A pioneering rock and roll musician (and cousin to fellow rockabilly pioneer Dale Hawkins) known as "Rompin' Ronnie" Hawkins or "The Hawk", he was a key player in the 1960s rock scene in Toronto and for the next 40 years, performed all over North America, recording more than twenty-five albums. His best-known hits are "Forty Days" and "Mary Lou" (about the song narrator's experiences with a gold-digging woman), both were major hits for him in 1959.
At the age of nine, his family moved to nearby Fayetteville. After graduating from high school, he studied physical education at the University of Arkansas where he formed his first band, The Hawks, touring with them throughout Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Hawkins also owned and operated the Rockwood Club in Fayetteville where some of Rock music's earliest pioneers came to play including Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and Conway Twitty.
In 1958, he moved to Canada with the Hawks and made Peterborough, Ontario, his permanent home. Gradually the members of the Hawks, except for Levon Helm, were replaced with talented Canadians Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson. This was the line-up that was to later become The Band.
His 1984 LP, 'Making It Again', garnered him a Juno Award as Canada's best Country Male Vocalist. Playing with The Band, Hawkins helped tear down the Berlin Wall in 1989 and performed at President Bill Clinton's 1992 inaugural party. In addition to his music, he has also become an accomplished actor, hosting his own television show "Honky Tonk" in the early 1980s and appearing in such films as Heaven's Gate with his friend Kris Kristofferson and Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II.
October 4, 2002 was declared "Ronnie Hawkins Day" by the city of Toronto when Hawkins was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in recognition of his lifetime contribution to music and his generous support of the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario and other charitable organizations. Ronnie Hawkins was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame at the Canadian Music Industry Awards on March 4, 2004. His pioneering contribution to the genre has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
In 2005, he was awarded an honorary degree from Laurentian University.
Ruby Baby
Ronnie Hawkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hear me talkin' now
This girl don't love me, but I love 'er just the same
What'd I say, whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh
Ruby, Ruby, I'm-a want ya
Like a ghost I'm-a gonna haunt ya
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby will you be mine, sometime
Ah, it does, Ruby
I tell ya I'm gonna steal you away from all those guys
Are they wise
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, from the happy day I met ya
Now I made a bet that I was goin' to get ya
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby will you be mine?
Hear me talkin', in time, now
Hey-hey, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, baby
Hey-hey, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, baby
Hey-hey, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, baby
Hey-hey, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, baby
Come to me, now
Hey-hey, oh, oh, oh, oh
Gonna get ya
Hey-hey, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, baby
Well, I tell ya
Now I love this girl, I said-a Ruby is her name
Believe me, now
When this girl looks at me she just sets my soul aflame
Doncha know, whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh
I got some hugs and-a kisses too
Yeah and now I'm gonna give-a them all to you
Now, listen, now Ruby, Ruby, when will you be mine
Gonna get you sometime, Ruby
Hey-hey, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, baby
Hey-hey, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, baby
Hey-hey, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, baby
Hey-hey, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, baby
Hey-hey, oh, oh, oh, oh
Ah listen, listen, listen, now
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby will you be mine
Ah, in time, everybody now.
Ronnie Hawkins’s "Ruby Baby" is a song about a man who is infatuated with a girl named Ruby. In the song, he talks about how much he loves Ruby, but she doesn't love him in return. Despite this, he still wants to be with her and asks her to be his sometime. He talks about wanting to steal her away from all the other guys who are after her and how each time he sees her, his heart cries. The song is upbeat and catchy, with a rock and roll vibe that was popular in the 1960s.
In the chorus, Ronnie repeats the name Ruby over and over again, emphasizing his love for her. He describes himself as a "ghost" that will haunt her until she is his. The lyrics are simple yet catchy, making the song an instant hit when it was released in 1959. It became a top 20 hit for Ronnie, and many other artists, including The Beach Boys, covered the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah, now said I love a girl and-a Ruby is her name
I have fallen in love with a girl named Ruby and I am confessing it now.
This girl don't love me, but I love 'er just the same
Ruby does not reciprocate my feelings, but I still love her without hesitation.
Ruby, Ruby, I'm-a want ya
Ruby, I badly want to be with you.
Like a ghost I'm-a gonna haunt ya
I will linger around you like a ghost, longing for your love.
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby will you be mine, sometime
I hope that someday you will be mine, Ruby.
Ah, each time I see you, baby my heart cries
Seeing you, Ruby, makes me feel emotional and my heart aches for you.
I tell ya I'm gonna steal you away from all those guys
I plan to take you away from other guys who might be interested in you.
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, from the happy day I met ya
From the moment I met you, Ruby, I have been a happy man.
Now I made a bet that I was goin' to get ya
I made a wager that I can win your heart, Ruby.
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby will you be mine?
I hope that you will be mine, Ruby.
Hey-hey, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, baby
I am calling out to you, Ruby, and expressing my affection for you.
Come to me, now
Please come to me, Ruby.
Gonna get ya
I will pursue you to win your love, Ruby.
Now I love this girl, I said-a Ruby is her name
I am in love with a girl named Ruby, and I am reiterating it.
When this girl looks at me she just sets my soul aflame
Ruby’s gaze ignites a fire within me.
Doncha know, whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh
You must know how intensely I feel, Ruby.
I got some hugs and-a kisses too
I have hugs and kisses to show you, Ruby.
Now, listen, now Ruby, Ruby, when will you be mine
Please tell me, Ruby, when will you choose me as your partner?
Ah listen, listen, listen, now
Hey, hey, everyone listen.
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby will you be mine
I hope that someday, Ruby, you will choose me as your partner.
Ah, in time, everybody now.
Let us all wait patiently for when Ruby will be mine someday.
Writer(s): Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Contributed by Henry J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@francisrandall2108
Thank you
@franktaconelli9095
One of the earliest recordings of Levon Helm on drums; he was always a rock solid time keeper
@TheLeonhamm
Oddly .. I really like this version.
@francisrandall2108
Great tune
@wellsy1954
Ronnie Hawkins was the Led Zeppelin of his time.
@brucepine4498
Dion's version is the best
@john111257
it really is
@audiophilenick
this version makes Dion's version sound really bad- and i absolutly love Dions version. Great arrangement .