40 Best Songs About Ruby
If you’ve ever wondered whether gemstones make good song material, let the name ‘Ruby’ answer that for you.
It’s not just a precious gem; it’s also a beautiful name that has inspired countless musicians over the years.
From rocking anthems to tender ballads, Ruby has been the muse behind some iconic tracks.
1. “Ruby” by Ray Charles
The Feels: A soulful cry from a man to his beloved Ruby.
Behind the Groove: Released in 1960, this track sees Ray Charles at his finest, with his voice echoing the profound yearning and love he feels for Ruby. The song touches on the themes of distance and longing. When Ray sings, “Don’t take your love to town,” you can genuinely feel the desperation in his plea.
2. “Ruby” by Kaiser Chiefs
The Feels: Ever heard a song and thought, “This is too catchy”? Yep, this is one of those.
Behind the Groove: The British indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs gave us this banging track. It’s a modern ode to Ruby, filled with energetic guitar riffs and a chorus that just makes you want to sing along. “Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby!”
3. “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” by Kenny Rogers
The Feels: A heart-wrenching tale of love, war, and its aftermath.
Behind the Groove: Kenny Rogers brings forth a tale of a paralyzed war veteran watching his young wife, Ruby, get dressed for a night out, suspecting she’s off to meet another man. The song is hauntingly beautiful, capturing the pain and insecurities of the protagonist. This 1969 country hit still resonates because of its poignant storytelling and Rogers’ soulful rendition.
4. “Ruby Baby” by Dion And The Belmonts
The Feels: The classic rock-n-roll vibe! Ruby’s been playing hard to get, and Dion’s here to sing about it.
Behind the Groove: Before Dion gave us this rock-n-roll gem in 1963, The Drifters released their version in 1956. The song’s essence lies in its catchy beat and the storyline where Ruby has a string of admirers, but the singer is convinced he’s the one for her. “I want a girl like Ruby” becomes a catchy mantra by the song’s end.
5. “Ruby’s Shoes” by Lori McKenna
The Feels: A touching ballad with a beautiful narrative that tugs at your heartstrings.
Behind the Groove: Lori McKenna paints a vivid picture of a young Ruby witnessing the challenges of the Civil Rights Movement. The song touches upon Ruby Bridges, the first African-American child to integrate an all-white school in the South. While the song isn’t just about a girl named Ruby, it’s an homage to bravery and change.
6. “Goodbye Ruby Tuesday” by The Rolling Stones
The Feels: A wistful tune echoing farewells and fleeting moments.
Behind the Groove: One of the more famous “Ruby” titles, though not directly about a woman named Ruby, this song captures the ephemeral nature of life and relationships. The melancholic tune is heightened with lyrics that reflect a deep sense of loss. Mick Jagger’s haunting voice singing “Who could hang a name on you?” resonates with anyone who’s ever felt the transience of time.
7. “Ruby Soho” by Rancid
The Feels: Punk rock at its peak!
Behind the Groove: Rancid’s 1995 hit offers a taste of classic punk with a narrative centered around departure. While Ruby is more symbolic in this track, representing a certain time and place, the chorus “Destination Unknown, Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby Soho” will ring in your ears long after the track ends.
8. “Ruby Through The Looking-Glass” by Tori Amos
The Feels: A dreamy, surreal dive into a reflective world.
Behind the Groove: It hints at the Alice in Wonderland tale, using Ruby as a muse, navigating a world of reflections and duality.
9. “Ruby Is The One” by Earth and Fire
The Feels: The 70s psychedelic vibe that’s all about the elusive Ruby.
Behind the Groove: Earth and Fire, a band from the Netherlands, gave us this groovy number in the 1970s. The song is a delightful blend of progressive rock and pop, with a repeated assertion that “Ruby is the one.”
10. “Ruby” by Twenty One Pilots
The Feels: An indie-rock ballad that’s both heartwarming and heart-wrenching.
Behind the Groove: This track, from the duo’s “Regional at Best” album, is a tribute to a girl named Ruby. It’s filled with fervent pleas, powerful beats, and showcases the band’s signature style of blending genres and emotions seamlessly: “You’re an angel fallen down, won’t you tell us of the clouds?”
11. “Thru The Eyes Of Ruby” by The Smashing Pumpkins
The Feels: Plunging into the depths of your own imagination.
Behind the Groove: “Thru The Eyes Of Ruby” is an epic exploration of sound and emotion, blending the band’s signature grunge-infused rock.
12. “Ruby Falls” by Guster
The Feels: Making you feel deep and introspective.
Behind the Groove: Imagine Guster sitting around, thinking, “What if we wrote a song about a waterfall that’s really about feelings, but we make it sound like an indie movie soundtrack?”
13. “I Got Love for You, Ruby” by Frankie Valli
The Feels: Like finding yourself in the middle of a 1960s dance hall.
