I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
I will leave behind all of my clothes
I wore when I was with you
All I need's my railroad boots
And my leather jacket
As I say goodbye to Ruby's arms
Although my heart is breaking
I will steal away out through your
Blinds for soon you will be waking
The morning light has washed your face
And everything is turning blue now
Hold on to your pillow case
There's nothing I can do now
As I say goodbye to Ruby's arms
You'll find another soldier
And I swear to God by Christmas time
There'll be someone else to hold you
The only thing I'm taking is
The scarf off of your clothesline
I'll hurry past your chest of drawers
And your broken window chimes
As I say goodbye
I'll say goodbye
Say goodbye to Ruby's arms
I'll feel my way down the darken hall
And out into the morning
The hobos at the freight yards
Have kept their fires burning
So Jesus Christ this goddamn rain
Will someone put me on a train
I'll never kiss your lips again
Or break your heart
As I say goodbye
I'll say goodbye
Say goodbye to Ruby's arms
I wore when I was with you
All I need's my railroad boots
And my leather jacket
As I say goodbye to Ruby's arms
Although my heart is breaking
I will steal away out through your
Blinds for soon you will be waking
The morning light has washed your face
And everything is turning blue now
Hold on to your pillow case
There's nothing I can do now
As I say goodbye to Ruby's arms
You'll find another soldier
And I swear to God by Christmas time
There'll be someone else to hold you
The only thing I'm taking is
The scarf off of your clothesline
I'll hurry past your chest of drawers
And your broken window chimes
As I say goodbye
I'll say goodbye
Say goodbye to Ruby's arms
I'll feel my way down the darken hall
And out into the morning
The hobos at the freight yards
Have kept their fires burning
So Jesus Christ this goddamn rain
Will someone put me on a train
I'll never kiss your lips again
Or break your heart
As I say goodbye
I'll say goodbye
Say goodbye to Ruby's arms
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira, edited by asm
Ruby's Arms Lyrics as written by Tom Waits
Lyrics © JALMA MUSIC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
i agree that this is what the song is actually about, but don't you think it could equally be used, not as a breaking up song but kind of from the perspecitve of a soldier who's died and is saying goodbye before he leaves kind of the world, if that makes sense?
kinda similar to what you said; because this song comes right after mr siegal (on heartattack and vine), i always imagined it as him lying, dying after being shot and he finally begins to regret his actions. or maybe one of siegal's victims as a flipside of the previous song
He's stealing away through her window blinds. A person couldn't do that. She's holding her pillow, indicating that he hadn't spent the night with her. Darkened hall, hobos keeping fires burning is the light at the end of the tunnel. The wind took her scarf off the clothesline, disturbed the wind chimes as his spirit passed. I never put it all together until I read your comment. You're right, he's a Soldier who has died in war, come to say his last goodbye to his love.
Dammit, man...I'd never thought to look at it that way, but now I'm crying my eyes out.
@aSaltyDog <br /> <br /> “He's stealing away through her window blinds. A person couldn't do that. “<br /> <br /> Of course a person can pass through “blinds” (he doesn’t specify “window blinds”, he just says ‘I’ll steal away out through your blinds’), especially vertical blinds on a glass/screen door
Speechless... Such a wonderful song, and somehow Christmas time makes this song so much more powerful.
Is it sad that I discovered this song from Robert Pattinson itunes playlist? ALl the same, I love this song. I think it is very interesting that the things he does take are almost as a defense, to layer and protect him, "railroad boots, and my leather jacket...the scarf off of your clothesline." Notice her name is Ruby which reflects love, strong emotions, a fire which is put out by "everything's turning blue now," the rain. He notes the "broken window chimes," which could reflect the song of their love, it will never play again. The Christmas reference could almost be interpreted as his leaving--"i'll never kiss your lips again,or break your heart, as i say goodbye--"is the gift he is giving her, saying that "there'll be someone else to hold you."
ahhh, the work of a true lyrical genius.
The lyrics above are incorrect, the lyrics are "by christmas TIME" not "by christmas". So your point about by Christmas is a big stretch.<br /> <br /> I agree the song is about leaving someone because you love them too much to have them stay with someone that is no good for them (the singer).
Tom's goodbye to Rickie Lee Jones, makes me cry like a bitch, wish he would have stayed with her she is real and not phoney.
One of the most beautiful break up songs ever written. The soldier leaving his "war lover" behind. Waits manages to repress his emotions until he hits "So Jesus Christ". Goosebumps everytime !!!
@Carlos deJackal “ Jesus Christ, this goddamn rain”, I believe, is actually his tears, since he mentions “morning light” earlier in the song, that it’s turning everth8ng “blue”, seems unlikely if it was raining/cloudy.
beautiful..................................................
Great song, I love Nanci Griffiths version too.
Is it just me, or does he know that she's pregnant? He knows for sure by Christmas she'll have someone else to hold, not that he's going to be replaced. What a beautiful, ethereal visit of a spirit before his body is loaded on a train and shipped home. I get goose bumps every time I hear this song.
What a beautiful song, from the Salvation Army style brass band at the intro to the lush strings off the main song, it has a sense of sadness and finality to it. The perfect song to illustrate a relationship break up that I have ever heard.