Regarding the band's name, Adams stated that he "suggested the Cardinals because it was my high school football team". Initially, The Cardinals consisted of Ryan Adams, Brad Pemberton, JP Bowersock, Catherine Popper, and Cindy Cashdollar. The band toured in 2004 and recorded Cold Roses. Cashdollar left in 2005 and was replaced by Jon Graboff.
The band toured worldwide without Cashdollar to promote Cold Roses, and during this period returned to the studio to record their second album, Jacksonville City Nights. Bowersock left after the album was recorded, and was replaced by Neal Casal.
In 2006, Popper left the band and was replaced by Chris Feinstein prior to a European tour in 2006. In 2007, The Cardinals joined Ryan Adams to record his new album, Easy Tiger, and the album's producer, Jamie Candiloro, was added to the lineup on piano. Follow the Lights appeared later in the year, once again produced by Candiloro. The album, Cardinology, was released in October 28, 2008; III/IV followed in 2010.
On December 15, 2009, bassist Chris Feinstein died. A posthumous EP, Class Mythology, featuring Feinstein was released on April 16, 2011
Band members:
Ryan Adams – vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica and banjo (2004–2009)
Brad Pemberton – drums and percussion (2004–2009)
Neal Casal – guitar, piano and vocals (2005–2009)
Jon Graboff – pedal steel, mandolin, guitar and vocals (2005–2009)
Chris Feinstein – bass guitar and vocals (2006–2009); died December 15, 2009
Catherine Popper – bass guitar, vocals and piano (2004–2006)
J. P. Bowersock – guitar (2004–2005)
Cindy Cashdollar – steel guitar, lap steel, guitar and vocals (2004–2005)
Jamie Candiloro – piano and keyboards (2006-2007)
www.myspace.com/ryanadamsandthecardinals/
A Kiss Before I Go
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I ain't goin' nowhere, tonight
I ain't been goin' nowhere for quite awhile
Can't tell the truth in a house of lies
Can't explain what I don't know
One shot, one beer and a kiss before I go
One more kiss 'fore I go
Breath all heavy and slow
One shot, one beer and a kiss before I go
I'll miss those nights at the bar
With every girl all loaded like freights
And the pain in the morning comes as easy as it goes
Can't find the truth in a house of lies
And you can't see tomorrow with yesterday's eyes
One shot, one beer and a place where nobody cries
One more kiss 'fore I go
One more night and day
Breath all heavy and slow
One shot, one beer and a kiss before I go
The lyrics of Ryan Adams & The Cardinals' song "A Kiss Before I Go" reveal the singer's sense of restlessness and disillusionment. The opening lines "The engine turns on a dime, But I ain't goin' nowhere, tonight" suggest that despite his ability to move quickly, he feels stuck or stagnant. The repetition of "one shot, one beer and a kiss before I go" acts as a mantra, a way to find some excitement or escape from his current situation. The singer seems to be searching for truth and authenticity but is unable to find it in the "house of lies" he inhabits.
The second verse continues to explore the idea of searching for something real in a world that seems fake or superficial. The singer reminisces about nights spent at the bar with "every girl all loaded like freights," a vision of excess and hedonism. But he acknowledges that the pleasure of these moments is fleeting, and the "pain in the morning comes as easy as it goes." The final lines of the song offer a glimmer of hope, as the singer imagines a place "where nobody cries." It's unclear whether this is a real place or simply a fantasy, but it suggests a longing for a world without pain or suffering.
Overall, "A Kiss Before I Go" is a haunting ballad that explores themes of disillusionment, escapism, and the search for truth in a world full of lies.
Line by Line Meaning
The engine turns on a dime
Despite having the means to leave, I choose to stay.
But I ain't goin' nowhere, tonight
I have decided to stay put for the night.
I ain't been goin' nowhere for quite awhile
I've been feeling stagnant and haven't had a change of scenery for some time.
Can't tell the truth in a house of lies
It's difficult to be truthful when the environment is full of deceit.
Can't explain what I don't know
I'm unable to provide an explanation for something that I'm not familiar with.
One shot, one beer and a kiss before I go
Before I leave, I want one last drink and kiss.
I'll miss those nights at the bar
I'll have fond memories of the times spent at the bar.
With every girl all loaded like freights
The girls at the bar are all heavily intoxicated.
And the pain in the morning comes as easy as it goes
The hangover the following morning is just as easy to come by as it is to go away.
Can't find the truth in a house of lies
It's difficult to uncover the truth when there are so many lies.
And you can't see tomorrow with yesterday's eyes
It's impossible to move forward and have a clear perspective when holding on to the past.
One shot, one beer and a place where nobody cries
I want to have one last drink in a place where no one will judge or cry over my departure.
One more kiss 'fore I go
I want one last kiss before I leave.
One more night and day
I want one more night and day to live freely before departing.
Breath all heavy and slow
My breaths are slow and heavy, indicating my reluctance to leave.
One shot, one beer and a kiss before I go
Before I leave, I want one last drink and kiss.
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