[Strophe]
 E   E7 
You've painted up your lips an rolled and curled your tinted hair.  
A                          D             E    E7 
Ruby are you contemplating going out somewhere?  
    Bm                              A            E    E7 
The Shadow on the wall tells me the sun is going down...   
   A D 
Oh Ruby  
                        A 
Don't take your love to town 
[Strophe]
   Bm                              A 
It wasn't me that started that old crazy Asian war  
    Bm                          D         E    E7 
But I was proud to go and do my patriotic chore  
    Bm                              A             E  E7 
And yes, it's true that I'm not the man I used to be...  
   A D                          A 
Oh Ruby, I still need some company. 
[Strophe]
     A                                 D            E    E7 
It s hard to love a man whose legs are bent and paralyzed  
        A                                        D         E   E7 
And the wants and the needs of a woman your age, Ruby I realize,  
       Bm                                  E7           E    E7 
But it won't be long I've heard them say until I'm not around  
   A D 
Oh Ruby  
                        A 
Don't take your love to town 
[Strophe]
      A                               D                E   (no music) 
She's leaving' now 'cause I heard the slamming' of the door  
    A                                 D               E   E7 
The way I know I've heard it slam one hundred times before  
    Bm                                 A              E      E7 
And if I could move I'd get my gun and put her in the ground  
   A D 
Oh Ruby  
                        A 
Don't take your love to town 
[Outro]
   A D 
Oh Ruby  
 
God sakes, turn around