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.
Feels Like Fire
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 lyrics of Ryan Adams's song Feels Like Fire express a sense of desperation and longing for a lost love. The opening lines "Are you there? Screaming in the night. Somewhere hanging from the side" suggest a feeling of disconnect and a lack of control over the situation. The second line implies that this person may not be physically present, but their presence is felt intensely.
The chorus "Just so you know, You will always be the hardest thing I will let go" emphasizes the pain of letting go of someone who was important, and how the feeling can be all-consuming. The line "The feeling in my chest is fire, Broken glass, and wire" describes the intensity and chaos of these emotions.
The second verse touches upon memories of happier times, but the realization that they can never be the same again. The desire to be close to this person remains strong, "I wanna lie down, I wanna ride in your car. You could take me anywhere, roll us into heaven I don’t care." The feeling of fire in the chest continues to be a constant presence.
The last verse acknowledges the difficulty of dealing with these emotions, "The lens is broke, there ain’t no one inside. Staring through the screen, looking back at my fucking life." Despite this, the chorus repeats with the message "Don’t let anybody tell you, You can’t say what you want. I can hear you, Are you on your way?". The song ends on a note of uncertainty, with the singer hoping for some kind of resolution to this inner turmoil.
Line by Line Meaning
Are you there?
Asking if someone or something is present
Screaming in the night
Loud cries heard during the nighttime
Somewhere
In a particular location that is unknown or unspecified
Hanging from the side
Dangling from an edge or surface
Feel the sunlight
Sensory experience of the warmth and brightness of the sun's rays
The sunlight on my face
Sun rays touching and bathing the skin on the face
It’s cold out here
The environment possesses a low temperature
Lost in outer space
Being disoriented or confused in a vast, unknown area beyond Earth's atmosphere
Just so you know
Informing someone of something important
You will always be the hardest thing I will let go
It will be difficult to move on from a relationship or experience with someone
Driving past your church and all the houses in a row
Travelling by places that hold significant memories or emotions
The feeling in my chest is fire
Strong emotions or passion that burn and consume one's chest
Broken glass and wire
Objects that can cause pain or injury, symbolic of the difficulties one faces
See my smile?
Asking if someone is noticing the facial expression of happiness
I’m thinking of the days
Reflecting on memories that evoke strong emotions
Light reflecting in your eyes
The way that someone's eyes shine or brighten, especially when happy or moved
It was never the same
The quality or experience of something has changed and it can't return to its previous state
I wanna lie down
Expressing a desire to rest or be still
I wanna ride in your car
Expressing a desire to spend time or journey with someone
You could take me anywhere
Believing that the other person has the power or potential to lead the way or decide the direction
Roll us into heaven I don’t care
Being untroubled or unburdened, as if ascending to a better place or state
Don’t let anybody tell you
Encouraging someone to resist external pressures or criticism
You can’t say
Assuring someone that they have the freedom to express themselves and speak their mind
What you want
Reiterating that individuals have the right to express their own desires or preferences
I can hear you
Acknowledging that someone's voice or message is being received
Are you on your way?
Asking if someone is coming or travelling towards a particular place
Someone take me home tonight
Requesting to be comforted, protected, or returned to a familiar and safe environment
It feels like fire
Sensory or emotional sensation that is intense, burning, or painful
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind