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.
Note To Self Don't Die
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm as blue as the ocean is true, it's just reflections of the sky
I'm as cold
I'm as cold as the stories you told but never sick enough to die
Note to self, don't change for anyone
Note to self, don't die
Note to self, don't change for anyone
I'm as sick
I'm as crass as the things in your past, you wished that you could let them go
Caged birds
Caged animals starving for class
In your house when you're alone
Note to self, don't change for anyone
Note to self, don't die
Note to self, don't change for anyone
Don't change, just lie
Who do you call when you're alone
Nobody, baby
Who do you want to be, figure out and just let me know
Don't change, don't change, don't change
Just let me go
Just let me go
Just let me go
The lyrics to "Note To Self Don't Die" by Ryan Adams express a deep sadness and sense of despair. The opening lines describe the singer's feelings of emptiness as being as blue as the ocean and as cold as the stories they have been told. Although they are sick and crass, they are never sick enough to die, suggesting that they are struggling with mental health issues and contemplating suicide.
The repeated notes to self serve as reminders to the singer, urging them to not change themselves for anyone or change their chance in life. The chorus implies that it's better to lie low and not pursue change, even though it might be necessary for personal growth. The last lines indicate that the singer is isolated, with no one to lean on for support or guidance, which only adds to their feelings of loneliness and desperation.
In conclusion, the song encapsulates the struggle of self-acceptance and the fear of change, with the added themes of depression, isolation and ultimately the fear of death.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm as blue
I feel sad.
I'm as blue as the ocean is true, it's just reflections of the sky
My sadness is as vast and deep as the ocean, and it reflects the sadness in the world around me.
I'm as cold
I am emotionally distant.
I'm as cold as the stories you told but never sick enough to die
The stories you shared with me make me feel numb, but they do not make me feel suicidal.
Note to self, don't change for anyone
I am reminding myself to stay true to who I am and not change for others.
Note to self, don't die
I am reminding myself that suicidal thoughts are not the answer and that I should prioritize my own well-being.
Don't chance, just lie
I should avoid taking risks and instead pretend that everything is okay.
I'm as sick
I am physically and emotionally ill.
I'm as crass as the things in your past, you wished that you could let them go
I am as vulgar and unpleasant as the memories from your past that haunt you.
Caged birds
I feel trapped.
Caged animals starving for class
I am trapped like an animal and craving a sense of dignity and value.
In your house when you're alone
I feel helpless and alone, especially in familiar surroundings.
Who do you call when you're alone
Nobody, baby
When I am alone, I have no one to turn to for support or comfort.
Who do you want to be, figure out and just let me know
I am asking myself to consider who I truly want to be and strive towards becoming that person.
Don't change, don't change, don't change
I should stay true to who I am and not let anyone or anything change me.
Just let me go
I am asking someone to let me leave their life, as I feel trapped and unhappy in our relationship.
Just let me go
I am reaffirming my desire to be free and to find happiness in my own way, even if it means letting go of someone else.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PARKER POSEY, RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind