[edit] Career
At a young age, he was interested in music but his primary interest was athletics. He purchased a guitar at the age of 12 and although he learned to play it, most of his time was devoted to sport. This eventually resulted in being offered a baseball scholarship to the University of Idaho at Moscow.
King later returned to Shreveport and joined the Louisiana Hayride, a popular TV and radio show broadcast in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, produced in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Louisiana Hayride ranked second only to the Grand Ole Opry in terms of television and radio importance in the early 1950s to the 1960s and King was frequently billed on the same shows with other famous legends such as Elvis Presley, John Ritter's father, Tex Ritter, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Webb Pierce, Kitty Wells, Jimmie Davis, Slim Whitman, Faron Young, Johnny Horton, Jim Reeves, George Jones and Lefty Frizzell, among many others who became big music stars in the 1960s.
King recorded a few songs for Gotham Records, although none were successful. In 1961, he became more serious about a musical career and signed with the Nashville, Tennessee division of Columbia Records. He struck immediately, cutting "Big River, Big Man", a country Top 10 and even a small pop crossover success. He soon followed with "The Comancheros" inspired by the movie of the same title, starring John Wayne. It was a Top 10 country hit in late 1961, also crossing over to the pop charts.
King made his "career" recording in the spring of 1962. "Wolverton Mountain", written with Nashville veteran Merle Kilgore, was based on a real character, Clifton Clowers, who lived on Wolverton Mountain in Arkansas. The song became an immediate hit, going to No.1 for nine weeks during its 26-week run on the Billboard Country charts. It was also a pop Top 10.
King followed up that year with an American Civil War song, "The Burning Of Atlanta" which also went Top 10 on the country charts and again generated a lot of interest on the pop lists. In late 1962, he recorded "I've Got The World By The Tail" which narrowly missed the country Top 10.
He had another good year in 1963, scoring three solid country hits with "Sheepskin Valley", "Building a Bridge" and "Hey Lucille!". The hits continued in 1964 with "Sam Hill" and in 1965 he was back in the Top 10 with "Tiger Woman", co-written by Merle Kilgore. King also did well that year with "Little Buddy". His smooth country style continued to find a flavor throughout the decade, especially songs like "Catch a Little Raindrop" and the Top 10 "All For The Love Of A Girl" in 1969. His singles continued to hit the country charts through 1972. He left the label in 1973 after having accomplished 29 hits.
Besides a successful career recording and touring, King also performed as an actor in several movies, and like his nephew, Chris Aable, King is also among a minority of actors who are members in both the Screen Actors Guild and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. He appeared in the 1982 television miniseries The Blue and the Gray and appeared in several feature films. King is no relation to another actor by the same name, born in 1875 in England.
In 1981, Arkansas Governor Frank D. White paid tribute to King and his big 1962 hit by declaring August 7 "Wolverton Mountain Day". By that time, King had almost retired from recording.
After being absent from recording for over 20 years, King recently released a new CD called Cowboy in the White House. Most of the songs were written or co-written by him. Elvis Presley's guitarist, James Burton performed guitar for the release.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_King"
Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town
Claude King Lyrics
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Ruby are you contemplatin' 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's hard to love a man whose legs're bent and paralized
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
But I was proud to go and do my patriotic chores
I know Ruby I'm not the man I used to be but Ruby I still need your company
She's leaving now cause I just heard the slamming of the door
Way I know I heard it slam one hundred times before
If I could move I'd get my gun and put her in the ground
Oh Ruby don't take your love to town
"Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town" by Claude King is a poignant country ballad that tells the story of a disabled veteran pleading with his wife, Ruby, not to leave him. The lyrics vividly describe Ruby preparing herself to go out, while the shadows on the wall indicate that the day is coming to an end. The disabled man expresses his difficulty in loving and satisfying a woman of Ruby's age, acknowledging the challenges posed by his physical condition. He pleads with Ruby not to leave him, as he still needs her company despite no longer being the man he once was.
The song takes a deeper emotional turn as the man mentions his involvement in a past war, though clarifying that he didn't start it. Despite this, he takes pride in fulfilling his patriotic duties. The lyrics suggest that his physical disability might be a result of his service in the war. As Ruby finally makes the decision to leave, the man hears the sound of the door slamming shut, a sound he's heard many times before. If he were physically capable, he confesses that he would reach for his gun and harm Ruby, highlighting the intensity of his despair.
Overall, "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town" sensitively explores the difficulties faced by a disabled veteran in maintaining a loving relationship. It showcases the desperation and longing of a man who yearns for his wife's companionship, despite his physical limitations and the challenges their situation presents.
Line by Line Meaning
You have painted up your lips and rolled and curled your tinted hair
You've taken the time to enhance your appearance, putting on makeup and styling your hair.
Ruby are you contemplatin' going out somewhere
Ruby, are you considering going somewhere without me?
The shadows on the wall tell me the sun is going down
I can tell by the shadows that evening is approaching.
Oh Ruby don't take your love to town
Please don't leave me and find love with someone else.
It's hard to love a man whose legs're bent and paralyzed
It's challenging to feel affection for a man who is physically disabled.
And the wants and the needs of a woman your age Ruby I realize
I understand that as a woman of your age, you have desires and needs.
But it won't be long I've heard them say until I'm not around
They say it won't be long until I'm no longer here.
Oh Ruby don't take your love to town
I plead with you, Ruby, not to find love outside of our relationship.
For it wasn't me that started that old crazy Asian war
I want you to know that I wasn't the one who initiated the war in Asia.
But I was proud to go and do my patriotic chores
Nevertheless, I took pride in serving my country and fulfilling my patriotic duties.
I know Ruby I'm not the man I used to be but Ruby I still need your company
I acknowledge that I'm not the same man I once was, but I still crave your companionship, Ruby.
She's leaving now cause I just heard the slamming of the door
She's leaving at this very moment because I heard the sound of the door being forcefully shut.
Way I know I heard it slam one hundred times before
I've heard that door slam countless times in the past.
If I could move I'd get my gun and put her in the ground
If only I could move, I would use my gun to end her life and bury her.
Oh Ruby don't take your love to town
Ruby, I implore you, don't abandon our love and seek it elsewhere.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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