The Rolling Stones – “Ruby Tuesday”
“Ruby Tuesday” is a popular song recorded and released by the English rock band The Rolling Stones in 1967. It was included on their album Between the Buttons.
“Ruby Tuesday” was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the principal songwriters of The Rolling Stones.
The song features a melancholic, folk-tinged sound with a memorable, descending guitar riff and Jagger’s wistful lead vocals.
Lyrically, “Ruby Tuesday” tells the story of a free-spirited woman who rejects the confines of conventional relationships, with lines like “She would never say where she came from” and “Who could hang a name on you?”
The song’s title refers to the woman’s mysterious persona, with “Ruby Tuesday” functioning as a poetic nickname for the central character.
“Ruby Tuesday” was released as the B-side to the Stones’ hit single “Let’s Spend the Night Together” in 1967.
However, upon its release, “Ruby Tuesday” became the more popular and well-known of the two songs, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US.
The song’s gentle, introspective tone and poetic lyrics marked a stylistic departure from the hard-driving rock that The Stones were known for at the time.
“Ruby Tuesday” has since become one of The Rolling Stones’ most enduring and beloved songs, frequently appearing on their concert setlists and numerous compilation albums.
The track has been covered by numerous other artists over the decades, further cementing its status as a rock music standard.
“Ruby Tuesday” is considered one of the high points of The Stones’ psychedelic-influenced transitional period in the late 1960s, showcasing their versatility as songwriters.