About the song
Background
- Inspiration: The song was primarily written by Keith Richards and inspired by his former girlfriend, model Linda Keith. Their relationship was passionate but fleeting, leaving Richards with a sense of loss and melancholic reflection.
- Double A-Side: Interestingly, “Ruby Tuesday” was released in 1967 as a double A-side single along with “Let’s Spend the Night Together”. It went on to reach number one on the U.S. charts.
- Instrumentation: The song features a unique instrumentation that contributes to its wistful sound, notably including Brian Jones playing recorder and double bass.
Lyrics
Here are some key lines with possible interpretations:
- “Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday / Who could hang a name on you?”
- Acknowledging Ruby’s independent, almost elusive spirit. She is someone who defies labels or being confined.
- “There’s no time to lose, I heard her say / Catch your dreams before they slip away”
- Ruby embodies a free-spirited, seize-the-moment attitude, perhaps encouraging the narrator to find his own path
- “Still I’m gonna miss you”
- A simple but poignant expression of the lingering feeling of loss, despite the understanding that things must change.
Themes
- Transience and Change: The song captures the bittersweet ache of fleeting connections and the inevitability of change.
- Free-Spiritedness: Ruby Tuesday represents an alluring, independent, and somewhat unattainable woman who lives on her own terms.
- Loss and Longing: The core of the song is a sense of melancholy loss and the lingering affection for someone who is ultimately out of reach.
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Non-Conformity: Ruby defies traditional societal expectations, choosing instead to follow her own path, an idea that resonated in the counterculture movement of the 1960s.
Legacy
“Ruby Tuesday” remains one of the Rolling Stones’ most beloved ballads. Its combination of wistful melody, poetic lyrics, and understated melancholy continues to resonate with listeners. It’s a testament to the songwriting abilities of Keith Richards and the band’s ability to capture complex emotions within their music.
Video
Lyrics
She would never say where she came fromYesterday don’t matter if it’s goneWhile the sun is brightOr in the darkest nightNo one knows, she comes and goes
Goodbye, Ruby TuesdayWho could hang a name on you?When you change with every new dayStill, I’m gonna miss you
Don’t question why she needs to be so freeShe’ll tell you it’s the only way to beShe just can’t be chainedTo a life where nothing’s gainedAnd nothing’s lost, at such a cost
Goodbye, Ruby TuesdayWho could hang a name on you?When you change with every new dayStill, I’m gonna miss you
“There’s no time to lose, ” I heard her sayCatch your dreams before they slip awayDying all the timeLose your dreams and you will lose your mindAin’t life unkind?
Goodbye, Ruby TuesdayWho could hang a name on you?When you change with every new dayStill, I’m gonna miss you
Goodbye, Ruby TuesdayWho could hang a name on you?When you change with every new dayStill, I’m gonna miss you