Allison Moorer - Ruby Jewel Was Here Lyrics
In nineteen and double-aughtA harlot who was hot to trotGave a fine little bijou to the worldWith a blacksmith for a makeshift docIn a cathouse far from camelotHer gold mine brought to bed a baby girlWhen the child screamed from lifes first slapThe bawd said kid get used to thatYoull never meet a day that isnt cruelThen she wrapped her babe in a petticoatGrabbed a bottle and made a toastHeres to my gorgeous bastard ruby jewelAnd the man at the piano played a tuneAnd everybody sang and danced in the saloonExcept ruby, no not ruby, ruby jewelReared among the guttersnipeWhile her mama puffed the chinese pipeThe salad days for ruby didnt lastForced to work and pay her duesInside that poor mans moulin rougeThe snot-nosed kid had to grow up fastNight and day shed toil and sweatWhile brothel patrons placed their betsOn who would be the first to break her inThen one night the madam screamsRuby get to room thirteenTheres someone there who thinks youre quite a gemAnd the man at the piano played a tuneAnd everybody sang and danced in the saloonExcept ruby no not ruby ruby jewelIn done up hair and a borrowed dressShe climbed the stares scared to deathSaid a prayer and tip-toed through the doorBut on deaf ears her prayer fellCause through her tears she stared at hellStanding there in nothing but his drawersShe recognized the whiskered chinBloodshot eyes and foul-mouthed grinHe was the man who wore the silver starShe tried to turn around and runBut he pulled out his big six gunAnd said whore you wont get very farAnd the man at the piano played a tuneAnd everybody sang and danced in the saloonExcept ruby, no not ruby, ruby jewelRuby jewel woke up in bedA crimson pool between her legs***** as the day that she was bornBut lying there next to himMade her wish she hadnt beenIf this was all that living had in storeMaking sure he was asleepShe quietly got to her feetFound his gun and aimed it tween his eyesShe kept it there til he came toSo he could stare down the barrel tooPulled the trigger once and watched him dieAnd the man at the piano played a tuneAnd everybody sang and danced in the saloonExcept ruby no not ruby ruby jewelOn a rainy night in nineteen-twelveLocked inside the towns new jailRuby carved a message in the stoneWhen morning came hacks led her outIn ankle chains right through the crowdWho waited in the mud to watch the showThey walked her up the gallows stepsBut the rope around her neckDropped the trap as all the watchers cheeredBut on the wall of her cellIn a tiny scrawl and misspelledWere the words ruby jewel was hereAnd the man at the piano played a tuneAnd everybody sang and danced in the saloonExcept ruby, no not ruby, ruby jewel
