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.
Nobody Listens to Silence
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
whitening margins
mouthing the words
letters flying fast
turning into words
sweeping the floor
making room
pulling up the carpet
the newspapers underneath
and over shards of broken glass
pushed up into the corner with your foot
just in case your girl got up and
decided to dance
gave you a moment to collect yourself
took your hand and awake with the second guess
you lose your spot
in your long line of losses
no second chances and
your dreams go sweaty and your brow
enter the pit with no bottom under it
while she fucks him like a fucking machine
greased to the bolts till the bolts come up
and her dress goes slam torn from the seam to her leg
listenin to her saying it's name and beg
nobody listens to silence like your girl
without your ear to the door and eye to the keyhole
and into the floor smashed like a train on the side of a bridge
suitcase burning orange lines over the underpass
people on the telephones
and people to answer
hair dye smudged on the sides of the tub
all bets of the years
on the crest of her forehead her mother used to kiss
and you got to school you're broken up
your signal went static
and your killer confessed
your soda went flat
and your arm went numb
and you smoked until your voice went all stinking and rough
and bugs in the kitchen
so fuck between the lines
looking for the highlights
she loves him like her man
smoking cigarettes with him
on the edge of the bed
nobody listens to silence like your girl
nobody listens to silence like your girl
nobody listens to silence like your girl
nobody listens to silence
The lyrics of Ryan Adam's song "Nobody Listens to Silence" convey a sense of anxiety and loss, with the singer struggling to hold on to his sense of self in the face of a relationship that has gone awry. The opening verse sets the scene, with the image of the girl whitening margins and mouthing words suggesting a futile attempt to impose order on a chaotic situation. The letters flying fast and turning into words evoke a sense of urgency and confusion, as the singer tries to keep up with events that are slipping out of his control.
The second verse continues with an image of the girl trying to exert some control over her surroundings, sweeping the floor and pulling up the carpet. The staples and broken glass suggest that there are wounds that need healing, both physical and emotional. The singer tries to collect himself, but his dreams are sweaty and his brow is furrowed, and he feels himself slipping into a pit with no bottom. Meanwhile, the girl is with someone else, and the singer imagines her being fucked like a machine, with her dress torn and her voice begging for more.
The chorus, "nobody listens to silence like your girl", repeats three times, reinforcing the idea that the girl is somehow the key to the singer's salvation, even as he feels himself slipping away. The closing verse adds further detail, with images of a suitcase burning, people on telephones, and bugs in the kitchen. The final lines suggest that the singer is simply looking for "highlights" in a life that has become dark and chaotic, smoking cigarettes on the edge of the bed with a girl he loves like his own.
Line by Line Meaning
nobody listens to silence like your girl
Your girl is unique in her ability to appreciate silence
whitening margins
Erasing lines of spaces in between your words as you write
mouthing the words
Reciting the words silently, without any sound
letters flying fast
Writing hurriedly, with little regard for legibility
turning into words
Transforming thoughts into written language
sweeping the floor
Cleaning up the mess of previous experiences
making room
Creating space for new emotions and experiences
pulling up the carpet
Removing the external facade to reveal the true emotions underneath
staples and all
Even the painful parts of your past cannot be ignored
the newspapers underneath
Your past experiences are always present, lurking beneath the surface
and over shards of broken glass
Your past experiences have left you with scars that cannot be hidden
pushed up into the corner with your foot
Your past experiences have left you feeling stuck
just in case your girl got up and
The fear that your girl will discover the truth about you
decided to dance
Letting go of all your fears and inhibitions
gave you a moment to collect yourself
Allowing yourself a moment to regroup and gather your thoughts
took your hand and awake with the second guess
Instilling a sense of doubt and uncertainty in your mind
you lose your spot
Feeling like you can never truly win
in your long line of losses
Feeling like you are always on the losing end
no second chances and
Never having the opportunity to make things right again
your dreams go sweaty and your brow
Feeling nervous and anxious about the outcome of your dreams
enter the pit with no bottom under it
Feeling like you are sinking deeper into despair
while she fucks him like a fucking machine
Enraged at her ability to move on so easily
greased to the bolts till the bolts come up
Their actions are effortless, with no regard for consequences
and her dress goes slam torn from the seam to her leg
Her reckless behavior leads to consequences for both parties involved
listenin to her saying it's name and beg
Feeling like you are being tormented by their actions and words
without your ear to the door and eye to the keyhole
You have to actively seek out the truth about her actions
and into the floor smashed like a train on the side of the bridge
The weight of your emotions is crushing you
suitcase burning orange lines over the underpass
Your baggage is weighing you down and preventing you from moving forward
people on the telephones
Attempting to find solace in the opinions of others
and people to answer
Feeling like you are never truly alone
hair dye smudged on the sides of the tub
The remnants of your past are still present, despite your best efforts
all bets of the years
Your past experiences have shaped who you are today
on the crest of her forehead her mother used to kiss
Her innocence and vulnerability make her actions all the more painful
and you got to school you're broken up
Despite your emotional turmoil, you still have to put on a facade for the outside world
your signal went static
Your attempts to communicate with others are met with opposition
and your killer confessed
Feeling like you are being attacked on all fronts
your soda went flat
The inevitable setbacks and disappointments of life
and your arm went numb
Feeling powerless to change your circumstances
and you smoked until your voice went all stinking and rough
Attempting to escape your pain through unhealthy coping mechanisms
and bugs in the kitchen
Reminders that life still goes on despite your emotional turmoil
so fuck between the lines
Learning to embrace the ambiguity and uncertainty of life
looking for the highlights
Focusing on the positive aspects of life despite the darkness
she loves him like her man
Her ability to move on with her life is a testament to her resilience
smoking cigarettes with him
Enjoying the simple pleasures in life despite the pain
on the edge of the bed
Living in the present moment, despite the uncertainty of the future
Contributed by Elena G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MJDeJoode
Great tune.
bob kat
This one's different. I like it.
mattzach11
You're the first one I've seen post this song on here. Thank you!!
MrLaurensio
with pleasure!
Juan Olivares
I was in love in 2007 and Easy Tiger was an album to behold that I eventually destroyed. I neglected this great song that many years later I dearly behold and can appreciate. Thank you!
MrLaurensio
enjoy!
Knightline Legal
Bugs in the kitchen....so fucked