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.
She Wants To Play Hearts
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For a lonely girl
Use once and destroy
And go find some more
Back home, kids play in the leaves in the park
She wants to play a game of hearts
I'm the rag doll boy
She only comes to me
When it's raining outside
Back home, kids play in the leaves in the park
She wants to play a game of hearts
I fell for you
I fell for you
Why?
I guess I wanted to play too.
Here's the lonely string
Playing 'long in my head
For only just my arms
Are dancing marionettes
Back home, kids play in the leaves in the park
And she wants to play a game of hearts
She wants to play a game of hearts
The lyrics of Ryan Adams's "She Wants To Play Hearts" describe a dysfunctional relationship between two people. The singer is presented as a "broken toy" and a "rag doll boy" that a "lonely girl" uses and discards when she is done with him. He contrasts their situation to the idyllic scene of "kids play[ing] in the leaves in the park," while she wants to play a game of hearts. The imagery of the broken toy and the rag doll boy highlights the singer's vulnerability and willingness to be used, while the girl's desire to play games of hearts - the card game that traditionally represents love and relationships - emphasizes her lack of commitment and her desire to have fun at the singer's expense.
Adams's repeated use of the phrase "Back home" suggests that this dysfunctional relationship is occurring in a specific time and place, and acts as a way to ground the lyrics in a particular context. The phrase also adds to the nostalgic tone of the song, as if the singer is reflecting on these events from a distance. Additionally, the line "I guess I wanted to play too" suggests that the singer is not entirely innocent, and that he is partially responsible for his own heartbreak.
Overall, "She Wants To Play Hearts" is a poignant and melancholic portrayal of a one-sided relationship that is doomed to fail. Through his use of evocative imagery and introspective lyrics, Adams captures the emotions of heartbreak and regret with a rawness that is both unsettling and beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a broken toy
I am emotionally and mentally defeated and exhausted.
For a lonely girl
For a girl who feels lonely and seeks companionship.
Use once and destroy
She uses me for her needs and immediately abandons me when she no longer needs me.
And go find some more
She does not care about me and moves on to find someone else to fulfill her desires.
Back home, kids play in the leaves in the park
While children find happiness and fulfillment from simple things, such as playing in the park, the girl desires something more complex and manipulative.
She wants to play a game of hearts
She desires to play a game that involves emotional manipulation and deceit.
I'm the rag doll boy
I am weak and susceptible to being played with and manipulated.
With broken eyes
My emotional state is reflected in my physical appearance, showing that I am deeply hurt and damaged inside.
She only comes to me
She only seeks my company when it is convenient for her or when she needs something from me.
When it's raining outside
When her situation is bleak or desolate, she turns to me for comfort.
I fell for you
I developed feelings for her.
I fell for you
I fell for her emotionally and mentally, not just physically.
Why?
I question my motives for falling for her even though she treats me poorly and uses me.
I guess I wanted to play too.
Perhaps I felt compelled to participate in her manipulative game because I wanted her attention and validation, even though it was unhealthy for me.
Here's the lonely string
The following lines describe how I feel like a puppet controlled by the girl's manipulations.
Playing 'long in my head
My thoughts and emotions are being manipulated and controlled by the girl's actions and words.
For only just my arms
I am powerless to stop her actions, as I can only control my own actions and not hers.
Are dancing marionettes
I am like a puppet controlled by her manipulative actions and deceitful words.
She wants to play a game of hearts
She desires to play a game that involves emotional manipulation and deceit, and continues to seek validation and control through these manipulations.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind