G                                          C                  D7
You've painted up your lips and rolled and curled your tinted hair
G                          C             D7
Ruby are you contemplating going out somewhere
    C                               D7
The shadow on the wall tells me the sun is going down
   G   C                  D7      G
Oh Ru--by don't take your love to town
 
   Am                              C           G
It wasn't me that started that old crazy Asian war
    Am                          C         D7
But I was proud to go and do my patriotic chores
    C                            D7
And I know girl that I'm not the man that I used to be
    G   C                    D7   G
But Ru--by I still need some comp-any
 
                                       C            D7
It's hard to love a man whose legs are bent and paralyzed
        G                                       C         D7
And the wants and the needs of a woman your age Ruby I realize
       C                                   D7
But it won't be long I've heard them say until I'm not around
   G   C                  D7      G
Oh Ru--by don't take your love to town
 
                                         C               D7
She's leaving now cause I just heard the slamming of the door
    G                                 C               D7
The way I know I've heard it slam one hundred times before
       C                               D7
And if I could move I'd get my gun and put her in the ground
   G   C                  D7      G
Oh Ru--by don't take your love to town
     C                    G
Ruby for God sake's turn around
      C         D7      G
Don't take your love to town