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 End
Ryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't even know how he says my name
But it plays out like a song on a jukebox in a bar
In the back of my head
Till its worrying machine
And in the cotton fields by the house where I was born
The leaves burn like effigies of my kin
And the trains run like snakes
Filled up with cotton and dime store gin
Oh Jacksonville, how you burden my soul
How you hold all my dreams captive
Jacksonville, how you play with my mind
How my heart goes bad
Suffocating on the pines in Jacksonville
The end, the end, the end
All the cars are lined up on a Saturday night
With a sky full of nothing but moon
And I lose my reflection in a bottle of wine
Till the morning comes down
And I ain't nothing but blue (you)
At the diner in the morning for a plate of eggs
The waitress tries to give me change, I say
"Nah its cool. you just keep it"
I read up my news
I start thinking about her
And I wonder if anybody here besides me
Has got any decent secrets
Oh Jacksonville, how you burden my soul
How you hold all my dreams captive
Jackson-Hell, how you play with my mind
How my heart goes bad suffocating on the pines
In Jacksonville
The end, the end, the end
The lyrics of Ryan Adams's song "The End" express the singer’s feeling of being disconnected to his family, more particularly his father. He starts by saying that he doesn’t know how his father’s voice sounds, and the way he says his name is also unknown to him. However, somehow, his father’s voice still resonates in his mind, like a song playing in a bar’s jukebox. This reminder of his father is a constant reminder of his absence, leaving the singer in a worrying machine. The image of cotton fields burning like effigies of his kin and trains running like snakes through shallow pines paints a picture of abandonment and loss.
The lyrics are a poignant reflection of the singer's love and hate relationship with his birthplace. He addresses his hometown, Jacksonville, with bitterness, referring to it as Jackson-Hell, a place that suffocates him. He talks about how the town has burdened him with the weight of his unfulfilled dreams and aspirations. The singer tries to escape his reality and loses himself in a bottle of wine, and everything seems blue. He then goes to a diner the next day and thinks about his secrets and wonders if anybody has any secrets similar to his.
Overall, "The End" is a song that embodies solemnity and regret. The lyrics provide listeners with an authentic and sympathetic look at the emotions that can accompany disconnection.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know the sound of my father's voice
I have never heard my father speak.
I don't even know how he says my name
I am unsure of how my name sounds coming out of my father’s mouth.
But it plays out like a song on a jukebox in a bar
Despite never hearing it, I can imagine how it might sound like a familiar tune, constantly running in the background of my mind.
In the back of my head
This imagined sound is always present, tucked away in my thoughts, unable to fully escape my consciousness.
Till its worrying machine
Over time, this unrelenting tune has become a source of anxiety and stress for me.
And in the cotton fields by the house where I was born
Growing up in this rural area, surrounded by the plants that gave life to my family, I was shaped by these sights and sounds.
The leaves burn like effigies of my kin
Now that I am older, these same surroundings have taken on a menacing tone, as if the burning leaves are a symbol of the things that have been lost or destroyed in my family.
And the trains run like snakes
The trains that run so close to my home now seem like dangerous predators lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce at any moment.
Through the Pentecostal pines
These trees, so emblematic of the area where I grew up and the people who raised me, have now become a source of fear and discomfort.
Filled up with cotton and dime store gin
The memories of this place are intricately woven into the fabric of who I am, and no amount of alcohol or substances can wash them away.
Oh Jacksonville, how you burden my soul
This place, so inextricably linked to my past and present, has become a heavy load that I must bear every day.
How you hold all my dreams captive
Despite my best efforts, I cannot escape the influence that this place has on my life, both in the present and the future.
Jacksonville, how you play with my mind
The memories and emotions associated with this place are constantly swirling around in my brain, clouding my judgment and distorting my perceptions.
How my heart goes bad
The weight of all these feelings and memories has taken a physical toll on my body, causing my heart to ache and grow heavy with every passing day.
Suffocating on the pines in Jacksonville
The very elements of this place that should bring me comfort and familiarity now feel like they are smothering me, robbing me of my breath and my clarity of mind.
All the cars are lined up on a Saturday night
Despite all of this, life in this place goes on, with people still living their lives and enjoying the simple pleasures of a Saturday night in town.
With a sky full of nothing but moon
The only light in the sky comes from the bright full moon, casting a pale glow over everything below.
And I lose my reflection in a bottle of wine
In moments of despair and confusion, I turn to alcohol to try and numb the pain and confusion that I feel inside.
Till the morning comes down
Eventually I must face the light of day once more.
And I ain't nothing but blue (you)
Despite my efforts to escape my own feelings, I still find myself trapped within them, unable to escape the crushing sadness that has taken hold of me.
At the diner in the morning for a plate of eggs
Even the simple act of getting breakfast is imbued with a sense of melancholy and pain for me, as I am constantly reminded of my own struggles and difficulties.
The waitress tries to give me change, I say, Nah its cool. you just keep it
Even in these moments of stark sadness, there are small connections and moments of shared humanity that remind me that I am not alone in this world.
I read up my news
Trying to distract myself from these feelings, I turn to the outside world for some sense of connection or normalcy.
I start thinking about her
Despite my attempts to escape my own emotions, my mind invariably returns to thoughts of a lost love, adding yet another layer of pain to the mix.
And I wonder if anybody here besides me
As isolated and alone as I may feel in this world, I know that I cannot be the only one struggling with these same feelings and emotions.
Has got any decent secrets
Perhaps there is something hidden beneath the surface of the world that I cannot see, some hidden knowledge or truth that could help me make sense of everything.
Jacksonville, how you burden my soul
Once again, I am struck by the heaviness of the burden that this place has placed upon me, a weight that I cannot seem to shake.
Jackson-Hell, how you play with my mind
These feelings of confusion, sadness, and pain are exacerbated by my own perceptions and memories, which seem to constantly sabotage my attempts to move on and find peace.
How my heart goes bad suffocating on the pines
This sense of suffocation and decay comes not only from the physical elements of the place, but from the emotional and psychological struggles that I face as well.
In Jacksonville
No matter how far I may travel, or how much time may pass, this place will always be with me, shaping and influencing the person that I will become.
The end, the end, the end
Despite all of this, I know that one day, this struggle will come to an end, and I will be free once more.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL PANES, RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind