Wounded soldier with a cane and a bitter remedy
You'll repay every trick you pulled
On the boys that were lost out at sea
Oh they drowned in your memory, didn't they, mara lise?
You'll repay every senseless act
To the boys who were dead in the field
Oh you know they're were already killed, don't you, mara lise?
Through the curtains, sees the town and the parades
Oh, you know how innocence fades, don't you, mara lise?
Were you even capable of love?
If you were, then how do you know
Innocence keeps tabs on the ones it can't see
It wet it's lips, and it said "mara lise"
Marching softly through the weeds in her front yard
Up onto the porch to a sip of tea
Wounded woman with a cane and a bitter remedy
You'll repay every trick you pulled
To the boys that were lost out in the field
Oh you know they're were already killed, don't you, mara lise?