"So Alive" is a song by singer-songwriter

Ryan Adams David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, artist, and poet. He has released 23 albums, as well as three studio albums as a former member of alt-country band Whiskeytown. In 2000, Adams lef ...

from his 2003 album ''

Rock n Roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

''. The song was co-written with Johnny T. Yerington and was released as a single in 2004. In a 2003 interview with VH1, Adams talked about the song's background: "It was the last song n the albumto have lyrics. It was the last day of making the record. I got up... walked down to Stuyvesant City Cove and watched the boats go by... I wanted to write a song about how romantic I was feeling. he songhas a super big falsetto. I don't know where the hell that came from."

Music video

A music video for "So Alive", shot by

Doug Aitken Doug Aitken (born 1968) is an American artist. Aitken's body of work ranges from photography, print media, sculpture, and architectural interventions, to narrative films, sound, single and multi-channel video works, installations, and live perf ...

, was produced in late 2003. The video features Adams performing the song as he wanders through a surreal desert dreamscape characterized by snakes, giant spider webs, scraggly bushes and overall desolation. It was the subject of a behind-the-scenes "Making The Video" special on MTV2, shot at Raleigh Studios in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

. In the special, Adams refers to the "nightmare scenarios" depicted in the video, while producer/first assistant director Peter Murray calls it "a journey of the mind". Throughout the shoot Adams is seen clowning around, cracking jokes with the crew and generally having a good time.

B-Sides

The various "So Alive" singles contain several ''

'' outtakes as

b-sides The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

, including "Ah, Life", "Don't Even Know Her Name", "I'm Coming Over", and "Luxury". "Ah, Life", "Don't Even Know Her Name", and "I'm Coming Over" were also released on the ''Moroccan Role EP'' in 2004. Additionally, a limited edition 7" vinyl single was released with a 4-track recording of "Come Pick Me Up" as the b-side.

Track listings

So Alive CD1
Lost Highway 986 1610 # "So Alive" (LP version) # "Ah, Life" (non-album track) # "Don't Even Know Her Name" (non-album track) # "So Alive" (music video) So Alive CD2
Lost Highway 986 1611 # "So Alive" (LP version) # "I'm Coming Over" (non-album track) So Alive Promo CD
Lost Highway RYANCPD5 # "So Alive" (radio edit) # "So Alive" (LP version) 7" Vinyl Single
Lost Highway B394947-D1 # "So Alive" (LP version) # "Luxury" (non-album track) Limited Edition 7" Vinyl Single
Lost Highway MRNR-02487-7 # "So Alive" (LP version) # "Come Pick Me Up" (original 4-track version)

Personnel & Production Credits

— guitar, bass, vocals, and almost all instruments * Johnny T. Yerington — drums * Produced by James Barber ''"Ah, Life"'' / ''"Don't Even Know Her Name"'' / ''"I'm Coming Over"'' / ''"Luxury"'' *

— guitar, vocals * Johnny T. Yerington — drums *

Tony Shanahan Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter and author who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album '' Horses''. Called the "punk poe ...

— bass guitar * Produced by Ryan Adams & Eli Janney ''"Come Pick Me Up (Original 4-Track Version,

Jacksonville, NC Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,723, which makes Jacksonville the 14th-largest city in North Carolina. Jacksonville is the county seat and most populous commun ...

)"'' * Produced by Allen Midgett

References

External links

"So Alive" music video on YouTube/VEVO"So Alive" discography with catalog numbers
{{DEFAULTSORT:So Alive (Ryan Adams Song) Ryan Adams songs 2004 singles Songs written by Ryan Adams Lost Highway Records singles 2003 songs