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.
Peaceful Valley
Ryan Adams Lyrics
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To the peaceful valley
Down the winding river
To your city your soul
I've grown so tired
And my hearts grown heavy
To walk any longer
To your cities of gold
But I can never seem to get enough
All my life I've been rocked into the darkness
With a gun to my head
Trying to find a peaceful song
Trying to find a peaceful song
To sing when everything goes wrong
Till the peaceful valley calls me home
Up there in the clouds
In that glorious kingdom
Tell me there ain't nothing but an easy recline
Can I still smoke my cigarettes and have my coffee
Up there in heaven with a bottle of wine
Cause all my life, I've longed for forgiveness
But I can never seem to get enough
All my life I've been rushed into the darkness
With a gun to my head
Trying to find a peaceful song
Trying to find a peaceful song
To sing when everything goes wrong
Till the peaceful valley calls me home
Oh take me home to the peaceful valley
Down the winding river
To your city or soul
Ryan Adams's song Peaceful Valley is a touching and introspective piece that speaks to the desire for forgiveness and the dream of finding a peaceful place of rest. The song opens with the singer expressing his longing to be taken home to the peaceful valley, a place of comfort and solace, away from the cities of gold that have left him tired and heavy-hearted. He has spent his whole life searching for forgiveness, but it seems like he can never get enough. The second verse has the singer wondering about the afterlife and whether he will be able to smoke cigarettes, have his coffee and wine in heaven. The song closes with the refrain "Trying to find a peaceful song, To sing when everything goes wrong, Till the peaceful valley calls me home".
Through his lyrics, Ryan Adams speaks to the human experience of longing for comfort and forgiveness. The peaceful valley represents a dream of a better place, a place to rest and find peace. The lyrics also touch on the vulnerability of the human struggle as the singer speaks of being rushed into darkness with a "gun to his head". There is a sense of urgency and longing to the song that is amplified through the repetition of the refrain which shows that despite the need to find a peaceful place of rest, the search is ongoing.
Overall, Peaceful Valley is a stirring and poignant song that speaks to the experience of being human: the mounting weight of life's hardships, the quest for peace and forgiveness, and the search for a place of rest.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord take me home
The singer is asking God to take him to his eternal home
To the peaceful valley
The singer wants to be in a serene and tranquil environment
Down the winding river
The singer prefers to travel in a peaceful and scenic way
To your city your soul
The artist wants to be in the presence of God
I've grown so tired
The artist is exhausted and has had enough of his worldly experiences
And my hearts grown heavy
The singer's heart is weighed down by his burdens and regrets
To walk any longer
The singer cannot continue his current path
To your cities of gold
The artist does not desire material wealth, which could be interpreted as a reference to Heaven
All my life I've loved for forgiveness
The artist has spent his life searching for redemption
But I can never seem to get enough
The artist feels that he has not yet achieved absolution for his past transgressions
All my life I've been rocked into the darkness
The singer has struggled with inner turmoil throughout his lifetime
With a gun to my head
The artist may be alluding to suicidal thoughts or simply the feeling of being under constant stress and pressure
Trying to find a peaceful song
The singer is searching for comfort through music
To sing when everything goes wrong
The singer wants to have a source of solace during difficult times
Till the peaceful valley calls me home
The singer is eagerly awaiting the end of his journey so he can reach his final resting place
Up there in the clouds
The artist is referencing Heaven, which is commonly depicted as being above the clouds
In that glorious kingdom
The artist is referring to Heaven as a place of grandeur and majesty
Tell me there ain't nothing but an easy recline
The singer is suggesting that he hopes Heaven is a place of comfort and rest
Can I still smoke my cigarettes and have my coffee
The singer is questioning whether his earthly habits will still be present in the afterlife
Up there in heaven with a bottle of wine
The artist is describing a hypothetical scenario where he is able to enjoy one of life's pleasures even in death
Cause all my life, I've longed for forgiveness
The artist reiterates his desire for absolution in preparation for the afterlife
All my life I've been rushed into the darkness
The artist has felt constantly overwhelmed by his struggles and baggage
Trying to find a peaceful song
The singer is still seeking solace in music
Till the peaceful valley calls me home
The artist is restating his ultimate goal of making it to his final destination
Oh take me home to the peaceful valley
The singer is directly addressing God and begging for his assistance
To your city or soul
The singer desires to be in the presence of God
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