♫ Ruby Tuesday ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

I haven’t played this in over two years now, so it’s fair game for a redux under the Filosofa Policy Manual.  This one is for our friend David who holds a special place in my heart, just ’cause I wanted to make him smile!  As you can see from the first paragraph below, I wasn’t any better three years ago at staying on top of my request lists than I am today!

Back in April (2019), I had a request for a song that I was familiar with by an artist I was not familiar with.  Confused yet?  Well, the song, as you can see from the title, is Ruby Tuesday, and I was familiar with the Rolling Stones’ version, but the one requested was by a singer, Melanie, with whom I was not familiar.  As so often happens, life interfered (more likely Donald Trump interfered with my life), and I forgot all about it.  Tonight, I wanted to play something special for the requester of the song, so I dug back through my notes and said … AHA!!!

By the way … any of you who have requested a song that I haven’t played … feel free to nudge or remind me, for I truly am a very forgetful old woman these days, and my intentions are good, but …

This was the fourth US #1 hit for the Rolling Stones in 1967, written by Keith Richards, who says of the song …

“It was probably written about Linda Keith not being there.  I don’t know, she had pissed off somewhere. It was very mournful, very, VERY Ruby Tuesday and it was a Tuesday. That’s one of those things – some chick you’ve broken up with. And all you’ve got left is the piano and the guitar and a pair of panties. And it’s goodbye you know. And so it just comes out of that. And after that you just build on it. It’s one of those songs that are easiest to write because you’re really right there and you really sort of mean it. And for a songwriter, hey break his heart and he’ll come up with a good song.”

Originally called Title B, this was mainly written by Brian Jones and Keith Richards, but in keeping with Stones tradition, it was credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.  The Stones’ version hit #1 in the U.S., #2 in Canada, and #3 in the UK.  And then along came …

Melanie Anne Safka, better known as just Melanie, is best known for the 1971/72 global hit Brand New Key, her composition What Have They Done to My Song Ma, and her 1970 international breakthrough hit Lay Down (Candles in the Rain), inspired by her experience of performing at the 1969 Woodstock music festival.  She was at Woodstock and still I haven’t heard of her?  Odd that.  Now, I listened to the first two mentioned and I have to admit that I wasn’t fond of either.  And, sorry David, but I still prefer the Stones’ version of this one.

And with all that said, I now offer you Ruby Tuesday by both Melanie, and the Rolling Stones!  Oh … Rod Stewart also covered the song in 1993, so maybe I’ll throw that one in just for fun, too.  Which is your favourite?

Ruby Tuesday
The Rolling Stones (also Melanie, Rod Stewart)

She would never say where she came from
Yesterday don’t matter if it’s gone
While the sun is bright
Or in the darkest night
No one knows, she comes and goes

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I’m gonna miss you

Don’t question why she needs to be so free
She’ll tell you it’s the only way to be
She just can’t be chained
To a life where nothing’s gained
Or nothing’s lost, at such a cost

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I’m gonna miss you

“There’s no time to lose, ” I heard her say
Catch your dreams before they slip away
Dying all the time
Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind
Ain’t life unkind?

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I’m gonna miss you

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I’m gonna miss you

Songwriters: Keith Richards / Mick Jagger
Ruby Tuesday lyrics © Abkco Music, Inc

25 thoughts on “♫ Ruby Tuesday ♫ (Redux)”

  3. Unlike Clive I don’t think Melanie squawked at all.She used the power of her voice to give it bit of passion, frankly something not in Mick’s repertoire and something Rod wouldn’t recognise now.. You placed them on the right order for me and it gave me a lift after the news this evening.

    Cwtch

    Liked by 2 people

    • I know … I knew which version you loved most. To each his or her own … music is a personal taste and no two people completely agree on every sound. I thought Rod’s was more of a joke than a serious attempt, but I like the Stones best and Melanie’s is a close second for me. I’m glad if it gave you a lift after today’s very sad news.
      Cwtch

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Pingback: RUBY TUESDAY. ( REDUX ) |jilldennison.com | Ramblings of an Occupy Liberal

  6. There is a delicacy to the Stones’ version which both of the others have lost. Melanie just squawks all over it, and Rod turns it into a droning dirge that could just as easily have been any other song he recorded. The Stones win this one for me by miles: the others aren’t even in the same ballpark.

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    • This one, Clive, I must loudly disagree with you on. MELANIE DOES NOT SQUAWK! She sings beautifully. Maybe one has to develop a taste for Melanie, I have no idea. I fell in love with her voice the first time I heard Animal Crackers, and I could never get enough. Even when she joined the Scientology crowd I forgave her. Even after she chose to not play the Winnipeg Folk Festival when her asshole manager double-booked her for that weekend I forgave her. (She never did come to Winnipeg in her heyday to apologize for the snub. If she came later, after I left, I have no idea.) At one time I owned every one of her albums, and played them almost as often as I played Eric, Janis, and Jimi.
      And even though you did not add my name with David’s as requesting this song more than once over the years, Jill, I thank you for playing it. It is not one of my favourites of hers, but I will take it over the Stones any day of the week, and twice on Tuesday.

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