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.
Lucky Now
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All that faded into memory
I feel like somebody I don't know
Are we really who we used to be
Am I really who I was
The lights will draw you in
And the dark will bring you down
But only if you're lucky now
Waiting outside while you find your keys
Like bags of trash in the blackening snow
City of neon and toes that freeze
We've got nothing and nowhere to go
We've got nothing and nowhere
And the lights will draw you in
And the dark will take you down
The night will break your heart
But only if you're lucky now
And if the lights will draw you in
And the dark will take you down
But love will mend your heart
But only if you're lucky now
I don't remember were we wild and young
All that's faded into memory
I feel like somebody I don't know
Are we really who we used to be
Am I really who I was
Ryan Adams’s song “Lucky Now” is a reflective track on the nature of aging, memories, and identity. The opening lines, “I don't remember, were we wild and young / All that faded into memory,” are an acknowledgement of the way time can shift and shape our memories of who we used to be. The singer then asks, “Am I really who I was,” suggesting that the passage of time has altered their sense of self.
The second half of the song paints a vivid picture of a lonely, urban landscape. The phrase “City of neon and toes that freeze” feels both desolate and beautiful, and the repetition of “we’ve got nothing and nowhere to go” suggests a sense of aimlessness that may come with the passage of time. However, the song also offers a glimmer of hope, insisting that “love will mend your heart / But only if you're lucky now.” This refrain suggests that as we age, love may be one of the few constants that can truly ground us.
Overall, “Lucky Now” is a song that explores the human experience of aging and the way it can shape our sense of self and our relationships. It embraces both the melancholy and the hopeful aspects of growing older, acknowledging how complex and nuanced this process can be.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't remember, were we wild and young
Do we even remember our days of youth?
All that faded into memory
Truths that were once important, are now hazy memories
I feel like somebody I don't know
I feel like I've changed so much, even I don't recognize myself
Are we really who we used to be
Have we stayed true to our original self?
Am I really who I was
Is my current self the same as how I used to be?
The lights will draw you in
The worldly pleasures can be dangerously captivating
And the dark will bring you down
Adversities can lead to depression and failure
And the night will break your heart
The loneliness and emptiness of the night can be heart-wrenching
But only if you're lucky now
This misery is now our fate, thanks to our poor decisions
Waiting outside while you find your keys
We've been left stranded waiting in the cold
Like bags of trash in the blackening snow
We've been tossed to the side, forsaken in the dark
City of neon and toes that freeze
The city that never sleeps is also the city that never warms
We've got nothing and nowhere to go
We have nothing, no direction, no purpose
But love will mend your heart
But, there is always a ray of hope as love has the power to heal
But only if you're lucky now
It's no guarantee that this is the solution, life is unpredictable and is not always in your favor
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ryan Adams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ChandraShekher Mishra
I don't remember were we wild and young
All that faded into memory
I feel like somebody I don't know
Are we really who we used to be
Am I really who I was
The lights will draw you in
And the dark will bring you down
And the night will break your heart
But only if you're lucky now
Waiting outside while you find your keys
Like bags of trash in the blackening snow
City of neon and toes that freeze
We've got nothing and nowhere to go
We've got nothing and nowhere
And the lights will draw you in
And the dark will take you down
The night will break your heart
But only if you're lucky now
And if the lights will draw you in
And the dark will take you down
But love will mend your heart
But only if you're lucky now
I don't remember were we wild and young
All that's faded into memory
I feel like somebody I don't know
Are we really who we used to be
Am I really who I was
George
Such talent. I love when one person with a guitar and a voice can hold an audience spellbound for 4 or 5 minutes. I find it quite remarkable.
Reagan Miller
My all time favorite live performance of Lucky Now - absolutely perfect.
M e
Wow he is so talented! What an amazing voice!
Rainydaywoman100
This was by far the highlight of the whole Skavlan season! So incredibly heartfelt and beautiful! Ryan Adams just keeps getting better and better
ELIZABETH DURHAM
They're staring at him wishing they could do what he's doing...his voice is so soothing. I love this song... :)
Christian Hunter
A master of the form, Ryan Adams has perfectly achieved a minimalist, Noir-like mood, and he never forgets to stab you right where it counts.
Bw
Your comment is too good to ignore. The heart stabbing is spot on
Christian Hunter
This is extremely impressive. The real deal.
Malene Hodnemyr
This live performance is soo much better then the one on Spotify! Loove this guy:)
Mez7
Fucking great! Fantastic performance, and everyone in the 'studio' as well as everyone in the crowd were all completely captivated. Bravo!!