You've painted up your lips

and rolled and curled

your tinted hair

Ruby, are you

contemplating

going out somewhere

The shadow on the wall

tells me the sun

is goin' down

Oh Ruby...

don't take your love to town

It wasn't me that started

that old crazy Asian war

but I was proud to go

and do my patriotic chore

And yes, it's true that

I'm not the man I used to be

Oh Ruby...

I still need some company

It's hard to love a man

whose legs are bent

and paralysed

And the wants and the

needs of a woman your age

Ruby, I realise

But it won't be long

I've heard them say

until I'm not around

Oh Ruby...

don't take your love to town

She's leavin' now

'cause I just heard the

slammin' of the door

The way I know

I've heard it slam

one hundred times before

And if I could move

I'd get my gun and

put her in the ground

Oh Ruby...

don't take your love to town

oh Ruby...

for God sakes turn around