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.
Don't Wanna Know Why
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't wanna know why I walk by and you stare
Don't wanna know why just to wanna know why
Don't wanna know why just to wanna know why
When I... breathe in, breathe out.
Carry on, carry out.
Try to... drive through your life
Carry on, carry out.
Try to... never say goodbye
Don't wanna know how you're feeling I don't care
Don't wanna know when you'll meet me I'm not there
Don't wanna know why just to wanna know why
Don't wanna know why just to wanna know why
When I... breathe in, breathe out.
Carry on, carry out.
Try to... drive through your life
Breathe in, breathe out.
Carry on, carry out.
Try to... never say goodbye
I wish I knew
How to tell you
How to tell me why
The lyrics of Ryan Adams's Don't Wanna Know Why, at their core, are about detachment and a reluctance to delve too deeply into the motivations behind our actions and the reasons why others are drawn to us. The repeated refrain of "don't wanna know why" suggests a desire to keep things surface-level, to avoid introspection and introspection in favor of simply existing, breathing in and out and carrying on without becoming too attached or invested in the world around us. The second verse offers a specific example of this attitude in action, with the singer indicating that they don't care how someone else is feeling, nor do they want to know when they might see them again, preferring to remain aloof rather than getting too involved or attached.
The repeated lines of "breathe in, breathe out, carry on, carry out" reinforce this sense of detachment, suggesting a sort of robotic, clinical approach to life in which feelings and emotions are kept at bay in favor of simply moving forward. The final lines of the song, "I wish I knew how to tell you how to tell me why," offer a hint of vulnerability and a desire for deeper connection, but ultimately, the singer remains closed off and uninterested in exploring their own motivations or those of others.
Overall, the lyrics of Don't Wanna Know Why suggest a deep-seated sense of emotional detachment and a reluctance to confront the complexities of human relationships and emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't wanna know why you like me I don't care
I have no interest in discovering why you have an affinity towards me
Don't wanna know why I walk by and you stare
I'm not curious about why you gaze at me when I pass by
Don't wanna know why just to wanna know why
It's pointless to seek answers to questions without a purpose
Don't wanna know why just to wanna know why
It's futile to search for explanations without a reason to do so
When I... breathe in, breathe out.
As I inhale and exhale, I maintain my composure
Carry on, carry out.
I continue with my actions, until they're completed
Try to... drive through your life
I strive to navigate through your world
Breathe in, breathe out.
Taking deep breaths helps me stay calm
Carry on, carry out.
I persist with my endeavors until they're done
Try to... never say goodbye
I attempt to avoid bidding farewell, succumbing to my insecurities
Don't wanna know how you're feeling I don't care
Your emotions are of no interest to me, I don't want to know
Don't wanna know when you'll meet me I'm not there
I don't really care about setting up any plans to meet you as I'm not present there
Don't wanna know why just to wanna know why
I'm done with asking questions for curiosity's sake
Don't wanna know why just to wanna know why
There's no purpose in finding out the reasons behind things unless necessary
I wish I knew
I desire to be aware of
How to tell you
The best means of communicating to you
How to tell me why
The ideal way to explain to myself the motive behind things
Contributed by Vivian P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Duane Westcot
Adams is a endless supply of great tunes.
Rob Cole
Best band
Barney Miller
I use to sing my daughter to sleep to this tune.