You have painted up your lips
And rolled and curled your tinted hair
Ruby, are you contemplating
Going out somewhere
The shadows on the wall
Tell me the sun is going down
Oh Ruby
Don't take your love to town
It's hard to love a man
Whose legs are bent and paralized
And the wants and the needs of a woman your age
Ruby, I realize
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
For it wasn't me that started
That old crazy Asian war
But I was proud to go
And do my patriotic chores
Oh, I know Ruby that I'm not
The man I used to be
But Ruby
I still need your company
She's leaving now cause I've just heard
The slamming 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
Don't take your love to town