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.
Feel Like A Whore
Ryan Adams Lyrics
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Screaming in the night
Somewhere
Hanging from the side
Feel the sunlight
The sunlight on my face
It's cold out here
Just so you know
You will always be the hardest thing I will let go
Driving past your church and all the houses in a row
The feeling in my chest is fire
Broken glass and wire
See my smile?
I'm thinking of the days
Light reflecting in your eyes
It was never the same
I wanna lie down
I wanna ride in your car
You could take me anywhere
Roll us into heaven I don't care
Just so you know
You will always be the hardest thing I will let go
Driving past your church and all the houses in a row
The feeling in my chest is fire
Just so you know
Don't let anybody tell you
You can't say
What you want
I can hear you
Are you on your way?
The feeling in my chest is fire
It feels like fire
Broken glass and wire
It feels like fire
I feel a scream
Someplace in my chest
And I pour my thoughts
Down the drain in my head
The lens is broke
There ain't no one inside
Staring through the screen
Looking back at my fucking life
Just so you know
You will always be the hardest thing I will let go
Driving past your church and all the houses in a row
The feeling in my chest is fire
Just so you know
Don't let anybody tell you
You can't say
What you want
I can hear you
Are you on your way?
Someone take me home tonight
It feels like fire
It feels like fire
It feels like fire
Broken glass and wire
The song "Feel Like A Whore" by Ryan Adams is a poignant and emotional expression of heartbreak and longing. The lyrics seem to convey a sense of desperation and deep sorrow as he reflects on a lost loved one, wishing for them to return to him. The lines "Are you there? Screaming in the night, somewhere, hanging from the side" suggest that his loved one may be struggling or in a dark place, and he is haunted by the thought of their pain. The feeling of being lost and alone in space is expressed through "It's cold out here, Lost in outer space."
The chorus is a repeated affirmation of how difficult it is to let go of this person. Adams sings "Just so you know, You will always be the hardest thing I will let go" as a reminder of the depth of his affection and how tough it is for him to move on. He reminisces about the happy days and times they shared together, such as "Light reflecting in your eyes" and how it was "never the same" after their separation.
In the latter part of the song, Adams' lyrics are imbued with a sense of anger and frustration, as he expresses his desire to scream and pour his heart out but feels as if nobody is listening. The line "Don't let anybody tell you, You can't say what you want" may hint at feelings of being suppressed and unheard. The song ends on a wistful note as he wishes for someone to take him home and "Broken glass and wire" likely symbolizing the fragility of his emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Are you there?
Asking if the other person is present or listening
Screaming in the night
Somewhere
Hanging from the side
Describing a chaotic, stressful situation where the singer feels like they're barely holding on
Feel the sunlight
The sunlight on my face
It's cold out here
Lost in outer space
Contrasting the sensory experience of feeling the sun on their face with the feeling of being lost and alone
Just so you know
You will always be the hardest thing I will let go
Driving past your church and all the houses in a row
The feeling in my chest is fire
Broken glass and wire
Expressing the difficulty of letting go of the other person, and the intense emotions it brings up
See my smile?
I'm thinking of the days
Light reflecting in your eyes
It was never the same
Hinting at nostalgic memories of a past relationship that has changed or ended
I wanna lie down
I wanna ride in your car
You could take me anywhere
Roll us into heaven I don't care
Expressing a desire for comfort and escape, and a willingness to follow the other person anywhere
Just so you know
Don't let anybody tell you
You can't say
What you want
I can hear you
Are you on your way?
The feeling in my chest is fire
It feels like fire
Broken glass and wire
Encouraging the other person to speak their mind and take action, while also acknowledging the intense emotions involved
I feel a scream
Someplace in my chest
And I pour my thoughts
Down the drain in my head
Describing the feeling of intense emotion and frustration, and a sense of being unable to express it effectively
The lens is broke
There ain't no one inside
Staring through the screen
Looking back at my fucking life
Using the metaphor of a broken camera lens to represent a feeling of disconnection and detachment from one's own life and experiences
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind