Song written by Mel Tillis
[Strophe]
              G    Dm 
You've painted up your lips and rolled and curled your tinted hair, 
  C                          F             G 
Ruby are you contemplating going out somewhere? 
    Dm                             G                    Dm 
The shadow on the wall tells me the sun is going down, 
  C  F  C  Dm                             C 
Oh Rub-------y, don't take your love to town.
[Strophe]
 Dm                                F         C 
It wasn't me who started that old crazy Asian war, 
 Dm                              F         G 
But I was proud to go and do my patriotic chore, 
 Dm                                 G                   Dm 
And yes, it's true that I am not the man I used to be, 
  C  F  C  Dm                             C 
Oh Rub-------y, I still need some company.
[Strophe]
  C                                  F           G       Dm 
It's hard to love a man whose legs have been paralyzed, 
  C                                             F          G 
And the wants and the needs of a woman your age, Ruby I realize, 
    Dm                                       G                    Dm 
But it won't be long, I've heard them say, until I'm not around, 
  C  F  C  Dm                             C 
Oh Rub-------y, don't take your love to town.
[Strophe]
(pm) 
She's leaving now cause I just heard the slamming of the door, 
(pm) 
The way I know I've heard it slam one hundred times before, 
    Dm                                       G                 Dm 
And if I could move I'd get my gun and put her in the ground, 
  C  F  C  Dm                             C 
Oh Rub-------y, don't take your love to town.
[Outro]
  C  F  C  Dm 
Oh Rub-------y, for God sakes turn around.