In and Double-Aught A who was hot to trot a fine little bijoux to the world With a blacksmith for a doc In a cat house far Camelot Her goldmine to bear a baby girl
When the child screamed from life's slap The said, "Kid, get used to that never meet a day that isn't cruel" And she her babe in a petticoat Grabbed a bottle and a toast Here's to my gorgeous bastard, Jewel
And the man at the piano a tune And sang and danced in the saloon Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Jewel
Reared among the While her mama puffed a pipe The salad days for Ruby didn't Forced to work and pay her Inside that poor man's Rouge A snot-nosed kid had to grow up
Night and day she toiled and While brothel patrons placed their On who would be the first to her in Then one night the madam "Ruby, get to room There's there who thinks you're quite a gem"
And the man at the piano a tune And everybody sang and danced in the Except (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby
In done-up hair and a borrowed She climbed the stairs scared to Said a prayer and through the door But on deaf ears her prayer through a tear she stared at hell Standing there in but his drawers
She the whiskered chin 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 get very far"
And the man at the piano played a And everybody sang and danced in the Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby
Ruby woke up in bed A crimson pool her legs Naked as the day she was But there next to him Made her she hadn't been If this was all that had in store
Making he was asleep She got to her feet Found his gun and aimed it his eyes She it there til he came to So he could down the barrel too Pulled the trigger once and him die
And the man at the piano played a And everybody and danced in the saloon Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby
On a rainy in nineteen twelve inside the town's new jail Ruby carved a message in the When morning came, hacks her out In ankle right through the crowd Who in the mud to watch the show
They walked her up the gallows Put the rope around her Dropped the trap as all the watchers But on the wall of a In a tiny scrawl and Were the words, 'Ruby was here'
And the man at the piano a tune And everybody and danced in the saloon Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Jewel