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.
Boys
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm as lonely as boys
I'm as lonely as monkeys taught to destroy
Anything they learn to enjoy
So pardon me, angel
So pardon me, angel
Pardon me, my love, for you is a stranger
So break and go home
Break and go home
Why don't you leave me?
Leave me alone
I'm as lonely as boys
Who are lonely for girls
Who are lonely as monkeys taught to enjoy
Everything they learn to destroy
So pardon me, angel
So pardon me, angel
Pardon me, my love, for you is in danger
In danger of becoming a bore
So break and go home
Break and go home
Why don't you leave me alone?
Leave me alone
I'm the loneliest boy
With the loneliest plan
But I'm ready and want to understand
But that ain't a woman, that's a girl
So pardon me, angel
So pardon me, angel
Pardon me, my faith in girls is in danger
She leaves you addicted - wanting more
So break and go home
Why don't you leave me?
Leave me alone
So break and go home
Go home
The song “Boys” by Ryan Adams talks about a feeling of loneliness and isolation that is shared by boys and even animals. He compares his loneliness with that of monkeys that are taught to destroy everything they enjoy. The lyrics reveal the way the person singing is feeling, and he asks for forgiveness for treating love as a stranger. The song touches on the theme of unrequited love, where the person feels ignored and unwanted. He requests for the person to break and leave him alone, as the loneliness weighs down on him.
Ryan Adams goes on to mention how boys who are lonely for girls feel as lonely as the trained monkeys that destroy the things they loved. He similarly requests for forgiveness from a girl who he fears is becoming a bore, and asks her to break and go home without him. The song ends on a note where Ryan is ready to understand, but mentions how the person he is talking to is just a girl, not a woman, and that his faith in girls is in danger. The lyrics reveal how the person singing feels disconnected and alone, and how he is unable to cope with it any longer.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm as lonely as boys
I feel as lonely as boys do
I'm as lonely as monkeys taught to destroy
I feel as lonely as monkeys who are taught to destroy everything they learn to enjoy.
So pardon me, angel
Please forgive me, my love, for addressing you as an angel.
Pardon me, my love, for you is a stranger
I apologize, my love, that you are a stranger to me.
That you met some place but ignored
You met me somewhere, but chose to ignore me.
So break and go home
Please leave me alone and go home.
Why don't you leave me?
I want you to leave me alone.
Who are lonely for girls
These boys want girls to overcome their loneliness.
Who are lonely as monkeys taught to enjoy
These boys feel lonely like monkeys taught to enjoy things, but end up destroying them.
Anything they learn to destroy
These boys destroy anything of value that they learn to enjoy.
Pardon me, my love, for you is in danger
Please forgive me, my love, as you're in danger of becoming boring to me.
In danger of becoming a bore
You're at risk of becoming uninteresting to me.
I'm the loneliest boy
I'm the most lonely boy around.
With the loneliest plan
I have a plan to escape my loneliness, but feel it's hopeless.
But I'm ready and want to understand
Still, I'm willing and eager to learn how to overcome my loneliness.
But that ain't a woman, that's a girl
I realize that what I thought to be a woman is really just a girl.
Pardon me, my faith in girls is in danger
Please forgive me, as I'm losing faith in girls.
She leaves you addicted - wanting more
She has the power to make me addicted and want more than she can give.
Go home
Please leave and go home.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHNNY T., RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind