Allison Moorer - Ruby jewel was here

In ^C7Nineteen and Double-Aught a harlot who was hot to trot Gave a ^Bbfine little ^F7bijoux to the ^C7world With a ^C7blacksmith for a makeshift doc in a cathouse far from Camelot Her ^Bbgoldmine brought to ^F7bear a baby ^C7girl When the ^G7child screamed from life's first slap The ^G7boss said "Kid get used to that You'll ^G7never meet a day that isn't cruel" And she ^C7wrapped her babe in a petticoat, grabbed a bottle and made a toast Here's ^Bbto my gorgeous ^F7bastard, Ruby ^C7Jewel

And the ^F7man at the piano played a ^C7tune And ^F7everybody sang and danced in ^C7the saloon Except ^G7Ruby (Ruby) No not ^F7Ruby (Ruby) Ruby ^C7Jewel

^C7Reared among the guttersnipeswhile her mama puffed a Chinese pipe The ^Bbsalad days for ^F7Ruby didn't l^C7ast ^C7Forced to work and pay her dues inside that poor man's Moulin Rouge A ^Bbsnot-nosed kid ^F7had to grow up ^C7fast ^G7Night and day she toiled and sweat While ^G7brothel patrons placed their bets On ^G7who would be the first to break her in ^C7Then one night the madam screams "Ruby, get to room thirteen There's ^Bbsomeone there ^F7who thinks you're quite a ^C7gem"

And the ^F7man at the piano played a ^C7tune And ^F7everybody sang and danced in ^C7the saloon Except ^G7Ruby (Ruby) No not ^F7Ruby (Ruby) Ruby ^C7Jewel

In ^C7done-up hair and a borrowed dress she climbed the stairs scared to death ^BbSaid a prayer and ^F7tiptoed through the ^C7door But ^C7on deaf ears her prayer fell 'cause through a tear she stared at hell ^BbStanding there in ^F7nothing but his ^C7drawers She ^G7recognized the whiskered chin ^G7Bloodshot eyes and foul-mouthed grin He ^G7was the man who wore the silver star She ^C7tried to turn around and run, but he pulled out his big six gun ^BbAnd said "Hon you ^F7won't get very ^C7far"

And the ^F7man at the piano played a ^C7tune And ^F7everybody sang and danced in ^C7the saloon Except ^G7Ruby (Ruby) No not ^F7Ruby (Ruby) Ruby ^C7Jewel

^C7Ruby Jewel woke up in bed a crimson pool between her legs ^BbNaked as the ^F7day that she was ^C7born ^C7But lying there next to him made her wish she hadn't been If ^Bbthis was all that ^F7living had in ^C7store ^G7Making sure he was asleep She ^G7quietly got to her feet ^G7Found his gun and aimed it between his eyes She ^C7kept it there til he came to so he could stare down the barrel too ^BbPulled the trigger ^F7once and watched him ^C7die

And the ^F7man at the piano played a ^C7tune And ^F7everybody sang and danced in ^C7the saloon Except ^G7Ruby (Ruby) No not ^F7Ruby (Ruby) Ruby ^C7Jewel

On a ^C7rainy night in 1912 locked inside the town's new jail ^BbRuby carved a ^F7message in the ^C7stone ^C7When morning came hacks lead her out in ankle chains right through the crowd Who ^Bbwaited in the ^F7mud to watch the ^C7show They ^G7walked her up the gallows steps And ^G7put the rope around her neck ^G7Dropped the trap as all the watchers cheered But ^C7on the wall of a cell in a tiny scrawl and misspelled ^BbWere the words "^F7Ruby Jewel Was ^C7Here"

And the ^F7man at the piano played a ^C7tune And ^F7everybody sang and danced in ^C7the saloon Except ^G7Ruby (Ruby) No not ^F7Ruby (Ruby) Ruby ^C7Jewel