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.
Funny How I
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the wind in the gale, thunder and the hail
Sometimes I feel like I'm going insane
Without the numbness or the pain so intense to feel
Especially now it added up through the years
And I
I taught myself how to grow
I taught myself how to grow
Now I'm crooked on the outside, and the inside's broke
Most of the time I got nothing to say
When I do it's nothing and nobody's there to listen anyway
I know I'm probably better off this way
I just listen to the voices on the TV till I'm tired
My eyes grow heavy and I fade away
'Cause I
I taught myself how to grow
Without any love and there was poison in the rain
I taught myself how to grow
Till I was crooked on the outside
I taught myself how to grow
Without any love and there was poison in the rain
I taught myself how to grow
Till I was crooked on the outside, inside's caved
Crooked on the outside, inside's caved
Crooked on the outside, inside's caved
I taught myself how to grow old
The lyrics of Ryan Adams's song "I Taught Myself How To Grow Old" seem to be about a person who has faced a lot of difficulties and hardships in life. The first verse describes a "poor little rose" that has been beaten by the rain and wind. This could be a metaphor for the singer themselves, who has also faced their fair share of tough times. They feel like they are going insane and have become numb to the pain because it has been so intense for so many years. The chorus seems to be about how the singer has learned to grow and survive despite all of these difficulties. They have taught themselves how to grow "without any love" and in the face of "poison in the rain." However, this growth has come at a cost - the singer is "crooked on the inside" and "inside's broke."
The second verse describes how the singer doesn't have much to say anymore and feels like nobody is listening anyway. They have become isolated and rely on the voices on the TV to keep them company. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the singer's growth and how it has affected them both on the inside and the outside.
Overall, the song seems to be a reflection on the hardships of life and the toll they can take on a person. The chorus suggests that despite all of this, the singer has learned to survive and grow, but not without cost. The song leaves a sense of melancholy and sadness, but also a sense of resilience and strength in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Poor little rose, beaten by the rain
The singer feels like a fragile flower that has been beaten down by life's difficulties.
In the wind in the gale, thunder and the hail
The singer feels like they are constantly being battered by storms and harsh conditions.
Sometimes I feel like I'm going insane
The singer is struggling with their mental health and feels like they are on the brink of losing control.
Without the numbness or the pain so intense to feel
The artist wishes they could numb themselves to the intense emotional pain they feel.
Especially now it added up through the years
The accumulated struggles and hardships have taken a toll on the artist, making it even harder to cope.
I taught myself how to grow
The singer has learned to survive and thrive despite the challenges they have faced.
Without any love and there was poison in the rain
The singer had to grow and learn without the support and care of others, and faced toxic experiences that stunted their growth.
Now I'm crooked on the outside, and the inside's broke
The artist's hardships have left them physically and emotionally damaged.
Most of the time I got nothing to say
The artist feels isolated and unheard, and often doesn't have the energy to speak up.
When I do it's nothing and nobody's there to listen anyway
Even when the artist does try to express themselves, it feels futile because there is no one there to truly hear them.
I know I'm probably better off this way
The singer resigns themselves to their isolated existence and believes it's better than risking further hurt.
I just listen to the voices on the TV till I'm tired
In order to distract themselves from their pain, the artist turns to mindless television and other forms of media.
My eyes grow heavy and I fade away
The singer becomes overwhelmed and exhausted, and longs to escape from their reality.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Hughes
Even his unreleased stuff is amazing
Mountain Man802
ryan adams is and always has been a jewel hidden in the vast landscape of music, glad he has the fortitude to stay true to himself and keep doing what hes been doing for sooo long.
Timi Quesinberry
I'd love to hear him on the radio but it is nice he is just someone I can listen to all by myself! Just love him!!
johncitizen26
Just started listening to Ryan Adams. Amazing singer songwriter.
whatsthebigfndeal
Just recently started listening to this guy. Not sure why I'd never heard of him, he's awesome.
jimzy29
He's crazy. So far i've managed to track down around 540 songs of his. The Beatles only managed to write 312 songs between the four of them. Ryan is phenomenal!!!!
Ron Belin
jimzy29 that is succinctly why you have no difficulty believing that the entire repertoire Adams has been so acutely successful in choreographing is actually 30 years of my writing
Ron Belin
jimzy29 that is succinctly why you have no difficulty believing that the entire repertoire Adams has been so acutely successful in choreographing is actually 30 years of my writing
Ron Belin
jimzy29 that is succinctly why you have no difficulty believing that the entire repertoire Adams has been so acutely successful in choreographing is actually 30 years of my writing..
Ron Belin
There are hundreds of nexus where this illustrates..and then again, as you say= it’s a large body of work and all has not been revealed by just Ryan