Behind the Groove: Frankie Valli, with his iconic falsetto, serenades every Ruby in the world, making them feel like the belle of the ball. Valli and his crew take us back to a time when professing love for someone was a grand affair.
14. “Hey Miss Ruby” by Conway Twitty
The Feels: Like walking into a honky-tonk bar and finding out it’s rock n’ roll night.
Behind the Groove: Conway Twitty might have been the king of country ballads, but “Hey Miss Ruby” is his way of saying, “I can rock n’ roll too, thank you very much.” If Ruby had a fan club, this song would be the official anthem.
15. “Ruby Eyes” by The Aquadolls
The Feels: Catching a wave of sunny vibes.
Behind the Groove: If The Aquadolls knew one thing, it’s how to make a song feel like that perfect beach day.
16. “Ruby and Carlos” by James McMurtry
The Feels: Like watching a movie unfold in a song.
Behind the Groove: “Ruby and Carlos” is the kind of song that makes you feel like you’ve known these characters your whole life, sharing their highs and lows.
17. “Ruby’s Arms” by Tom Waits
The Feels: Waking up early in the morning, realizing you’ve got to leave but wishing you could stay in Ruby’s arms just a bit longer.
Behind the Groove: This song is less about the glitz and glam and more about raw emotion and the gritty reality of love.
18. “Ruby Dear” by Talking Heads
The Feels: Like attending a party where everyone’s smarter and cooler than you, and you’re trying to figure out who Ruby Dear is without admitting you have no clue.
Behind the Groove: “Ruby Dear” is a musical puzzle wrapped in a dance beat.
19. “Rock and Roll Ruby” by Johnny Cash / Warren Smith
The Feels: Like stepping into the rockabilly heydays, with Ruby as your dance partner.
Behind the Groove: Whether it’s Johnny Cash or Warren Smith at the helm, “Rock and Roll Ruby” has got that foot-tapping vibe that makes it impossible not to move. This song is a reminder that Ruby isn’t just a gemstone; she’s a full-on rock and roll legend in her own right.
20. “Ruby Eyes (Of the Serpent)” by Omen
The Feels: Like accidentally joining a medieval quest.
Behind the Groove: A heavy metal band narrate an epic tale with Ruby right at the heart of it. This song is like finding the most intense fantasy novel in the form of a track.
21. “Ruby Slippers” by Melanie Doane
The Feels: It’s folksy, it’s catchy, and it might just make you want to click your heels together.
Behind the Groove: Melanie Doane takes the iconic symbol of Ruby Slippers and turns it into a heartfelt anthem about finding your way home, no tornado required. The song is a gentle reminder that sometimes all you need is a good pair of shoes and a catchy chorus to feel empowered.
22. “Ruby’s Two Sad Daughters” by Pat Green
The Feels: Like listening to a family saga that’s got more twists than a country road.
Behind the Groove: “Ruby’s Two Sad Daughters” is a masterclass in storytelling with a guitar. It’s country music that makes you feel like you’re part of Ruby’s extended family, privy to all the secrets and heartaches.
23. “Ravishing Ruby” by Tom T. Hall
The Feels: Like you’re in a cozy diner in 1973 where everyone knows your name.
Behind the Groove: With “Ravishing Ruby,” Tom T. Hall captures the essence of country storytelling at its finest, painting a vivid picture of a truck stop’s heart and soul named Ruby. Released in 1973, this song filled with warm guitar strums and Hall’s earnest vocals.
24. “Dear Ruby” by Carmen McRae
The Feels: Like a smoky jazz club in the late ’40s. It imakes you want to nurse a whiskey while lost in thoughts of love and longing
Behind the Groove: Carmen McRae’s “Dear Ruby,” also known as “Ruby, My Dear” by Thelonious Monk, takes jazz to an intimate level. This track is a love letter wrapped in jazz elegance.
25. “See Ruby Fall” by Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison
The Feels: Like standing at the crossroads of country and rockabilly.
Behind the Groove: The song melds Cash’s deep, resonant tones with Orbison’s soaring vocals, creating a duet that’s as haunting as it is beautiful. It’s a track that tells the tale of watching Ruby, a metaphor for love or perhaps a real flame, slipping through one’s fingers.
26. “Ruby Eyes” by CSS
The Feels: It make you want to dance.
Behind the Groove: CSS, a band that’s never afraid to blend genres or break the mold. With pulsating beats, synth waves that feel like they’re from another galaxy, and vocals that cut through the dance floor fog with precision, “Ruby Eyes” is an invitation to let loose.
27. “Ruby Ann” by Marty Robbins
The Feels: Robbins’ charismatic delivery and the song’s upbeat rhythm make it impossible not to tap your feet or envision a dance hall filled with twirling skirts.
Behind the Groove: Marty Robbins’ “Ruby Ann” rockets listeners back to 1962, where country meets rock ‘n’ roll in a lively celebration of a woman who’s caught everyone’s eye.
