Who Wrote 'Ruby Tuesday' and What Does It Mean?

The short answer: Keith Richards wrote the lion’s share of “Ruby Tuesday,” with a crucial melodic contribution from Brian Jones. Mick Jagger only added the lyrics after the music was done—and reportedly didn’t love the song. Richards has said the tune came to him in a dream, and he woke up and recorded the bass part on a cassette player before it faded. Jones suggested the recorders and woodwinds that give the song its melancholy, baroque feel.

As for the meaning, it’s almost certainly about Linda Keith, Richards’ girlfriend at the time. She was famously independent, drifting in and out of the band’s orbit, and later became the person who introduced Jimi Hendrix to Chas Chandler. Richards has confirmed that the “Ruby Tuesday” character was “a chick” he knew who was “very changeable.” The lyrics capture the frustration and admiration for someone who refuses to be tied down: “There’s no time to lose, I heard her say / Catch your dreams before they slip away.” It’s a goodbye wrapped in a celebration of freedom.