Ruby Tuesday

Keef said in his recent book that he wrote this song about the first girl who ever broke his heart; she is Ruby Tuesday. I forget her real name, but she was a really free spirit who would never settle down or stay in the same place for too long. He completely fell head-over-heels for her and they lived together for a little while in London in the 60s. The Stones went out on tour and when they got back, she had totally moved on and he was heartbroken, but not at all surprised because that was just her way. Ever since I read that story, this song took on a whole new feeling for me, and now I think it's just such a sad song, but so sweet at the same time.

Interesting comments, all of the above. Only the original lyricists know for certain what the song means. For my part, the first time I heard Ruby Tuesday, shortly after it was released, I was mesmerized. (And the first time I heard Melanie's rendition I felt haunted. It is not often that a cover comes across more powerfully than the original, but Melanie's throaty rendition is the default version that will always run through my mind.)

As to the song, it falls between the bookends of Back Street Girl (musically) and Maggie May (lyrically). All three were songs for and by a generation that, although it did not always know it, was hungry for meaning yet wary of commitment, identifying with the present yet still expressing itself in terms from the past. In this case, Ruby was a wraith who drew the singer into a world that offered escape but no deliverance. The singer awakes, rues the fact that he could not draw her into his world, and reluctantly and nostalgically consigns memories of her to the world of ‘what might have been.’

A beautiful song, by any measure.

The answer to your question Philadelphia Eagles is very simple---GREED! The money made from songwriting royalties is enormous. Truth be told, Jagger and/or Richards did write about 95% of the songs as the other members knew their efforts would not be credited so why bother. Mick Taylor and Ron Wood have received writing credits. Bill Wyman complains to this day that he wrote the riff for "Jumpin Jack Flash" but isn't that riff basically the same as the one in "Satisfaction'?

best rolling stones song EVERRR

maybe this isnt the intended message, but the whole thing really just seems like a metaphor for existence. ruby could be a girl or just daily life. there is nothing to the past, there is nothing to hang on to.

life is essentially meaningless: "She just can't be chained to a life where nothing's gained and nothing's lost at such a cost"

everything is transient: "When you change with every new day Still I'm gonna miss you" yet is still beautiful

so live freely and experience everything as fully as possibly while you still have the opportunity to breath. this song makes me simultaneously blissful and incredibly melancholy.

but i suppose im just projecting my own feelings onto this. plus i was listening to the version from children of men rather than the rolling stones original so that might have something to do with it.

I think this ruby is bipolar and he knows it but still loves her and accepts it. "Change with every new day still I'm gonna miss you". He doesn't ask her why she acts the way she does, he understands "still I'm gonna miss you". With bipolar people sometime they do erratic things and want to be free and what they want every day that's why he says "Ruby Tuesday". Because she's a completely different person everyday and he's telling that person she was that Tuesday goodbye he'll miss her.

para entender las letras hay que figurarse el contexto en el que fueron escritas, los 60's mucho poder Flower y mucha Psicodelia, el amor libre. Definitivamente Ruby se debe ha alguna hippie de comunas que a pesar que se la mantenian rodando el mundo y haciendo el amor y no la guerra. El amigo escritor le dejo esta cancion !!! definitivamente habla de ser libres , de amar y LOVE POWER !!!

This song is not just about a girl. The tine it was written was when the Western Civilization had a sudden influx of Eastern Philosophical ideas. John Lennon's "Across the Universe", almost all of George Harrison's songs had a lot of philosophy.

Ruby Tuesday is the very essence of life. Be it Happiness, God, Chance, Faith....in essence - Absolute Truth. The Hindu Philosophy of absolute truth says that things are what you believe them to be. That is what Ruby Tuesday is, she changes everyday. When the sun is bright, or in the darkest night, she exists everywhere and nowhere - anywhere we humans want her to be.

The reason why she is mysterious and ever changing, is because she IS humanity's purpose. We humans think we have one purpose. It's not true. Purpose is what we make it to be. Ruby Tuesday thus can't be chained to a life where nothing's gained or lost.

The last paragraph deals with hope. The songs explains how Ruby Tuesday does what she wants, when she wants. Then why do we humans even care? So this talks about our dreams and how we shouldn't let them slip. That is the very essence of life, our purpose, of Ruby Tuesday.

Don't question why she needs to be so free, she'll tell you it's the only way to be... So creative lyrics, the Rolling of the 60s were the best, the soul of Brian Jones, so soon he left... And Keith Richards still here...

what can i say, i have no idea what it means, but hey it's one of the greatest songs ever, i recently made up my top ten and this made it by far