Friday, May 01, 2020

"Ruby, Don't Don't Take Your Love to Town"

The great Mel Tillis wrote the lyrics to this song, and several performing artists have tried their hand at it, but seems to me that Kenny Rogers has given us the definitive cover.

I'm not entirely sure of the lyrics below, for there's some slippage in the 'verbiage,' but I've put together a plausible version:
Ruby, Don't Don't Take Your Love to Town 
You've painted up your lips and rolled and curled your tinted hair.
Ruby, are you contemplating going out somewhere?
The shadows on the wall tell me the sun is going down.
Oh Ruby, don't take your love to town.

It wasn't me who started that old crazy Asian war,
But I was proud to go and do my patriotic chore.
And yes, it's true that I am not the man I used to be.
Oh Ruby, I still need some company.

It's hard to love a man whose legs are bent and paralyzed,
And the wants and the needs of a woman your age, Ruby, I realize,
But it won't be long, I've heard them say, until I'm not around.
Oh Ruby, don't take your love to town.

She's leaving now 'cause I just heard the slamming of the door,
The way I know I've heard it slam one hundred times before,
And if I could walk,* I'd get my gun and put her in the ground.
Oh Ruby, don't take your love to town.
A great song. One little flaw, though. When the man said, "And if I could walk, I'd get my gun and put her in the ground," I thought, "Well, if you could walk, you'd be able to meet Ruby's needs, and you wouldn't need to put her in the ground, 'cause she wouldn't be taking her love to town."

But I've heard some versions that say "If I could move,* I'd get my gun and put her in the ground." That might resolve the logical conundrum. Maybe my friend Bill Vallicella could drop in and clear things up.

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