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.
The Bar Is a Beautiful Place
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause either way you look down it's just stars
And I'm making my way down the Cherokee
To get drunk in a bar
And I know my friends, they worry about me
I can see it written on their face
Despite anything that I said before
The bar is a beautiful place
Sha-na-na-na
Sha-la-la-la
Shla-na-na
Sha-na-na-na
Sha-la-la-la
I got a cold in my heart that the doctor can't feel
He said "go get you a beer"
But they don't let the sunshine come in here.
Sha-la
Sha-la-la-la
Where the hookers and thieves and the junkies play
It's a circus round here for sure
And I worry about how I'm fitting in
If I only had her
And I know my friends they worry about me
I can see it written on their face
But despite anything I might have said before,
The bar is a beautiful place
Sha-na-na-na
Sha-na-na-na
Sha-la-la-la
Sha-na-na-na
Shala-na-na
Sha-la-la-la
Ain't it strange, I see your face in the window of a store
Holding me back from throwing my bottles out at the cars
Sha-la
Sha-la-la-la
So hey there, Miss Samuels
Hey Laura, I'm thinking of you
Would you take an old drunk as-is
If he was sweet to you
And tomorrow, you'll probably give up on me
I won't blame you, hell I'll celebrate
'Cause despite anything you may have said to me
The bar is a beautiful place
Sha-na-na-na
Sha-na-na-na
Sha-la-la-la
Sha-na-na-na
Sha-na-na-na
Sha-la-la-la
In Ryan Adams's song The Bar Is a Beautiful Place, the singer is reflecting on his love for drinking and spending time in bars. He is walking down Hollywood Boulevard and is making his way to the Cherokee, where he plans to get drunk. His friends are worried about him, but he sees the bar as a beautiful place. He sings about the coldness in his heart that only a beer can fight, and he mentions that the bar is a place where hookers, thieves and junkies play. He worries about how he fits in, but he thinks of a woman named Laura who could make everything better.
The lyrics convey a sense of loneliness and desperation, with the singer's drinking seeming to provide a temporary solution to his problems. He sees the bar as an escape from the harsh realities of life, even though he knows that his savior might not be waiting for him there. The repetition of the "sha-na-na-na" and "sha-la-la-la" syllables gives the song a nostalgic feel, giving the impression that the singer is looking back on his life.
Line by Line Meaning
I hang my head down on Hollywood
I feel ashamed of myself in this glamorous place
'Cause either way you look down it's just stars
Even in my lowest moments in this place, I am still surrounded by celebrities
And I'm making my way down the Cherokee
I'm heading to the bar down Cherokee Street
To get drunk in a bar
I'm going to the bar for the purpose of getting drunk
And I know my friends, they worry about me
I can tell that my friends are concerned about me
I can see it written on their face
Their facial expressions reveal their concern
Despite anything that I said before
Even though I may have said I'd change my ways before
The bar is a beautiful place
I find beauty and comfort in the bar despite my problems
Sha-na-na-na
Musical interlude
I got a cold in my heart that the doctor can't feel
I'm experiencing emotional pain that can't be physically treated
He said "go get you a beer"
The doctor suggested that I seek comfort at the bar
But they don't let the sunshine come in here
The bar is a dark place with no natural light
Where the hookers and thieves and the junkies play
The bar is often frequented by unsavory characters
It's a circus round here for sure
The bar is chaotic and unpredictable
And I worry about how I'm fitting in
I am concerned about my place in this environment
If I only had her
I wish I had a specific person by my side for comfort
Ain't it strange, I see your face in the window of a store
I find it odd that I see a familiar face when I'm out and about
Holding me back from throwing my bottles out at the cars
This person is the only thing stopping me from destructive behavior
So hey there, Miss Samuels
I'm addressing a specific person
Hey Laura, I'm thinking of you
That person's name is Laura
Would you take an old drunk as-is
I question whether this person would accept me for who I am
If he was sweet to you
I would try to be good to her if she'd let me
And tomorrow, you'll probably give up on me
I don't expect this person to stick around for long
I won't blame you, hell I'll celebrate
I understand if this person decides to leave me, and I won't hold it against them
'Cause despite anything you may have said to me
Even if this person has encouraged me to change
The bar is a beautiful place
I still find refuge in the bar
Sha-na-na-na
Musical interlude
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
mictighe
My favorite Ryan Adams song.
Andy Bartlett
What a great song! I hope Ryan has a very Tom Waits-like career.
Cara Celeste
it used to be til the internet ruined my privacies
233axel Cast256
Good Boy?