Ruby

Song Meaning

The narrator grapples with a complicated relationship, addressing someone named Ruby with a mix of concern and possessiveness. The repeated question, "Ruby, what am I gonna do with you," sets a tone of exasperation and helplessness. It suggests Ruby's choices are baffling or concerning to the narrator, who feels powerless to steer her actions. The central tension lies between the narrator's desire to protect Ruby and Ruby's apparent insistence on making her own, potentially self-destructive, choices. The narrator pleads, "Don't want my Ruby in the dust," painting a vivid image of neglect or ruin. Yet, they immediately follow this with an ultimatum: "Babe you choose what you wanna do," and later, "Babe you lose what you're trying to prove," indicating a resignation to Ruby's autonomy, however misguided it seems. The lyrics gain intensity through repetition and a subtle shift in the narrator's assertion. While Verse 1 offers an open invitation "you come to me," Verse 2 becomes more insistent: "you can come to me," "you belong to me." This escalation, particularly the repeated "you belong to me," reveals a deeper, perhaps more controlling, undercurrent beneath the initial concern. The final, fervent repetition of "My Ruby, Ruby, Ruby" underscores this possessive claim. This dynamic makes the song resonate because it captures the painful push-and-pull of loving someone whose life choices you can't control, but whose fate you feel deeply invested in. The narrator's journey from concerned plea to possessive declaration highlights the complex emotions that arise when love and control become entangled, leaving the listener to ponder the true nature of Ruby's "life you choose."