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.
Goodnight Hollywood Blvd.
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They're putting up the chairs
Taking the money
And all we can do is pray
Pray for tomorrow
So close your eyes
And close your mouth
That screams like a child in the back of your mind
In a clown's saloon
So goodnight Hollywood Boulevard, goodnight,
See ya soon
Goodnight Hollywood Blvd, goodnight
See ya sometime
See ya sometime
Yeah, right, yeah right
Run away baby
Back to your lonely house
You wanted the honey
But you were only just stinging yourself
It's hard to watch
So I close my eyes
And I close my mouth
And do this all in time to the music
That dances like fools set on fire
Flailing their arms in a room full of whores
So goodnight Hollywood Boulevard, goodnight,
See ya soon
Goodnight Hollywood Boulevard, goodnight
See ya sometime
See ya sometime
Yeah, right
Yeah, right
Yeah, right
Yeah, right
Yeah, right
The lyrics of Ryan Adams’s song “Goodnight Hollywood Blvd” are dense, poignant, and vivid with imagery. The song tells the story of the end of a night in Hollywood, as the chairs are being put away, and the money is being counted, and all that’s left is the feeling of being stung by the honey that was only half there. The tone is sorrowful, as the singer bids goodnight to the boulevard, with a hollowness that rings through in the closing refrain of “Yeah, right.”
The opening lines suggest a feeling of powerlessness, with everything happening around them, as they are left with nothing to do but pray for tomorrow, hoping for a better future. The imagery of closing eyes and mouth suggests a sense of resignation, with no control over the situation. The “screaming like a child” that’s heard in the “clown’s saloon” leaves the listener with a sense of chaos and confusion, and a feeling of being lost.
“Goodnight Hollywood Blvd” is also a commentary on the allure of fame and stardom, and how it often leads to a false sense of happiness. The lyrics use the metaphor of the honey that the singer thought was sweet, but actually stung. The singer urges the listener to “run away baby” from the life of trying to constantly seek happiness in the empty promises of fame and fortune.
Overall, “Goodnight Hollywood Blvd” is a powerful song that captures the feeling of disillusionment and desperation that often accompanies the end of a night in Hollywood, with a sense of resigned acceptance of what has passed.
Line by Line Meaning
It's happening baby
Something big is going down and it's beyond our control.
They're putting up the chairs
Everyone's getting ready for something major and final.
Taking the money
The people in charge are only concerned with financial gain.
And all we can do is pray
We're powerless and can only hope for the best.
Pray for tomorrow
We're hoping for more positive circumstances in the future.
So close your eyes
Avoid the unsettling reality around you.
And close your mouth
Don't speak out against the status quo.
And do this all in time to the music
Forget your worries and let the music control you.
That screams like a child in the back of your mind
The music is a reflection of our inner fears.
In a clown's saloon
Our current situation is a sad and ridiculous one.
So goodnight Hollywood Boulevard, goodnight, see ya soon
Goodbye to the dreamlike world of Hollywood, we'll be back despite everything.
Goodnight Hollywood Blvd, goodnight, see ya sometime, see ya sometime
We're not sure when we'll be back, but we'll return for sure.
Yeah, right, yeah right
Our intentions may be uncertain, but we're confident in our vow to come back.
Run away baby
Escape the harsh reality of the world around us.
Back to your lonely house
Find solace in familiar, less glamorous surroundings.
You wanted the honey
You wanted the glamour and excitement of Hollywood.
But you were only just stinging yourself
You didn't know how to handle the reality of fame and fortune.
It's hard to watch
It's difficult to accept our own shortcomings and inadequacies.
That dances like fools set on fire
The music reflects our susceptibility to chaos and recklessness.
Flailing their arms in a room full of whores
We're lost and unsure, aimlessly searching in a place of moral decay and decadence.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RICHARD CAUSON, RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jlcontarino
beautiful, heartfelt performance of a hard-hitting song
Vladimir Markiev
I see what you did in the second verse with "fools..." Still a beautiful song!
Martin Heron
@luluz to be fair, he's pretty good at the quantity side too :-p