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.
Burning Photographs
Ryan Adams Lyrics
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Down on the east side
Wasted like a memory
If I had a car I'd drive
Straight off the bridge into the river, it would empty me
Pretty pictures in a magazine
Everybody is so make believe, it's true
Now I'm just bored with you
You're doomed to repeat the past
'Cause nothing is gonna last
I burned all your photographs
Traffic sings the songs
Inviting me in to dodge the bullets from an empty gun
If I had a car I'd drive straight into the window of a bank I owed money to
Pretty pictures in a magazine
Everybody is so make believe, it's true
I used to be sad
Now I'm just bored with you
You're doomed to repeat the past
'Cause nothing is gonna last
I burned all of your photographs
And all the time you're so unhappy
And everything to you's so heavy
But oh my word, ain't you so pretty now
There's nothing to make up now
No one to wake up now
She's starting to break up
Wow
Pretty pictures in a magazine
Everybody is so make believe, it's true
I used to be sad
Now I'm just bored with you
You're doomed to repeat the past
'Cause nothing is gonna last
I burned all your photographs
The song Burning Photographs by Ryan Adams appears to be a melancholic reflection on lost love, missed opportunities, and the desire for catharsis. The opening lines, "I finally see the lights / Down on the east side / Wasted like a memory," imply that the singer has finally gained some clarity from a dark and confusing time. The reference to driving straight off a bridge and into a river suggests a contemplation of self-destruction and a desire for an end to the pain. The repetition of the line, "If I had a car I'd drive," highlights a sense of disillusionment and a feeling of being trapped or powerless.
The lyrics "Pretty pictures in a magazine / Everybody is so make believe, it's true" suggest a criticism of the culture of superficiality and inauthenticity in popular media. The lines "You're doomed to repeat the past / 'Cause nothing is gonna last / I burned all your photographs" imply that the singer has made a deliberate effort to move on from a relationship and break the cycle of repeating past mistakes. The repetition of the phrase "pretty pictures in a magazine" and the use of the word "make believe" may also suggest a longing for something more genuine and real.
The chorus, "You're doomed to repeat the past / 'Cause nothing is gonna last / I burned all your photographs," is a powerful and poignant statement about the transience of relationships and the importance of letting go. The final lines, "She's starting to break up / Wow," suggest that the singer is experiencing some emotional release and relief.
Line by Line Meaning
I finally see the lights
I realized what I was missing
Down on the east side
In a part of town that's not glamorous
Wasted like a memory
I feel drained and tired as if I've been remembering something for too long
If I had a car I'd drive straight off the bridge into the river, it would empty me
I feel so empty that I would end my life in a violent manner
Pretty pictures in a magazine, everybody is so make believe, it's true
People in magazines appear perfect, but they're really just role-playing
I used to be sad, now I'm just bored with you
I'm not happy with my life and my relationship has lost its excitement
You're doomed to repeat the past
You'll keep making the same mistakes over and over again
'Cause nothing is gonna last
Things don't stay the same forever
I burned all your photographs
I destroyed all the physical proof of our relationship
Traffic sings the songs
The sounds of the city provide a soundtrack to my life
Inviting me in to dodge the bullets from an empty gun
I feel like I'm dodging danger that's not there
If I had a car I'd drive straight into the window of a bank I owed money to
I feel so financially desperate that I would commit a crime to get out of debt
And all the time you're so unhappy
You're always unhappy, even though it seems like you have everything
And everything to you's so heavy
You let the smallest things weigh you down
But oh my word, ain't you so pretty now
Even though you're unhappy and struggling, you still look beautiful
There's nothing to make up now
Our relationship is beyond repair
No one to wake up now
I'm alone and don't have someone to wake up next to
She's starting to break up, wow
My emotions are overwhelming me and I'm falling apart
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Fintage House Publishing
Written by: JOHNNY T., RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind