Are you looking for songs with Ruby in the title? Maybe your name is Ruby, or maybe you know someone who shares this name, and you want to find a song to connect with them. Or maybe you’re just into precious stones. Either way, I’ve got you covered.
There are a surprising number of songs about people named Ruby (and rubies!). A good many of them are in the Country and Western vein, showing that the name was popular at a certain place and time.
But there are Ruby songs across all different genres of music, too. You could say they reflect that Rubys are a cut above the rest (that deserves a little chuckle, people). Anyways, let’s dig into some songs with the name Ruby in the title and see what gems we can find.
Top 32 Songs with the Name Ruby in the Title
1Ruby – Ray Charles
Let’s start with songs simply called “Ruby.” Our first one was first written as the theme song for the 1952 film, “Ruby Gentry.” This was an exciting movie about the troubled life of a country girl named Ruby (of course), starring none other than Charlton Heston.
It was a popular song and became a jazz standard, with versions recorded in 1953 by both Richard Hayman and Les Baxter and His Orchestra. In 1961, Ray Charles recorded his tender version of this song which became a minor hit for the Soul star.
The song has an appropriately cinematic quality to it…
It’s slow and dreamy, with a light jazz swing that makes you float in the clouds. “They say, Ruby, you’re like a dream – Not always what you seem – And though my heart may break when I awake – Let it be so, I only know – Ruby, it’s you.” Pretty romantic stuff, huh?
2Ruby – Boyzone
The 90s Irish boy band Boyzone also recorded a song called, simply, “Ruby.” This track was on the group’s fourth studio album, Brother, which was released in 2010 and was their first album in 12 years.
This “Ruby” is quite different from the last…
Rather than a light, dreamy song of longing, this song is more intense and powerful. It’s a love song but also a song of support to whoever this Ruby is.
In true boy band style, Boyzone members trade verses and, of course, have a soulful bridge in the middle of the song before ending in a gentle, sensitive whisper.
Lyrics like, “Cause I warned my heart of your thirst for love – I know you’re gonna be fine – Come on, Come on, Come on – Ruby stay on the line” give this song a sense of intensity and passion. And hunky dreaminess, too.
3Ruby – Kaiser Chiefs
Our third, “Ruby,” is yet another very different song indeed. Unlike the two previous songs titled Ruby, this one was a sizeable hit, becoming the Kaiser Chief’s first British #1 song.
This is a mid-speed Indie Rock track from the band’s second album, Yours Truly, and was released in 2007, making it our youngest “Ruby” so far.
The catchy chorus “Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, – Do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya, – Know what you’re doing, doing to me?” explodes between verses giving this song a lot of energy and making it memorable.
According to the band…
This song was inspired by a girl they went to school with who was unapproachable. But, eventually, they admitted that the name came from the drummer’s black lab.
Yep, this Ruby was a dog! And that’s OK. You can interpret it any way you want, and if you know any Ruby at all, it can be about that person, too.
4Ruby Tuesday – Rolling Stones
All we need to do is add another word, and we get a whole lot more Ruby songs. In 1967, the Rolling Stones put out what is probably the most famous Ruby song of them all, “Ruby Tuesday.”
This song was put out as a single together with “Let’s Spend the Night Together” and ended up being a hit for the band.
It has been covered by other artists since then, including folk singer Melanie in 1970, Julian Lennon (son of John Lennon) in 1989, and Rod Stewart in 1993. It’s even the inspiration for the restaurant chain of the same name. I heard their ribs are to die for.
An example of The Rolling Stones’ late 60s experimentation…
Rather than a straight-ahead Rock song, this is a ballad with strange instruments. They play a bowed stand-up bass here as well as an alto recorder for a folksy, artistic sound. The lyrics were written by Keith Richards and were inspired by a free-spirited girlfriend.
The chorus is a sing-along classic: “Goodbye Ruby Tuesday – Who could hang a name on you – When you change with every new day? – Still, I’m gonna miss you.”
5Ruby Soho – Rancid
Next on this list of songs with the name Ruby in the title is a complete departure from what we’ve seen so far. “Ruby Soho” is a Punk Rock tribute to a woman who’s struggling with a dissolving relationship.
Lyrics like, “Ruby’s heart ain’t beatin’ ’cause she knows the feelin’ is gone – She’s not the only one who knew there’s somethin’ wrong” tell the story well.
So, where did this song come from?
This song comes from Rancid’s legendary record, …And Out Come the Wolves, which was released in 1995. This track is full of the in-your-face energy that defines Rancid’s melodic Punk Rock style. And the harmony in the chorus makes this another great song to sing along to.
The whole record was inspired by Ska and Rocksteady sounds and was also covered, in 2012, by the legendary Jimmy Cliff on his Sacred Fire EP. It has also been covered by the punk band The Dollyrots (2018) and Vampire Weekend (2010).
Not only that, but it was the inspiration for the name of WWE wrestler Ruby Riott who later changed her name to Ruby Soho.
6Ruby Baby – The Drifters / Dion DiMucci
“Ruby Baby” is a doo-wop style Rock and Roll song written by Jerome Lieber and Mike Stoller. It was origially recorded by The Drifters in 1956. This version is fast and swinging, with a strong beat and great vocal work from the band, plus a fat sax sound in the background.
The next version to blow up was by Dion DiMucci in 1963. This time, the song went to #2 in the charts and was a sizeable hit for him too. It has been covered by lots of other artists, including the Beach Boys, Bobby Darin, Ronnie Hawkins, and even Bjork.
This song is a sweet song of unrequited love. With lyrics like, “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 Don’t ya know?” you can’t help but love it.
7Ruby’s Stool – Loretta Lynn
Now we’re getting into some of the promised Country songs about Ruby. And our first is “Ruby’s Stool” by the legendary Loretta Lynn.
This song came out in 2018, amazingly, on Lynn’s 45th studio album – that’s a legend, alright. It’s a straight-ahead, honky-tonk style song that you can’t help but tap your toe to.
The story is about a legendary hussy named Ruby…
The singer talks about sitting on Ruby’s stool next to Bill, waiting while Ruby dances with her man, and breaks Bill’s heart. She suggests that tonight’s the night for fighting, and Ruby is in trouble.
She also suggests that Ruby isn’t the sweetest girl around. You can see that in the final lines, “I don’t know why she hangs around here–ah, the boys do – I see why they like her, we all know why they like her.”
8Hey Miss Ruby – Conway Twitty
Loretta Lynn’s career spans decades and hundreds of collaborators. One of the bigger names she worked with, Conway Twitty, also has a Ruby song or two. Primarily a Country singer, Twitty also wrote and recorded successful Rock and Roll and R&B songs.
And 1959’s “Hey Miss Ruby” was one of the former…
This track sounds like an early Elvis song. Or even the very similar 1956 song “Be-Bop-a-Lula” by Gene Vincent. It talks all about unrequited love with a “Miss Ruby.” That seems to be a bit of a theme here, doesn’t it?
So, if you want to propose to a Ruby, try this song out. “Why, oh why, don’t you love me? – Hey, Miss Ruby, I’m down on bended knee.”
9Play, Ruby, Play – Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty didn’t get enough of Ruby with just one single. So, here he is back again with another tribute to a Ruby. We just don’t know if it’s the same one or not. This song came out decades later, in 1990, on his album, House on Old Lonesome Road, and is a much more Country track.
This time, the Ruby in question is a piano player. She’s not only an impressive musician but also one that attracts a lot of admirers.
Twitty sings, “And the boys say, “Play, Ruby, play, we really like the way you do it – Play, Ruby, play, we love the way you get into it.” Along with the lines, “She made the young men scream, and the old men moan – Rock on, rock on, rock on.” You probably get the idea.
