Ruby Baby

Song Meaning

This song paints a picture of obsessive, unrequited love directed at a woman named Ruby. The narrator is fixated, declaring his love even though Ruby "don't look at me." He's caught in a cycle of wanting her, feeling like a "ghost" haunting her, and desperately asking, "when will you be mine?" The intensity of his desire is palpable, bordering on desperation. The central tension lies in the narrator's complete devotion versus Ruby's apparent indifference. He's willing to "steal you away from all those guys" and offer "some other money, too," suggesting a desire to win her over through grand gestures and perhaps even material means. Yet, the repeated question, "when will you be mine?" underscores the painful reality that she is not yet, and may never be, his. The most striking aspect is the narrator's self-awareness of his own fixation, describing himself as a "ghost" who will "haunt[s]" Ruby. This imagery suggests a presence that is felt but not truly acknowledged or welcomed. His promise to "give you my whole cries" is a raw, almost desperate plea, revealing the depth of his emotional investment and the pain of his unreturned affection. Ultimately, the lyrics resonate because they capture the raw, often irrational, nature of infatuation. The narrator's single-minded focus on Ruby, coupled with his vulnerability and willingness to offer everything, creates a potent, albeit slightly unsettling, portrait of longing. The repetitive questioning at the end amplifies the feeling of unresolved yearning, leaving the listener with the echo of his unanswered plea.