Ruby James - The Words Goodbye

The distorted guitars promise blues, the organ player promises soul, and Ruby enters in delivering both. “You don’t go to sleep to dream.” Short concise words that poetically explain pain felt when two lives move in different directions. A few songs later our narrator becomes a Mistress Of The Devil, who “told me you’d never leave me but now you’re nowhere to be found.” There’s no doubt she is feeling these depths. “When I needed someone to save me, he was the only loving man.” Right after these words, a tasty guitar solo emphasizes the words. Excellent. Things pick up rhythm-wise and emotionally when Ruby decides to sing about what will happen When I’m Gone (“You only say you love me when I’m gone. It’s a shame to leave you honey, but I’m afraid the time feels right.”) Kinda makes perfect sense, knowing the love is only there when she’s gone, that she leave permanently and let the sucker be in total love forever. Of course, nothing’s that easy, and this concept album ends with the narrator intimately talking one on one with the person who brought her into this world in the song Oh Mama. “I’m learning that I can’t seem to be all the things everyone wants me to be.” A beautiful song to cap off a fine journey through a life deeply lived. Ruby James