Ruby II
Amy Millan Lyrics


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Come along, Ruby, where have you gone?
You've got eyes like the North Dakota sun
Got lips like an ocean and skin like the rain
Whole lot of whiskey and wine and propane

Took me to Nashville to sing with the band
And then you left me in Tulsa sleepin' in the van
A dollar and a daisy is all that you left
Lock up my heart and forget about the rest
Lock up my heart, forget about the rest

A year and a day is all that its been
My Ruby's still singin' and I'm drinkin' gin
Lost all my money on the Saratoga track
Lost all my time hopin' you would come back
Lost all my time hopin' you would come back

Come along, Ruby, where have you gone?
You've got eyes like the North Dakota sun




Got lips like an ocean and skin like the rain
I wonder if I'll ever see you again?

Overall Meaning

The song Ruby II by Amy Millan is a melancholic ode to a lost love. The lyrics speak to the singer's yearning for Ruby, who she describes as having stunning eyes like the North Dakota sun and lips like an ocean. Ruby is portrayed as someone who loves to drink whiskey, wine, and propane. The chorus repeats the lines "Come along, Ruby, where have you gone?" which begs the question of where Ruby has disappeared to. The singer sings about how Ruby took her to Nashville to sing with her band, but then left her stranded in Tulsa, sleeping in a van. The pain that the singer feels is evident when she describes how Ruby left her with just a dollar and a daisy. The lyrics are compounded with melancholy when the singer talks about how she lost all her money on a horse track in Saratoga, waiting for Ruby to come back.


The song conveys the emotions of loss and heartbreak, as each verse is filled with pain and regret. The lyrics are simple yet poignant, and Millan's voice has a raw quality to it, which enhances the emotions of the song. The repetition of the chorus throughout the song adds to the feeling of longing and the fear that Ruby has disappeared. The last lines of the song "I wonder if I'll ever see you again" leaves the listener with an open-ended question and a sense of deep sadness.


Line by Line Meaning

Come along, Ruby, where have you gone?
Addressing someone named Ruby, asking where she has disappeared to.


You've got eyes like the North Dakota sun
Complimenting Ruby's eye color, comparing it to the appearance of the sun in North Dakota.


Got lips like an ocean and skin like the rain
Complimenting Ruby's lips and skin, comparing them to the vastness of the ocean and the constant flow of the rain.


Whole lot of whiskey and wine and propane
Suggesting that Ruby enjoys consuming alcohol and perhaps even engaging in reckless or dangerous behavior.


Took me to Nashville to sing with the band
Recalling a time when Ruby took the artist to Nashville to perform with a musical group.


And then you left me in Tulsa sleepin' in the van
Revealing that Ruby abandoned the singer in Tulsa, leaving him to sleep in a van.


A dollar and a daisy is all that you left
Explaining that Ruby only left the singer with a small amount of money and a flower.


Lock up my heart and forget about the rest
Stating that in response to Ruby's departure, the artist has locked up his heart and wants to forget the pain.


A year and a day is all that its been
Reflecting on the time that has passed since Ruby left, which has only been a year and a day.


My Ruby's still singin' and I'm drinkin' gin
Noting that Ruby is still pursuing music while the artist is drinking gin as a form of coping.


Lost all my money on the Saratoga track
Revealing that the singer lost all of their money gambling.


Lost all my time hopin' you would come back
Expressing that the artist has wasted their time waiting and hoping for Ruby to return.


I wonder if I'll ever see you again?
Expressing uncertainty about whether the singer will ever reunite with Ruby.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: AMY MILLAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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