Artist: Mel Tillis
Author: Mel Tillis
Label: Kapp
Year: 1967
Op lp Life's That Way/Life Turned Her That Way. See also: Detroit City and Mental Revenge.
Covers:
Johnny Darrell [top 10 C&W]
Kenny Rogers & The First Edition [n°2 UK]
Geraldine Stevens [answer song: Billy I've Got To Go To Town]
Nana Mouskouri [as Ruby, garde ton coeur ici]
A hit only in Europe and that's all because of Vietnam. This is a song about a cripple veteran who cannot prevent his Ruby leaving home to seek her kicks downtown. Kenny Rogers' compatriots couldn't identify with a loser, for as long as there were boys over there. Green Barret supportive America did lay money down for Geraldine Stevens' feministic parody. By the time Kenny Rogers' cut Ruby, it was a two year old song, written while the culminating consequenses of the Têt offensive hadn't altered public opinion yet.
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)