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.
Call Me on Your Way Back Home
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh I miss my sweet
And the birds all singing blue
And white
And white
Call me on your way back home, dear
Cause I miss you
Oh baby why did I treat you like I did
Honey I was just a kid
Bubblegum on my shoe
But you love me and I love you
Call me on your way back home, dear
Cause I miss you
And I just wanna die without you
Oh I just wanna die without you
Yeah I just wanna die without you
Without you Honey I ain't nothing new
Ryan Adams's "Call Me on Your Way Back Home" is a poignant song about heartbreak and longing. The opening lines express a deep sense of yearning and regret, as the singer wonders why they miss their former lover so much. The imagery of the birds all singing blue and white is both mournful and beautiful, suggesting that even the natural world seems to reflect the singer's melancholy mood. The repetition of "white" underscores the idea that the singer's world has lost its color and vitality since their loved one left.
The chorus of the song asks the absent lover to call the singer on their way back home, as they miss them and feel like they are nothing new without them. This sense of being incomplete without the other person is underscored by the lines "I just wanna die without you," which repeat throughout the song. The urgency of these lines suggests that the singer's life is meaningless and empty without their partner, and that the only thing that could fill the void is their return.
The second verse of the song hints at the reasons behind the break-up, as the singer reflects on their own immaturity and mistakes. Yet even as they acknowledge their faults, they emphasize the deep love that they and their partner share. This love is powerful enough to transcend the singer's flaws and mistakes, and it is clear that they are hopeful that it will be enough to bring their lover back to them.
Overall, "Call Me on Your Way Back Home" is a moving tribute to the power and pain of romantic love. The lyrics are simple yet evocative, and the melody is hauntingly beautiful. Anyone who has ever experienced heartbreak will be able to relate to the singer's sense of loss and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh baby why do I miss you like I do
I can't help but miss you deeply
Oh I miss my sweet
I miss everything about you, my love
And the birds all singing blue
The atmosphere seems gloomy and sad without you
And white
The world seems colorless without you
Call me on your way back home, dear
Please call me when you're heading back home
Cause I miss you
I miss you so much
Honey I ain't nothing new
My feelings for you haven't changed, dear
Oh baby why did I treat you like I did
I regret treating you poorly in the past
Honey I was just a kid
I was immature and didn't know any better
Bubblegum on my shoe
I was carefree and lighthearted, but also made mistakes
But you love me and I love you
Despite my flaws, our love is strong and true
And I just wanna die without you
I can't imagine living without you
Oh I just wanna die without you
I would rather die than live without you
Yeah I just wanna die without you
My love for you is that strong and intense
Without you Honey I ain't nothing new
Without you, my life is empty and meaningless
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind