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.
Friends
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A song could ever be
Like Christmas on a river
Without a boat or Christmas tree
This afternoon with you was something like a letter
The kind that someone writes but never sends
And when you look at me like that
I know someday it's gonna end
I bet you miss your friends
As angry as a breeze
Tugging hard upon the sails
I been moving through these streets forever
From Baltimore to Amsterdam
These things inside me they repeat like broken records
Spinning pretty somethings behind my eyes
And when I can´t look at you
I can paint you picture perfectly in my mind
And when I get old
I´m gonna miss you all the time
That wind up in the trees
Scattering bluebirds all over the place
Shuffling children in the piles of leaves
I wish I was the wind that touched your face
This afternoon with you was something like a letter
The kind that someone writes but never sends
And when you´re good to me
It makes me blue because some day it´s gonna end
And when we pass on
I bet you miss your friends
I bet you miss your friends
I bet you miss your friends
The lyrics of the song "Friends" by Ryan Adams & The Cardinals express a sense of longing and nostalgia for a connection with someone that may be fleeting or temporary. The opening lines describe the beauty of the moment, but also imply a transience, like Christmas without a boat or tree. The simile suggests a lovely occasion but without the usual trappings, so maybe it is like something temporary or absent.
The motif of missing friends is woven throughout the song. The last line of the final verse repeats the phrase "I bet you miss your friends" three times, emphasizing this point. The longing for connection is further emphasized in the second verse with the image of the wind and the bluebirds. The singer's wish to be able to touch the face of his friend with the wind suggests a yearning to connect and to be close to the friend.
The overall theme of the song is about the bittersweet nature of friendship and the ephemerality of all things, including the connections we make with others. As much as we may enjoy the company of friends, those relationships are not always permanent or guaranteed. The song is a reminder to appreciate those moments we have with loved ones and to cherish the memories once they are gone.
Line by Line Meaning
As pretty as a song
This moment with you is beautiful and picturesque
A song could ever be
It's like the most beautiful song ever written
Like Christmas on a river
It's like celebrating Christmas on a river without a boat or a tree
Without a boat or Christmas tree
It's like celebrating a holiday without any of the traditional decorations
This afternoon with you was something like a letter
This moment with you felt like the important, heartfelt message that someone might write but never send
The kind that someone writes but never sends
The message is so meaningful and personal that it's difficult to express out loud, so it remains unsent
And when you look at me like that
When you look at me with that certain expression
I know someday it's gonna end
I am aware that eventually this moment will be over
And when you get old
When you are older
I bet you miss your friends
You will likely long for the connections you had with certain people
As angry as a breeze
As forceful and unpredictable as the wind
Tugging hard upon the sails
Pushing me forward in unexpected ways
I been moving through these streets forever
I have been wandering for an indeterminate amount of time
From Baltimore to Amsterdam
Traveling from one place to another in search of something meaningful
These things inside me they repeat like broken records
The feelings and thoughts I have are stuck on a loop and won't go away
Spinning pretty somethings behind my eyes
My imagination is conjuring up many lovely, fantastical scenes
And when I can´t look at you
When I am unable to look at you
I can paint you picture perfectly in my mind
I can still experience a vivid image of you in my thoughts
And when I get old
When I am older
I´m gonna miss you all the time
I will likely long for the times spent with you
That wind up in the trees
The breeze blowing through the trees
Scattering bluebirds all over the place
Causing the birds to fly in different directions
Shuffling children in the piles of leaves
Children playing in the fallen leaves
I wish I was the wind that touched your face
Expressing a desire to be close to you and touch you in a gentle, loving way
And when you´re good to me
When you treat me well
It makes me blue because some day it´s gonna end
It makes me feel sad because I know that eventually it will come to an end
And when we pass on
When we die
I bet you miss your friends
You will likely long for the connections you had with certain people
I bet you miss your friends
You will likely long for the connections you had with certain people
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind