Tom Waits - Ruby's Arms

Is it really possible to write such a beautiful song as "Ruby's Arms"? Tom Waits' tale about a young soldier leaving his beloved Ruby in the morning for someone else to hold somewhere down the line is so drenched in heartbreak and hurt, it almost breaks you in half. And yet, it's impossible to not come back for seconds. And thirds. And so on. The orchestral arrangement makes it the ultimate sad and lonely ballad with sweeping strings and bright and clear horns, as well as a tinkling piano, bass and a subtle guitar. "Ruby's Arms" is the final track on Waits' last Asylum album, 1980's Heartattack And Vine, and marks the end of the first part of his career, before he returned three years later with the miraculous Swordfishtrombones.

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