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.
Pa
Ryan Adams Lyrics
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He found the lot where she'd lay
Then he drove to old man Ed Sutterton's place
To find him some peace
He got there round about twelve
And he stayed till three
And the sun left him down in the valley
But the moon met him up in the hills by the lake
Suppertime came and went
No one heard from him
Sis left his food on the plate
At the end of the table right next to ma's place
Where nobody'd sit
The telephone rang bout four
My sister answered it
And I felt the news through the floor boards
Like a long, sullen moan
Like a wreck on the road
Like a joining of hands
So, I drove to town yesterday
To pick out his grave
I found the lot where they'd lay
And then I drove
To old man Ed Sutterton's place
To find me some peace
The song "Pa" by Ryan Adams tells an emotional story of a family dealing with the loss of their parents. The first verse describes the father's trip to town to choose a burial spot for his late wife. The imagery of the sun leaving him in the valley and the moon meeting him in the hills by the lake reflects his grief and loneliness. The second verse reveals that the father never returned after visiting a neighbor to find some peace. The sadness of his absence is emphasized by the uneaten supper left on the table next to his wife's spot. The final verse describes the son's own journey to town to choose a spot for his father's grave, followed by a visit to the same neighbor's house hoping to find some peace for himself.
Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the theme of grief and loss, in particular the way that it can impact people and families in different ways. The image of the empty chair next to the mother's spot at the dinner table is particularly powerful, emphasizing the void left behind by her death.
Line by Line Meaning
Pa drove to town yesterday to pick out her grave
Pa went to town to choose a burial site for his deceased wife
He found the lot where she'd lay
He discovered the place where his wife would be buried
Then he drove to old man Ed Sutterton's place
Pa sought solace by visiting Ed Sutterton
To find him some peace
Pa was looking for inner calm and tranquility
He got there round about twelve
Pa arrived at Ed Sutterton's place around midday
And he stayed till three
Pa then spent a few hours there before leaving
And the sun left him down in the valley
Pa was left alone in the shadows of the valley as the sun set
But the moon met him up in the hills by the lake
Pa found comfort in the moonlight and the scenery as he drove away
Reflecting the ghost of ma's place
The picturesque lake reminded Pa of his late wife's presence
Suppertime came and went
The time for dinner passed by
No one heard from him
Pa did not communicate with anyone in the family during this time
Sis left his food on the plate
Pa's daughter left his food uneaten as he did not come back for dinner
At the end of the table right next to ma's place
His daughter left the food at the spot where his late wife used to sit
Where nobody'd sit
The empty seat highlighted the absence of Pa and his wife
The telephone rang bout four
A phone call came in around four o'clock
My sister answered it
Pa's daughter picked up the phone
And I felt the news through the floor boards
The artist sensed something heartbreaking had happened from the sound of his daughter's voice vibrating the floorboards
Like a long, sullen moan
The news felt like a never-ending sound of sadness and grief
Like a wreck on the road
The news hit the singer like an unexpected tragedy
Like a joining of hands
The news brought the family together in sorrow and togetherness
So, I drove to town yesterday
The artist went to town on the same day Pa did
To pick out his grave
The artist went to choose a burial site for Pa
I found the lot where they'd lay
The singer located the spot for the graves of both Pa and his wife
And then I drove
After choosing the burial site, the artist continued driving
To old man Ed Sutterton's place
The singer also sought comfort at Ed Sutterton's place
To find me some peace
The singer wanted to find inner peace and solace
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRADLEY SMITH PEMBERTON, CATHERINE ANNE POPPER, JOHN PAUL BOWERSOCK, JONATHAN GRABOFF, RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind