Tom Waits - Ruby's Arms Lyrics
I will leave behind all of my clothes I wore when I was with you
All I needs 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 pillowcase 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 wind chimes
As I say goodbye I say goodbye I say goodbye to
I will feel my way down the darkened 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 say goodbye I say goodbye to
Ruby's arms
Other Lyrics by Artist
- Tom Waits - 2:19
- Tom Waits - The Part You Throw Away
- Tom Waits - Starving In The Belly Of A Whale
- Tom Waits - Lullaby
- Tom Waits - Another Man's Vine
- Tom Waits - God's Away On Business
- Tom Waits - All The World Is Green
- Tom Waits - Coney Island Baby
- Tom Waits - Everything Goes To Hell
- Tom Waits - Misery Is The River Of The World
- Tom Waits - Barcarolle
- Tom Waits - Fish & Bird
- Tom Waits - I'm Still Here
- Tom Waits - Reeperbahn
- Tom Waits - Watch Her Disappear
- Tom Waits - We're All Mad Here
- Tom Waits - Lost In The Harbour
- Tom Waits - Woe
Rand Lyrics
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Tom Waits Ruby's Arms Comments
the end chorus is so beautiful ...
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
tom waits is clear
In all the sadness and grief...we still go on..you never know what the next day will bring..may be peace..Thanks Tom for every song you've shared with us
I wish she hadn't been, but the first girl I ever loved was called Ruby. Years go by and I don't miss her, but I still think of her on occasion. She hurt me so much. Crazy how someone you love and can't imagine hurting anyone, can prove you so wrong..
DON'T SAW OFF RUBY'S ARMS ! THAT WON'T DO! HOW WILL WE SLIDE DOWN ? MAN I LOVE YOUR COMPASSION ! TOM YOU KILL ME WHERE IT REALLY COUNTS ! YOU ARE THE MOST GIFTED !
OH MY DEAR GOD!!!
An amazing song, breaks my heart. What an artist, what an amazing talent.
Sublime
evry day i find something new together with TOM WAITS.chris from sweden
I don't know if he can git anymore impressive than waltzing Matilda, hell broke Luce, bad as me and a few others that I've just discovered. but I'm such a newbie to a Tom waits fan, and searching for the expanding lust of songs That I absolutely adore.
https://youtu.be/aatZ9VSF7Mc
A special song, which Tom does well. My favorite version is probably by Patty Griffin. She too can capture the heart of a song.
💌❤️🌹💌
Gangstalking is real, scientology and COINTELPRO both use it in America
COINTELPRO (portmanteau derived from COunter INTELligence PROgram) (1956–1971) was a series of covert, and at times illegal,[1][2] projects conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting domestic political organizations.[3][4] FBI records show that COINTELPRO resources targeted groups and individuals that the FBI deemed subversive,[5] including the Communist Party USA,[6] anti–Vietnam War organizers, activists of the civil rights movement or Black Power movement (e.g. Martin Luther King Jr., the Nation of Islam, and the Black Panther Party), feminist organizations,[7] the American Indian Movement (AIM), independence movements (such as Puerto Rican independence groups like the Young Lords), and a variety of organizations that were part of the broader New Left. The FBI claimed the program also targeted the Ku Klux Klan, however that later turned out to be false.[8] The FBI also financed, armed, and controlled an extreme right-wing group of former members of the Minutemen
anti-communist para-military organization, transforming it into a group
called the Secret Army Organization that targeted groups, activists,
and leaders involved in the Anti-War Movement, using both intimidation
and violent acts.[9][10][11]
The FBI has used covert operations against domestic political
groups since its inception; however, covert operations under the
official COINTELPRO label took place between 1956 and 1971.[12]
COINTELPRO tactics are still used to this day, and have been alleged to
include discrediting targets through psychological warfare; smearing
individuals and groups using forged documents and by planting false
reports in the media; harassment; wrongful imprisonment; and illegal
violence, including assassination.[13][14][15][16] The FBI's stated motivation was "protecting national security, preventing violence, and maintaining the existing social and political order."[17]
Beginning in 1969, leaders of the Black Panther Party were
targeted by the COINTELPRO and "neutralized" by being murdered,
assassinated, imprisoned, publicly humiliated or falsely charged with
crimes. Some of the Black Panthers affected included Fred Hampton, Mark Clark, Zayd Shakur, Geronimo Pratt, Mumia Abu-Jamal,[18] and Marshall Conway. Common tactics used by COINTELPRO were perjury, witness harassment, witness intimidation, and withholding of evidence.[19][20][21]
FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover
issued directives governing COINTELPRO, ordering FBI agents to "expose,
disrupt, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise Neutralize" the activities
of these movements and especially their leaders.[22][23] Under Hoover, the agent in charge of COINTELPRO was William C. Sullivan.[24] Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy personally authorized some of the programs.[25]
Although Kennedy only gave written approval for limited wiretapping of
Martin Luther King's phones "on a trial basis, for a month or so",[26] Hoover extended the clearance so his men were "unshackled" to look for evidence in any areas of King's life they deemed worthy.[27]
Woke this morning with this playing in my head.
Oh my God, I never cry when I listen to music. What the fuck is going on?
hayatımı hep hüzünlü zannederdim ta ki bu şarkıyı dinleyene kadar
my daughter is called Ruby
[Verse 1]
I will leave behind all of my clothes I wore when I was with you
All I needs my railroad boots and my leather jacket
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 2]
The morning light has washed your face and everything is turning blue now
Hold on to your pillowcase there's nothing I can do now
[Chorus]
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
[Bridge]
The only thing I'm taking is the scarf off of your clothesline
I'll hurry past your chest of drawers and your broken wind chimes
[Chorus]
As I say goodbye I say goodbye I say goodbye to
Ruby's arms
[Verse 3]
I will feel my way down the darkened 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
[Outro]
As I say goodbye I say goodbye I say goodbye to
Ruby's arms
Kazuo Ishiguro's Nobel Prize speech brought me here...
Probably my favorite sucker punch to the heart.
Great user name. DrMabuse!
Most beautiful song ever written?
It's not gonna get played in the club, but it's the human beings, making these songs, that make life more, barable :)
❤❤❤❤❤❤
everything is turning blue now.
The end of the first part of Waits' long career as a musician, and the beginning of the rest of his life.
Ja od Chmielarza! Żmijowisko psst...
sad and beautiful song
This is straight butter...a master song writer...
a xcellent song when youre kicket back having a 420 smoke tea and biscuts nicely done ol boy
Read his booklet : my evening of the twentieth century and other turns
Read what kazuo Ishiguro says about this song! In his talk on the occasion of his premium Nobel in academy of Sweden!
It's a ballad about a man, possibly a soldier leaving his lover asleep in bed. It's the early morning, he goes down the road, gets on a train. Nothing unusual in that. But the song is delivered in the voice of a gruff American hobo utterly unaccustomed to revealing his deeper emotions. And there comes a moment, midway through the song, when the singer tells us that his heart is breaking. The moment is almost unbearably moving.
By Kazuo Ishiguto
fun fact, this is Josh Brolin's favorite song of all time
“But in all of the sadness, when you’re feeling that your heart is empty, and lacking,
You’ve got to remember that grief isn’t the absence of love.
Grief is the proof that love is still there.”
Tessa Shaffer, Heaven Has No Regrets
.
.
Will
Well said.
Be sure to remove everything sharp from the room before listening to this
my god stunning tune by top man if my last couple days on gods great earth where listening to tom waites would go to meet big man in sky happy very happy
Heartbreaking beautiful....
A girlfriend sent this to me once … Tom steps into reality again. He is a master of capturing the true feelings of life. Then, it seems to me, he gathers them up effortlessly and reminds us of important things … With great artistry …….
truly heart-breaking song. Truly
just stunning gets better like fine wine as years pass
It has been a few years, now, since I commented on the song, and in all of that time, I had a feeling that I would be back to listen to it just before I committed suicide. Now that I am going to, within the hour, all things considered, it is not a bad song to sign off on. Thank you, mister Waits. And thank you, Kathleen, for introducing me to this wondrous man.
harkeill I know that I don't know you but I know all to well what it is like to want to die more than anything. please tell me you didn't do this
Amazing!❤
how the hell can a guy who sounds like the cookie monster after smoking 10 packs a day make such great music?
There's a great comment here which talks about how Kazuo Ishiguro (Nobel Prize) changed the end of his book Remains of the Day after hearing this song. https://genius.com/Tom-waits-rubys-arms-lyrics
I was remember when this song was playing my crush committed suicide.... one of the hardest moments in my life, i tried to reason with her saying how alot of people love you and to just wait.. but i couldn't do anything but watch in shear terror after she didn't respond
You didn't pay me, you piece of shit.
Fuck you Satan.
Kazuo Ishiguro me trajo aquí.
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
Thanks.
*everthing is turning blue now
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,
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 freightyards, 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
Kazuo Ishiguro's Nobel speech brought me here.
stunning beautiful, my favorite
Just had to hear this song again today … thank you universe for Tom Waits … Nobody can do what he does ...
He is amazing..
Just good old-fashoned song writing … Tom is a special artist - with rare rough beauty implied in every note ...
am here because of Kazuo Ishiguro
me tooo
Me too 10 :) Just saw Remains of the day again on Netflix.
And me too...
yes, me too.
Me too. Just finished watching Remains of the Day on Maori TV.
Please come home :(
jeez this man should be knighted by her majesty and he aint english .hes world wide .
I was in rehab 2001 and i lost my kids my family my dignity and this song helped bring me back,thanks tom
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,
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 freightyards, 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.
matej krizanac Thanks
Thank you, it isn't easy to hear what Tom sings sometimes.
I lost my brother and best friend Ruben this April... This song makes me cry everytime, cause it touches my soul, and I'll never have Ruby's arms around my shoulder
I'm so sorry for the loss of your "Ruby". I hope you find solace in your happy memories of him.
Tom's always been a master of writing from the perspective of different characters, I'm surprised that there haven't been many comments about how this song is from a perspective of the ghost of a dead soldier saying goodbye to his widowed lover. Its such a beautifully crafted song and as always, his voice and the music compliment the tone of the lyrics masterfully.
That is some nimble ghost who can pilfer head scarves!
I think this song means so much to so many different people.The song means something different to me. To me it's breaking up a dying relationship despite having a profound love for that person. That's the beautiful thing about Tom, his lyrics penetrate our perspectives and sing to us each individually, we make up the rest and therein lies his genius.
Or,a soldier ,torn from his lover. Leaving in the early dawn to ease a heartbreak.
My absolute favourite is Green Grass.A song written from the perspective of a corpse under the ground.....wow!
Beautiful, understated , felt.
もうトム最高❗
本当ええ歌だわぁ~❗
why do i think that trey parker is singing? lol
This is my favorite song.
Nice melody but the singer sounds like he has Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome or a serious speech impediment. I can't understand half of it.
mattbod
if you don't understand its because you don't understand.
mattbod novice?
Half the people in the world (who know him) love Tom Waits's voice. Others hate it.
It's a great, great voice. But not for you, which is sad-- his songs are so amazing.
killin' rattlesnakes with a trowel
I bet Sam Winchester listens to this every night before going to sleep
No, don't be silly. He listens to The Rolling Stones' 'Ruby Tuesday'.
I think Ruby from Kaiser Chiefs.
favorite waits song when i'm drunk and down in the dumps, this song like many of his got me through brutally tough times
My absolute fav Waits song,although EVERY fuckin song on this album is golden,this one moves me to tears every time.......The only good thing my first husband turned me onto was this L.P.
You're welcome.
Sublime....
To the Master torch song writer, singer of our times, wished Amy Winehouse lived long enough to have song with this master of the blue flame.yeah!
+Captsquidbrains I think she was familiar with his work.
Captsquidbrains please tell me what master of the blue flame means because it sounds amazing!
Jesus christ this goddamn rain, will someone put me on a train. Tam. Fuckin' wow.
a graet tom's time!!!
Lost the "love of my life" to drugs, at the same time i first heard this in the early 90´th. Arwwgh.....How did Tom Know?
Amazing!
If I ever had daughters I'd call them Martha, Muriel and Ruby
Ivan Smrcek I know where you're coming from, but personally I would choose modern names if I ever had a baby daughter or three (here is hoping, one day!) I would name them: Tara (pron: Tah-rah), Madison and either Toper or Millie (that is 'Millie', not the full name of 'Millicent."
how about smack whisky and cigs?
my daughter will be called Naima...I'll name other one Ruby
Favourite waits song that isn't tom trauberts blues are you on crack? I'm just joking how good is this man, most of the world are oblivious to this genius who is on a par with mr dylan.
Amazing talent, and no offense but light years ahead of Mr Dylan
The most beautiful song I've ever heard.
My Ruby stealed away. She took her tartan skirt and Doc Martens, Windchime intact. Surprisingly.
That really made me laugh.. Mr Wilson
Definitely not the song to listen to, if you have been or are, drinking.
pissed you are right
Many of Waits songs for that matter..
UHG ! its never good to think of the one that got away while under the influence
When to find the time then?
I'm sorry ok, my uncle began to sing this and I had to search it
Well,Tom is just one and only..This song makes me crying every time,like Kentucky Avenue,or If I Can to Go...
@Jaro Glodek What about "If I Have To Go"? That at least ranks high on your list, I hope.
+harkeill agree with u
Ruby's Arms,If I have to go,Kentucky,Take Me home.,I am Steel Here...It is just pure beauty..I try to play it on piano and sing,but my voice is horrible.... Very sad...
+Jaro Glodek I can never get through Kentucky Avenue without tears. I was born same year as tom and knew the polio scare in the 50's and have a lady friend who got it before she could get inoculated.
Romantic!
It's one of those songs that I can play over & over again and not get bored. it has it's flaws but I love this song and the way he sings it .
Ruby's Arms. What a sad, sad song. Music is meant to move. His songs move me so much. There are times when no other music will do. Like now.
This is my favorite song by Tom Waits. It never fails to reach down deep and pull a few tears to the surface. The imagery is incredible!!
@*****
As a general rule, I prefer songs that are not overproduced but this one is an exception. The intro with the brass evokes a feeling of agonizing over a difficult decision he must make. Then the brass is countered by the melancholy piano and strings. I would like to hear the live version though!!
@*****
Starlett, Do you have a link to Big Time?
benkit49 on the nickel
tom waits for no man
We are naming our daughter Ruby and this song is beautiful, just as I hope she will be. Thanks Tom Waits..
Congratulations on your daughter!
Ruby was my mother's name. She has been gone for five years, and this song makes me
weep. I can't listen to it that often..
you should
Ruby is my grandmother's name. Her beauty was incredible. ..her life not so easy. She died in a car accident. My grandpa had many children with her .. my mom looked like her until alcohol took her from the mom I knew before I was ten. . Ultimately took her life in 2009. I know 2 ruby songs .. Ironically the other mentions paralysis. ..I am a c4 quadriplegic .. to have my grandma's name in that old song.. put a wow in the time I heard it after paralysis. It had been my mom's favorite song throughout my youth.
Ruby is my birthstone. ..Some things have meanings .. meant to be felt...like a beautiful ruby and name named ruby.
Peace to you...
I'm sorry about your Mom & grandmother. You're a brave soul w/a stout heart. Be at Peace.
Waits Up
Perfect rainy Sunday morning music.
fantastic thank you tom waits
gut-wrenching...like nothing ive ever felt...and everything all at once.
#wordsfailme
Nicely put. It's sad, but the sadness seems from a deep love. And he gets that across so well.
Einzigartig <3
Heartbreaking beautiful song.