28. “Ruby’s Stool” by Loretta Lynn
The Feels: Like eavesdropping on small-town gossip at the local bar.
Behind the Groove: Loretta Lynn, the queen of country storytelling, gives us “Ruby’s Stool,” a song that feels like a chapter out of a juke joint diary. It’s classic country with a twist, where every strum of the guitar and twang in Lynn’s voice paints a vivid picture of Ruby’s place in the local lore.
29. “Ruby Brown” by Deana Carter
The Feels: Like a heart-to-heart with an old friend about the one that got away.
Behind the Groove: Deana Carter has a gift for creating tales of love, loss, and longing. The song’s gentle guitar strums and Carter’s heartfelt vocals bring to life the story of Ruby Brown, a woman as complex as she is captivating. It’s a narrative ballad that draws you in from the first note, holding you close as Carter unveils the layers of Ruby’s story.
30. “Loneliness in Ruby’s Eyes” by David Allan Coe
The Feels: Like a long, reflective drive down a deserted highway.
Behind the Groove: It’s the kind of song that makes you ponder love, loss, and the roads we travel in search of something more. With Coe’s distinctive voice and the haunting melody, you’re invited to look deep into Ruby’s eyes and see the stories they hold.
31. “Ruby (Are You Mad)” by Buck Owens
The Feels: Stepping back into the golden age of country when the lyrics were straightforward, and the twang was strong.
Behind the Groove: Buck Owens, a name synonymous with the Bakersfield sound, poses the question “Ruby (Are You Mad)” with his trademark twang and upbeat melody. Even if you’re not into country, Buck’s straightforward storytelling and catchy chorus make it easy to get why Ruby might be worth singing about.
32. “Ruby Jean and Billie Lee” by Seals & Crofts
The Feels: This song envelops you with a sense of calm and nostalgia.
Behind the Groove: Seals & Crofts have a knack for crafting melodies that feel both comforting and evocative. “Ruby Jean and Billie Lee” is a beautiful song with thoughtful lyrics that celebrate companionship and love.
33. “My New Love Is Ruby” by Jim Ed Brown
The Feels: Like a well-worn love letter, tinged with nostalgia and the sweet scent of memories.
Behind the Groove: Jim Ed Brown delivers “My New Love Is Ruby” with the kind of warmth and sincerity that’s become a rarity. It’s as though he’s sharing a personal story, his voice carrying both the excitement of new love and the wisdom of old blues. The song’s gentle rhythm and heartfelt lyrics invite you to reminisce about your own moments of love, both found and lost.
34. “Ruby” by Boyzone
The Feels: Like in the middle of a 90s high school prom.
Behind the Groove: It’s got that signature 90s boy band charm — catchy, a little cheesy, but totally lovable. Listening to “Ruby,” you can’t help but wonder, did they all have a crush on the same girl named Ruby, or was it just a really popular name back then?
35. “Ruby’s Eyes” by Myrrh
The Feels: This song is for those moments when you’re feeling introspective, or just need a soundtrack for reading your favorite fantasy epic.
Behind the Groove: “Ruby’s Eyes” by Myrrh is one of those tracks where you’re not sure if you should be meditating or solving an ancient riddle. It’s got a hauntingly beautiful melody that feels a bit like magic.
36. “Ruby in Paradise” by The Sterns
The Feels: Like discovering a hidden gem in a pile of vinyl records.
Behind the Groove: It’s got an indie vibe that’s both nostalgic and fresh. “Ruby in Paradise” sounds like the perfect track for a road trip to somewhere cool.
37. “Ruby Duby Do” by Tobin Matthews and Company
The Feels: It’s pure 1960s rock ‘n’ roll.
Behind the Groove: It’s a rockin’ tune that’ll have you tapping your feet and maybe even attempting the twist.
38. “Play, Ruby, Play” by Conway Twitty
The Feels: Like stepping into a honky-tonk bar.
Behind the Groove: Conway Twitty has this knack for storytelling that makes you feel like you’re part of the narrative. “Play, Ruby, Play” transports you to a world where Ruby is the star of the show, captivating the crowd without even trying. It’s that classic country vibe with a twist of mystery – who is Ruby, and what’s her story?
39. “Ruby in the Dust” by Colé van dais
The Feels: Like catching the last rays of a sunset on a day filled with unexpected adventures.
Behind the Groove: Colé van dais brings “Ruby in the Dust” to life with a blend of folk and pop. The song paints a picture of Ruby as a figure of intrigue and resilience, navigating through the trials and triumphs of life. It’s an uplifting track, that encourages you to find the beauty in the journey, even when the road gets rough.
40. “Ruby’s Eyes” by Jerry Allan
The Feels: Like a watching the sunset with your beloved.
Behind the Groove: Jerry Allan captures a sense of serene infatuation with “Ruby’s Eyes,” a ballad that feels a timeless. The song is a sweet serenade to the one who captures your heart with just a glance.
