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.
Firecracker
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Broken bluesy whisper sing to me tonight
Well, everybody wants to go forever
I just want to burn up hard and bright
I just want to be your firecracker
And maybe be your baby tonight
Maybe be your baby tonight
Kiss me slow and softly make me dream of you
Well, everybody wants to go forever
I just want to burn up hard and bright
I just want to be your firecracker
And maybe be your baby tonight
Maybe be your baby tonight
So when does the plane go down
'Cause I'm gonna ride it till it hits the ground
Then go out with a fight
'Cause I just want to be your baby tonight
The lyrics of Ryan Adams's song "Firecracker" tell the story of someone who is willing to live life to the fullest, even if it means burning out quickly. The opening lines, "Black birds slow and softly breaks a glass of wine," set a somber tone that is soon offset by the desire for intensity, signaled in the chorus, "I just want to burn up hard and bright / I just want to be your firecracker and maybe be your baby tonight." The singer longs to experience passion and excitement, even if it means collapsing at the end: "So when does the plane go down / 'Cause I'm gonna ride it till it hits the ground / Then go out with a fight."
The second verse introduces the object of the singer's desire, referred to as "Lady." The lines, "Lady, your kicks of silence cough into your room / Kiss me slow and softly make me dream of you," communicate the ambiguity and mystique that often accompany intense attraction. While the singer wants to be consumed by this relationship, there is a sense that it may be unfulfilled or unsustainable, as expressed in the line, "Well, everybody wants to go forever."
Overall, the lyrics of "Firecracker" are a testament to the power and allure of passion, even if it means living fast and dying young. It is a song that celebrates intensity over longevity, and reminds us that sometimes the most profound experiences in life are the ones that burn brightly and briefly.
Line by Line Meaning
Black birds slow and softly breaks a glass of wine
The quiet action of black birds shattering a glass of wine represents the sudden and gentle way in which events can disrupt our lives and leave us feeling broken.
Broken bluesy whisper sing to me tonight
The sound of a bluesy whisper represents the sadness and pain that can accompany love, and how sometimes we need music to help us cope and move on.
Well, everybody wants to go forever
Many people strive for immortality in some form, whether through leaving a legacy, impacting others' lives, or simply not wanting to face their own mortality.
I just want to burn up hard and bright
Rather than seeking immortality or a long, drawn-out existence, the artist wants to live life fully and brightly, not letting any moment go to waste.
I just want to be your firecracker
The artist wants to be a symbol of excitement and brightness in someone's life, adding a spark of joy and energy to each moment.
And maybe be your baby tonight
Beyond just being a temporary source of joy and excitement, the singer also wants to be seen as someone special and worth holding onto.
Lady, your kicks of silence cough into your room
The woman being addressed seems to be struggling with isolating herself from the world, possibly suffering from mental health issues that are causing her to shut herself away.
Kiss me slow and softly make me dream of you
Despite the woman's struggles, the artist still longs for her affection and hopes to be a source of comfort and escape for her through dreaming about her.
So when does the plane go down
This line could represent the artist's willingness to take risks and live life to the fullest, even if it means facing danger or uncertainty.
'Cause I'm gonna ride it till it hits the ground
The artist is determined to embrace every moment of life, even if it ends in destruction or failure, because they believe it is better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all.
Then go out with a fight
Rather than accepting defeat or failure, the singer wants to go down fighting, putting up a struggle until the very end.
'Cause I just want to be your baby tonight
Despite the danger and uncertainty of life, the artist's ultimate motivation is to be seen as special and worth caring for by the object of their affection.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nluly21
Ryan Adams is the man. Not enough musicians play harmonica anymore. All my buddies wanna do is listen to rap or screamo, they think it's so good how can they not see that it all sounds the same and listen to musicians like Ryan Adams. it's just good musical talent.
@tavoiaiono7885
or any instruments at all for that matter
@niedec
The thing that always surprises me about Ryan Adams' music is that it's usually crazy-simple to play: capo on 3, C, G, F, Am. A decent amount of his songs are just those chords rearranged. But somehow, every song still seems really self-contained and in its own little world. It's actually pretty inspiring. Makes me want to write my own music more.
@sethfisher5081
there's also an E minor
@geoffwolfe9515
We covered some stuff by Whiskeytown and Ryan Adams solo in my band. We're playing something, maybe "Firecracker", and right away something is off. I was the bassist, and our guitar player and lead vocalist had forgotten to put the capo on. So we're playing in two completely different keys...😆
@obo54321
fantastic song love all of ryans work. keep writing music man
@andrewptob
This song is just tremendous
@abrokenframe82
This is such a cool uplifting song. I love to get pissed and play this loud. Right this minute I'm singing with the blackbirds.
@dnmcfall
🐦 🐦 🐦
@strictlynorton
WTG Ryan, Always str8 from the heart. Shine on brother !!!!!