It was way back at Song of the Day #2 that I last featured Ryan Adams on this blog. I’ve written about 276 songs since then, and I believe Adams has recorded that many during the same span.
And now we meet again, and I’m featuring another song from the same album I highlighted back then. Adams is perhaps the most prolific songwriter working today but I can’t get past those first two albums, Heartbreaker and Gold, which contain more than enough genius to go around.
Adams recently married Mandy Moore — bright, sunny Mandy Moore — which is kind of funny considering how messed up he comes across in his songs. He once dated Winona Ryder (as have most rock stars) and that seems a better fit.
It’s hard to imagine Mandy Moore inspiring the self-loathing in today’s song. But then, she did work Vincent Chase over pretty good in Entourage so maybe it all fits.
Will you walk right up
With a smile on your face?
Will you cower in fear?
In your favorite sweater
With an old love letter
I wish you would
I wish you would
Come pick me up
Take me out
Fuck me up
Steal my records
Screw all my friends
They’re all full of shit
With a smile on your face
And then do it again
I wish you would
When you’re walking down town
Do you wish I was there?
Do you wish it was me?
With the windows clear
And the mannequins eyes
Do they all look like mine?
You know you could
I wish you would
Come pick me up
Take me out
Fuck me up
Steal my records
Screw all my friends
Behind my back
With a smile on your face
And then do it again
I wish you would
I wish you’d make up my bed
So I could make up my mind
Try it for sleeping instead
Maybe you’ll rest sometime
I wish I could
I wish I could
I wish I could
Meet Me In Montauk 
Seems somehow… alterna-safe, doesn’t it?
This song reminds me of something, but I can’t quite place it. Regardless, I like it. Don’t think you should automatically assume it must be about Winona or Mandy or another person he dated. He might just be creating a persona. Still, Mandy did mess poor Vincent up enough to deserve this song, so maybe he’s singing the song from his perspective. Guess it came out too early for that to be a possibility.
I always hear a bit of Counting Crows and BIlly Pilgrim in his sound. Of course, since I like both of those artists a great deal, I tend to like Adam’s songs as well.