10Rock and Roll Ruby – Johnny Cash / Warren Smith
Johnny Cash may have been the Man in Black, but he must have had an eye for red as well. He is credited with the song “Rock and Roll Ruby,” although there is some debate there. It could also have been written by Country legend George Jones.
Either way, this song was first recorded in 1956 by singer Warren Smith. The song became a hit, outselling early Elvis records and Johnny Cash as well.
You can see a rocking rendition of this rockabilly song in the Johnny Cash biopic film Walk The Line. It’s a fast, swinging, Country-inspired Rock song that’s full of energy and fun to dance to as well.
11See Ruby Fall – Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison
Like Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash wasn’t satisfied with just one Ruby. So, in 1969, he co-wrote the song “See Ruby Fall” along with the legendary Roy Orbison. This track came out as a single in 1969 and also on the album, Hello, I’m Johnny Cash in 1970.
This song is a slow, honky-tonk ballad about a breakup with a woman named – what else? – Ruby. It was based on a sign painted on barns around Chattanooga directing tourists to See Ruby Falls.
Cash doesn’t paint the kindest picture of Ruby. But you know how break-ups are. “I didn’t hold her back, when she got restless – One man is not enough when she wants it all – Yeah, I let her go when I saw what she wanted – ‘Cause I don’t care to see Ruby fall.”
12Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town – Mel Tillis
One of the most popular tracks on our list of songs with the name Ruby in the title is “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town.”
This is a sad, emotional song written from the perspective of a wounded and paralyzed Vietnam War vet singing to his wife. He expresses distrust and jealousy as she paints herself up to go to town, assuming she is looking for a tryst. And also anger and frustration at being unable to stop it.
The song was written by Country singer-songwriter Mel Tillis…
Although, he never recorded the song. Instead, its first recording was by Waylon Jennings in 1966. Johnny Darrell made it into a County hit in 1967. Kenny Rogers recorded the song with his band The First Edition in 1969 and then again in 1977 as a solo artist.
Even Star Trek’s Spock, Leonard Nimoy, in reality, got in on the action, recording the song in 1970. More recently, this song has been covered by Rock act The Killers in 2004 and eclectic band Cake in 2007.
13Ruby Baby – Dion DiMucci
14Goodbye Ruby Tuesday – Melanie Safka
15Ruby’s Eyes – Tom T. Hall
16Ruby’s Arms – Tom Waits
17Ruby in Paradise – David Byrne
18Ruby Dear – Talking Heads
19Ruby Jean and Billie Lee – Seals & Crofts
20Ruby’s Heartbreaker – Johnny Cash
21Ruby’s Two Sad Daughters – Elvis Costello
22Ruby on the Rails – Jeff Beck
23Ruby and Carlos – Kenny Rogers
24Ruby Falls – Guster
25Ruby Throat – John Wesley Harding
26Ruby Ann – Marty Robbins
27Ruby’s Stool – Michael Nesmith
28Ruby Tuesday – Melanie
29Ruby’s Eyes – Tom Petty
30Ruby Slippers – Susan Aglukark
31Ruby Brown – John Hiatt
32Ruby in the Dust – Grant-Lee Phillips
Want More Songs with Specific Words in the Title?
Well, take a look at our detailed articles on the Best Songs With “Love” In The Title, the Best Songs With Pink In The Title, the Top Songs With Blue in the Title, the Top Songs with the Word “Rose” in the Title, and the Top Songs with Animals in the Title for more great song selections.
Songs with the Name Ruby in the Title – Final Thoughts
Rubies are fiery red, shiny, precious stones that people have tried to get their hands on for ages. “Rubys” aren’t all that different.
They’ve inspired songs of love, jealousy, hatred, and just about everything in between. But, if there’s one thing that all these songs share, it’s that they make Ruby unforgettable.
So, if you’re looking for the best songs with the name Ruby in them, there are plenty of them out there. I hope they inspire you to shine up rubies of your own or at least pay tribute to the Rubys in your life.
Until next time, happy listening.
