In Nineteen and A harlot who was hot to Gave a fine little bijoux to the a blacksmith for a makeshift doc In a cat house far Camelot Her goldmine brought to bear a girl
When the child screamed from life's slap The said, "Kid, get used to that You'll never meet a day that cruel" And she wrapped her babe in a Grabbed a bottle and a toast Here's to my gorgeous bastard, Ruby
And the man at the played a tune And everybody sang and in the saloon Except (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Jewel
Reared the guttersnipe While her puffed a Chinese pipe The days for Ruby didn't last Forced to and pay her dues Inside that poor man's Rouge A snot-nosed kid had to grow up
Night and day she and sweat While patrons placed their bets On who be the first to break her in Then one night the madam "Ruby, get to room There's someone there who thinks you're a gem"
And the man at the played a tune And everybody and danced in the saloon Ruby (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Jewel
In done-up and a borrowed dress She climbed the stairs to death Said a prayer and tiptoed the door But on deaf ears her fell through a tear she stared at hell Standing there in but his drawers
She recognized the whiskered Bloodshot eyes and foul-mouthed He was the man who the silver 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 a tune And everybody sang and in the saloon Except (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby
Ruby woke up in bed A pool between her legs Naked as the day she was But lying there to him Made her she hadn't been If was all that living had in store
Making sure he was She quietly got to her his gun and aimed it between his eyes She kept it there til he to So he stare down the barrel too Pulled the trigger and watched him die
And the man at the piano played a And sang and danced in the saloon Except (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby
On a rainy night in twelve inside the town's new jail Ruby carved a in the stone When morning came, hacks her out In ankle chains through the crowd Who waited in the mud to the show
They her up the gallows steps Put the around her neck Dropped the as all the watchers cheered But on the of a cell In a scrawl and misspelled Were the words, Jewel was here'
And the man at the piano played a And everybody sang and danced in the Except (Ruby) No, not (Ruby) Ruby