Ruby Falls

The ideal of love was not entirely achieved, but instead of being disappointed by the end, the author accepts the "failure" as another facet of love itself. Ruby Falls itself is a beautiful spectacle --perhaps he and the girl visited it as part of a road trip together in which they realized they weren't right for each other (reinforced by reference to "navigation" later on)-- but when one sees it, there is a sense of acceptance. To get there, one must drive through some of the most beautiful parts in Tennessee's mountains. Upon one's "reaching the end," the falls themselves aren't extremely grand or superb, they're just beautiful. The author may view the love he had in this way, starting with a "digging" to recover what he has lost, but eventually settling on acceptance of its end. He is confused as to where they can go from there. Certainly he feels guilt in the early lines of the song, asking his Judge to look away from his failings in the relationship and, in an image similar to that of Dante and Beatrice in Dante's "Divine Comedy," requesting that his love "don't look him in the eye." Eventually he asks her to "wash it all down" and swallow the reality of it-- the birds will remain buried, the memory of their love will be its sole salvation, their is no more between them.

"Love, confession number one Impossible and sorry"

wow

Beautiful song; stunning to know that Brian wrote this. He's not a bad writer. It's just that his songs are so simple, and yet this is so vivid. Good job Bri!

I love this song. i saw it live over the summer. It was one of the best parts of the concert.

There is a Ruby Falls in Tennessee near/as part of Lookout Mountain, but I'm not sure if there's any connection...

This is obviously the monumental cornerpiece of 'Ganging up on the Sun'. It is the long one that has such a great feel to it. It's just so powerful. Ruby falls sounds like a beautiful place, wherever it is. The trumpet flutter is great. I don't know how anyone can call this the worst Guster song.

I'm pretty sure the song is about a beginning that's coming from a horrible ending, and I think the two birds at the end might be pheonixes. "Somewhere, down buried in the sand, two birds give out a song," sounds like pheonixes being reborn from their ashes.

When I listen to this song... I get the feeling that the singer has done something wrong... something he's being judged for by his partner.

"And judge, can you look the other way? Some things are best unsaid"

That phrase, and the later one in the song referring to the judge (who I am assuming is his partner/gf/whatever) seems like the core meaning. He's sorry, he's guilty, but he wishes it could just all go away and be like it was before.

"Somewhere down buried in the sand Two birds give out a song And all of Ruby Falls is singin' along"

The birds (he and his love) have been buried by the sand (buried by his guilt), and in his ideal world, they would give out a song (be ok).

That probably all doesn't make sense to anybody but me, but oh well. I love the song regardless.

woah! i love this song. so beautiful. i mean the sound of it is gorgeous. the trumpet in the end is wonderful. as for the meaning of this song, i'm actually a little lost. but i think that this might be about a brand new start. the beginning is about reaching the end, maybe of life or a relationship or something, then in the end it's about starting over with the two buried birds singing out and then everyone sings along. i don't know. that's my interpretation. i could be wrong. i didn't write it. haha!

it's actually a french horn, but you were close enough.