Ruby
tweaker/Will Oldham Lyrics
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For sometimes I am ailing
And yet in steaming night I smile
To downplay this my failing
And make a noise to bury all
Of your weeping and your wailing
And then in bed by little light
I must try and bring a conscious end to night
And hope that dreams begin to fall
The color of my dreams, they would be you...ruby
Oh if I could close my eyes and bring you to me
Push your head into
Make you not you not you not you but me
And then in dreams I wander free
And see some things I'm meant to see
And sometimes even I see thee
And would the night go on and on
And not tomorrow end at dawn
And whatever mat I lay upon
Dissolve
The color of my dreams, if I had dreams, they would be you...ruby
Everything I do is done to bring you closer to me
When you sleep your breath it blows right on through me
The color of my dreams, if I had dreams, they would be you...ruby
The color of my dreams, they would be you...ruby
And illness be or wellness thrive
My dream proves I am yet alive
The song "Ruby" by Tweaker/Will Oldham is a beautiful expression of love and longing. The lyrics speak to the idea of dreams as a way to escape from the difficulties of life, as well as a way to connect with someone you love.
The song begins with the singer recognizing that he is not always well, sometimes he is ailing. Despite this, he tries to put on a brave face and downplays his failing by making a noise to bury others' weeping and wailing. This could be interpreted as a sign of the singer's resilience and determination to keep going despite his own struggles.
Later in the song, the singer talks about his dreams, which are colored by thoughts of Ruby, the person he loves. He imagines closing his eyes and bringing her to him, even to the point of pushing her head into his own to fully merge together. He longs to be with her in this way, even though it is only possible in his dreams.
The final lines of the song bring these themes together, with the singer saying that his dream proves he is alive, whether he is ill or well. In this way, the song suggests that love and connection are essential to living a full and meaningful life, even in the face of difficulty.
Overall, "Ruby" is a powerful and emotional exploration of love, longing, and dreams. The lyrics are beautifully crafted, with vivid images and a deep sense of emotion that will resonate with listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
It isn't always I am well, sometimes I am ailing
Although I may not always be healthy, I try to hide my illness by smiling through it and creating noise to block out the sadness of others.
And then in bed by a little light, I'm closed off from it all
When I'm alone at night with only a dim light, I shut out the noise and distractions of the world around me.
I must try and bring a conscious end tonight
And hope that dreams begin to fall
Before I go to sleep, I make a conscious effort to clear my mind and hope that pleasant dreams will come.
The color of my dreams, they would be you, Ruby
Oh, if I could close my eyes and bring you to me
And push your head into, make you not you, not you, not you but me
I dream of you, Ruby, and wish you were here with me, to the point of wanting to take control and be you instead of myself.
And then in dreams I wander free
And see some things I'm meant to be
And sometimes even I see thee
My dreams allow me to explore my desires and potential, and occasionally even involve seeing you, Ruby.
And would the night go on and on
And not tomorrow end at dawn?
Whatever mat I lay upon, dissolve
I wish the night could go on forever, but know that it must end at dawn. Whatever bed I sleep on, I wish it would disappear and allow me to escape my reality.
The color of my dreams, if I had dreams, they would be you, Ruby
Everything I do is done to bring you closer to me
When you sleep your breath, it blows in right on through me, oh
My dreams are consumed by you, Ruby, and I do everything in my power to bring you closer. Even when you're not here, I feel your presence in my dreams and through your breath.
Illness be or wellness thrive, my dream proves I am yet alive
Regardless of my physical health, my dreams prove that I am still alive and have something to hold onto.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HEINZ ROEMHELD, MITCHELL PARISH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Kieraganion
I still consider this one of the best albums ever made.
@cellarorcs4190
This is my favorite song
@1324rob
You're all OGs. Great tune
@thirdfound
it was late on a friday. way late. but we had to get to detroit from cincy fast, now. i really don't know how we made it, but my wife and i broke land speed records (no, i'm not proud) and just made it to see Tweaker open for Skinny Puppy. One of the most amazing shows in my 30+ years. Thank you.
@brentb5303
It was the same day they had the parade for the Detroit Pistons winning the championship. I was there as well. It was the second show of the Greater Wrong of the Right tour. I went to Cleveland to see them later in the tour and they were not nearly as good but auto van opened for them and it was... well at one point he did a wardrobe change that involved duct taping two bananas to his head. Tweaker was a better opening act and Ruby was way better live.
@ZyliceLiddell
I LOVE Chris Vrenna's American McGee's Alice OST!!! The remixes are cool as well! :-D
@SpydrXIII
everyone needs a yowl in their song.
this one's got TWO!
@Shmaynoria
This isn't the version from the album, but it is fantastic.
@Nitelifebuzz
The album version was waaaaaaay better (i wonder why all traces of that version vanished from youtube?). Still cool to hear another version
@BIINDSTV
Who makes these vids? They're amazing.