In Nineteen and A harlot who was hot to Gave a fine bijoux to the world With a for a makeshift doc In a cat house far Camelot Her goldmine brought to bear a baby
When the child screamed life's first slap The said, "Kid, get used to that You'll never meet a day isn't cruel" And she wrapped her babe in a a bottle and made a toast Here's to my bastard, Ruby Jewel
And the man at the piano played a And everybody and danced in the saloon Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby
Reared among the While her mama puffed a pipe The salad days for Ruby last Forced to work and pay her Inside that poor man's Moulin A snot-nosed kid had to up fast
Night and day she and sweat While brothel patrons their bets On who would be the first to her in Then one night the screams "Ruby, get to room There's someone there who you're quite a gem"
And the man at the played a tune And everybody and danced in the saloon Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby
In hair and a borrowed dress She climbed the stairs to death a prayer and tiptoed through the door But on deaf ears her fell 'Cause through a she stared at hell there in nothing but his drawers
She recognized the whiskered Bloodshot eyes and foul-mouthed He was the man who wore the star She to turn around and run But he out his big six gun And said, "Hon, you won't get far"
And the man at the piano played a And everybody and danced in the saloon Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby
Ruby Jewel up in bed A crimson pool her legs Naked as the day she was But there next to him Made her wish she been If this was all that had in store
Making sure he was She got to her feet Found his gun and aimed it his eyes She it there til he came to So he stare down the barrel too Pulled the once and watched him die
And the man at the piano a tune And everybody and danced in the saloon Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby
On a rainy night in nineteen inside the town's new jail Ruby carved a in the stone When morning came, hacks her out In ankle chains right through the Who waited in the mud to watch the
They her up the gallows steps Put the rope around her Dropped the as all the watchers cheered But on the of a cell In a tiny scrawl and Were the words, 'Ruby Jewel was
And the man at the piano played a And sang and danced in the saloon Except (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby