Not that such anxiety is evident on the highly accomplished disc, the follow-up to Ruben’s self-released 2008 debut, Aiming for Honesty. Adding full-band accompaniment to his lush, soulful pop-rock, Ruben also stretches impressively as a writer on The Ones That Matter, achieving a near-novelistic sense of character and setting on finely hewn tracks like “A Lack of Armor,” “Bleeker and Sixth,” and “Unbreakable.” His relentless attention to detail pays off handsomely.
He makes no apology for meticulously fine-tuning all aspects of his work and presentation. “Every time you create something you have an opportunity to say something new – or at least something honest,” he says. “I take that opportunity seriously.”
Ruben’s expansive and deeply compassionate point of view has resonated strongly with an ever-growing audience, whom the performer has cultivated with virtually nonstop touring and persistent online networking; as a result, he’s sold some 5,000 copies of Honesty on his own.
He often receives emotional messages from fans declaring that his songs have crystallized their feelings, commemorated milestones in their lives and even helped repair broken bonds. “One woman wrote to me and said she and her daughter didn’t get along, but when she drives the girl to school every day they listen to my music – and it’s the only time they don’t fight,” he marvels. “The songs I wrote in my basement helped her relationship with her daughter. How could I ask for more than that?” Indeed, his compositions have connected so powerfully with listeners that several cover versions have been posted on YouTube.
Such moments of connection helped inspire the title of The Ones That Matter. Ruben had compiled a list of some 80 candidates, but it was in the aftermath of the recording process that he realized what the disc should be called.
“I was on an epic road trip,” he remembers of this epiphany. “I realized that as much as this album is about music, it’s ultimately a representation of who I am – and all that amounts to is all the incredible people I’ve surrounded myself with, and the places I’ve spent time, and the stories and jokes that came out of those experiences with those people. That’s when I understood that the only logical name for the album was The Ones That Matter.”
Recorded during a record-breaking snowstorm in Charlottesville, Virginia – where producer Chris Keup (Jason Mraz, OAR, Parachute) and partner Stewart Myers (Mraz, Lifehouse, Rachel Yamagata, Mandy Moore) have their studio – the disc afforded Ruben a chance to fully appreciate the devotion of his pals. “I had some of my best friends in the world come down to help me finish the record,” he relates. Other players on the disc include drummer Brian Jones (Mraz, Yamagata, Moore); and keyboardist Daniel Clark (Ryan Adams, kd lang, Moore). Meyers handled bass on several tracks.
The profound gratitude Ruben felt upon finishing the album snowballed in the coming days. “I wanted the title of this record to express my thanks to everyone who mattered – not just my friends who worked on the record, but their friends. The people who gave me a couch to crash on, made me dinner, drove me to the train station. Everyone who came to my shows, and walked up to tell me what the songs meant to them. I’m thanking them all with this record.”
Ace of Spades
Jesse Ruben Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Even after they get old
Drink every drop of coffee
Even when it's cold
This is what I love about you
Your calendar pages
Are hastily ripped off
With a fever and a cough
This is what I love about you
I won't stop meaning what I say
If you're lonely I'm only a phone call away
If relationships are playing cards
You're my ace of spades
I need you like shades of red
On Valentine's Day
The shadow of your bus
As it pulls away is shrinking
I take comfort in the thought
Of knowing what you're thinking
This is what I love about you
And we could talk for hours
About how the worlds corrupt
You have no idea what you are gonna be
When you grow up
This is what I love about you
I wont stop meaning what I say
If you're lonely I'm only a phone call away
And if relationships are playing cards
You're my ace of spades
I need you like shades of red
On Valentine's Day
I hope you don't forget,
Cause baby you can bet
that I will always remember
The moments we share
Jesse Ruben's "Ace of Spades" appears to be a love song to a special someone. The song depicts the singer's admiration for the person's endearing qualities, from finding the singer's jokes entertaining even when they're past their prime to drinking coffee, even when it's cold. The lyrics reveal that the singer is in a long-distance relationship with this special someone, as the shadow of the person's bus shrinking away is described. Despite the distance between them, the singer seems to be confident about their relationship and expresses a willingness to be there for the person whenever they are needed.
Ultimately, the lyrics of "Ace of Spades" suggest that the singer is placing the special someone at the center of their life, most likely as their partner. The person is described as belonging to the "ace of spades" slot in the singer's relationship "playing cards," portraying the individual as the most valuable asset in the singer's life. The overall message is one of appreciation, adoration, and unwavering commitment.
Line by Line Meaning
You laugh at all my jokes
You appreciate and find humor in everything that I do, even if they start to become repetitive.
Even after they get old
Even when my jokes become overused or outdated, you still find them amusing.
Drink every drop of coffee
You savor and finish all coffee, regardless of its temperature.
Even when it’s cold
Even when the coffee has become cold, you still drink it all, proving your dedication and commitment.
This is what I love about you
These actions, among others, are what make me appreciate and adore you as an individual.
Your calendar pages
You focus and commit to your schedule and goals.
Are hastily ripped off
You move through your days swiftly and without hesitation.
You tell me you’re not sick
You assure me that you are healthy, even if you display physical symptoms like a cough or fever.
With a fever and a cough
Despite the physical evidence of sickness, you try to ease my worries by insisting that you are okay.
This is what I love about you
This carefree attitude and concern for my feelings are what cause me to appreciate and adore you even more.
I won’t stop meaning what I say
My words are genuine and always truthful, and I promise to continue being honest with you.
If you’re lonely I’m only a phone call away
I will always be here for you, no matter the distance or time of day, and I promise to listen and provide support when you need it.
If relationships are playing cards
If love is a game, and we are assigned a card to represent ourselves,
You’re my ace of spades
You are indispensable to me, possessing a value and level of importance above all others, like an ace of spades in a deck of cards.
I need you like shades of red
Your importance to me is like the varying, distinct hues of the color red, necessary and essential for occasions such as Valentine's Day.
On Valentine’s Day
On a day traditionally devoted to love and romance.
The shadow of your bus
The fading reminder of your departure.
As it pulls away is shrinking
As the bus moves farther away, the visible image becomes smaller.
I take comfort in the thought
Your memory and influence brings me solace and security.
Of knowing what you’re thinking
The idea of being able to understand and know your thoughts provides a sense of closeness and emotional connection.
And we could talk for hours
Our conversations are able to last for extended periods of time.
About how the worlds corrupt
We can discuss controversial or sensitive topics like the flaws and issues in the world.
You have no idea what you are gonna be
Despite uncertainties, doubts, and fears that come with the future, we remain supportive and encouraging of each other.
When you grow up
As you continue to mature and develop as an individual.
I hope you don’t forget,
I wish for you to always remember, regardless of the future.
Cause baby you can bet
Because I am certain, and confident in the strength of our bond and love for each other.
Contributed by Parker Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.