Why Do They Leave?

I actually look at the lyric as he was probably not taking the relationship as seriously as he wished he had now that she has decided to leave. Always hurts more to be the dumpee, and now he's hurting (but not until she left). I think it is a powerful message to not take things for granted...simple things like, cards, rose colored sunsets. Just my take.

Okay, there are no posts for this song. I think I understand why ... it's bad. Ryan is human, which is disconcerting for the listener and comforting for the songwriter. It's just so trite, you know? It's makes me feel guilty about loving the rest of the album: I'm not that sappy and hopeless, am I? I just skip ahead to "shakedown on 9th street" That's not a particularly deep track either, but it sure is fun.

I'm going to have to dissagree. I'm not saying it's his best song, but I think that it deserves credit. It's a great bluesy-type song that I thoroughly enjoy.

I really like this song. I like the lyrics and the melody. It's a simple song. Simple songs can be very good.

I agree with the first comment on some level. It is a pretty damn sappy song...but you can't expect every song on an album to be a success. Now I am a little biased, because songs that talk about sunsets tend to have a sappy connotation in my mind...and it's even worse when paired with the words "rose coloured"...just overwhelmingly corny. But somehow, I can't say that I particularly dislike this song. I know I've sat down to write some lyrics then looked at them afterwards and said to myself "holy shit that's so sappy and cliche" even though it was the honest truth. So who knows. Sometimes life is a sappy cliche.

of course the song is sappy and such but it does hit his bluesy side. like wakawaka said, it's simple and sometimes simplicity beautifies a song and relays a message nicely. definitely isnt a bad song by any means.

I agree with cdhound, to some extent. It's not the most elegantly written Ryan Adams song, but the message is very clear. Perhaps it's not the message he intended, but it does make you want to value what you have before it's too late. Or if it's already too late, to listen to it and brood over fucking everything up. I don't believe this song though. I like it, but it sounds very insincere, which goes along with what cdhound said, that he didn't realize how much he wanted or needed this person until she was gone. This isn't a new concept, and he's gone about tackling it in the most selfish and self-pitying way possible. "I know I never really did much to make you want to stay, but what about ME?!" is the entire message of the song.

I think it’s about his partner commiting suicide and feeling guilty about his own selfish feelings.