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.
Kim
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Underneath the branches of a sycamore tree
On a darkened road
With this key, scratched into the wall
I spell out your name, it's fucking with my head
Fucking with my heart
As the autumn leaves begin to fall
Walking down the street where you and I would walk
Kim, Kim, Kim
I can't sleep, can't let go
Underneath my feet it's miles
Nothing, there's nowhere to go
With this key, scratched into my arm
I spell out your name, it's ringing in my head
Like a false alarm
As the leaves begin to fall and grey
Walking down the street I watched you walk away
To be with him
Kim, Kim, Kim
Oh Kim!
Like a crater, like I've never seen
Walking down the streets we'll never walk again
Kim, Kim, Kim, Kim
Oh Kim!
The lyrics of Ryan Adams's song Kim convey a sense of yearning, desperation and heartbreak. The singer is unable to sleep or let go of the memories of Kim, the person he loves. The mention of a sycamore tree and a darkened road creates a dark and eerie atmosphere that further amplifies the sense of despair. The key scratched into the wall and the arm portray the singer's desperate attempts to hold onto Kim's memory, while the leaves falling and turning gray represent the loss and the end of the love affair.
Throughout the song, the singer remembers and longs for Kim, even though she is now with someone else, which is conveyed by the repetition of "Kim, Kim, Kim." The lyrics suggest that the singer feels a deep emptiness and sense of loss in his life now that Kim is gone. The image of walking down the streets that they will never walk again, reinforces the loss and the sense of finality. The use of the word crater in the last verse speaks of the emptiness, the void that Kim's absence has left behind in the singer's life.
Overall, Ryan Adams's Kim is a poignant and painful exploration of love, loss and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't sleep, can't go home
The person is restless and cannot find peace.
Underneath the branches of a sycamore tree
The person is outside, maybe as a means of coping.
On a darkened road
The person is alone and possibly lost.
With this key, scratched into the wall
The person has marked the place, possibly as a reminder of a significant memory.
I spell out your name, it's fucking with my head
The person is overcome by emotions related to someone named Kim.
Fucking with my heart
The emotions are causing the person pain.
As the autumn leaves begin to fall
The setting is in autumn.
Walking down the street where you and I would walk
The person is reminiscing about previous memories.
I see him
The person sees Kim's new partner.
Kim, Kim, Kim
The name Kim is repeated like a mantra, emphasizing the obsession with the person.
Underneath my feet it's miles
The person is walking a great distance.
Nothing, there's nowhere to go
The person is lost and has no direction.
With this key, scratched into my arm
The person has self-harmed, possibly in a bid to suppress the negative emotions.
I spell out your name, it's ringing in my head
The person is consumed by thoughts of Kim.
Like a false alarm
The thoughts and emotions are not based on anything solid or real.
As the leaves begin to fall and grey
Time is passing, and the person is stuck in their obsessive thoughts.
Walking down the street I watched you walk away
The person recalls a moment of heartbreak.
To be with him
Kim is in a relationship with someone else.
Kim, Kim, Kim
The repetition of the name continues, highlighting the fixation on Kim.
Oh Kim!
The person is calling out for Kim, maybe in despair.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cody Lakin
My god! This guy is the most beautiful possible mixture of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, the Velvet Underground, and many others I can't name. Most of all, he's Ryan Adams, and I love it
Palmer Treese
There's a touch of the 'police in this track' love it
Palmer Treese
Van morrison too 😊
Andrea Accardi
and jackson browne
Michelle Miles
The deep staggering pit in your stomach from a slow painful breakup. He nails it.
Lisa Emmerson
I love this song, it's so beautiful. He's such a talented singer/songwriter. Ryan reminds me of Springsteen, Tom Waits, Tom Petty and Todd Rundgren. Theres a fragile beauty in all his works with different influences. His last album Prisoner is my ultimate favourite and from him that's a hard thing to pinpoint because of his heavy majestic back catalogue. Just wow.
urgulp
My ex was called Kim, man this song breaks my heart.
Chico P.
I'm sorry man. You deff love her and idk how she feels but prob aimiliar to thus song........and I've been in the same boat since 2016.
Chico P.
@Naz tubes kicking down the cobblestones... looking for fun and feeling groovyyyy.
Naz tubes
@Chico P. Sweet to see this comment years on. I found the one eventually. All is now groovy. Life is change, we just don't expect the unexpected. Best wishes to you.