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/
My Heart Is Broken
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My love is gone
I live without you
Your pillow cold
I am forsaken
I can't go on
My heart is broken
If I hadn't cheated
While you were gone
The well that we'd
Been drinking from
Wouldn't a dried
And turned cold
My days are empty
My nights are long
Five cups of coffee
For the years gone wrong
If I hadn't cheated
While you were gone
The well that we'd
Been drinking from
Wouldn't a dried
And turned cold
My days are empty
My nights are long
My heart is broken
My love is gone
My love is gone
The lyrics of the Ryan Adams & The Cardinals' song, "My Heart Is Broken," is a heart-wrenching tale of lost love and regret. The singer opens the song with the admission that their heart is broken and their love is gone. They continue to reveal that they live without their love and their pillow is now cold. The singer's feelings of betrayal are depicted through the lines "I am forsaken, I can't go on. My heart is broken, my love is gone."
As the song progresses, the singer reveals that if they hadn't been unfaithful to their love while they were gone, they could still be drinking from the well of love they once shared. The well is a metaphor for their relationship - if they had not betrayed each other, their love would still be alive, and they would still be drinking from the well of love.
The last few lines of the song mirror the opening lines, emphasizing the pain and sorrow that the singer feels every day and night as they deal with the loss of their love. The repetition of "my heart is broken, my love is gone" emphasizes the grief that they are experiencing.
Overall, "My Heart Is Broken" is a beautifully-written song that delves into themes of heartbreak, loss, and betrayal. Through its emotional lyrics, the song conveys the weight of the singer's regret and the depth of their sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
My heart is broken
I am in deep emotional pain and sadness.
My love is gone
The person I loved has left me and is no longer in my life.
I live without you
I have to continue living my life without the presence of the person I love.
Your pillow cold
Your absence is felt by the coldness of your side of the bed.
I am forsaken
I am abandoned and left alone.
I can't go on
I am finding it difficult to continue living my life.
If I hadn't cheated
I regret my past actions that led to the deterioration of my relationship.
While you were gone
During the period when you were not with me anymore.
The well that we'd
The source of our happiness and love.
Been drinking from
What sustained our relationship and connection.
Wouldn't a dried
It would not have depleted and run out.
And turned cold
It would have stayed warm and nourishing.
My days are empty
My life has become bleak and meaningless.
My nights are long
The loneliness and sorrow constantly keep me awake at night.
Five cups of coffee
I am trying to fill the void and cope with my pain through caffeine.
For the years gone wrong
As a response to the lost years of my life due to wrong decisions and actions.
My love is gone
The person I love is no longer with me, and this fact continues to haunt me.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CAITLIN CARY, RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind