In and Double-Aught A harlot who was hot to a fine little bijoux to the world With a blacksmith for a doc In a cat house far from Her brought to bear a baby girl
When the child screamed from life's slap The boss said, "Kid, get to that You'll never a day that isn't cruel" And she wrapped her in a petticoat Grabbed a bottle and made a Here's to my bastard, Ruby Jewel
And the man at the played a tune And everybody sang and danced in the Except (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Jewel
Reared the guttersnipe While her puffed a Chinese pipe The salad days for Ruby didn't to work and pay her dues Inside that man's Moulin Rouge A kid had to grow up fast
Night and day she and sweat While brothel patrons placed their On who would be the to break her in one night the madam screams "Ruby, get to room There's there who thinks you're quite a gem"
And the man at the piano a tune And everybody and danced in the saloon Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Jewel
In done-up hair and a dress She climbed the stairs to death a prayer and tiptoed through the door But on deaf ears her fell 'Cause through a tear she stared at Standing in nothing but his drawers
She recognized the whiskered Bloodshot and foul-mouthed grin He was the man who wore the silver She tried to turn and run But he out his big six gun And said, "Hon, you won't get far"
And the man at the piano a tune And everybody sang and in the saloon Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Jewel
Ruby woke up in bed A crimson pool between her Naked as the day she was But there next to him her wish she hadn't been If this was all living had in store
sure he was asleep She quietly got to her his gun and aimed it between his eyes She it there til he came to So he could stare the barrel too Pulled the trigger and watched him die
And the man at the piano a tune And everybody sang and in the saloon Except (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby
On a night in nineteen twelve inside the town's new jail Ruby a message in the stone When morning came, lead her out In ankle chains through the crowd Who waited in the mud to the show
They walked her up the steps Put the rope her neck Dropped the trap as all the watchers But on the of a cell In a tiny and misspelled the words, 'Ruby Jewel was here'
And the man at the played a tune And everybody sang and danced in the Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Jewel