David Allan Coe (born September 6, 1939) is an American singer and songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴David Allan Coe (born September 6, 1939) is an American singer and songwriter. Coe took up music after spending much of his early life in reform schools and prisons, and first became notable for busking in Nashville. He initially played mostly in the blues style, before transitioning to country music, becoming a major part of the 1970s outlaw country scene. His biggest hits were "Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile", "The Ride", "You Never Even Called Me by My Name", "She Used to Love Me a Lot", and "Longhaired Redneck". His most popular songs performed by others are the number-one hits "Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)" sung by Tanya Tucker and Johnny Paycheck's rendition of "Take This Job and Shove It". The latter inspired the movie of the same name.

Coe's rebellious attitude, wild image, and unconventional lifestyle set him apart from other country performers, both winning him legions of fans and hindering his mainstream success by alienating the music industry establishment. Coe continues to be a popular performer on the country circuit.

Coe was born in Akron, Ohio. His favorite singer as a child was Johnny Cash. After being sent to the Starr Commonwealth For Boys reform school at the age of nine, he spent much of the next 20 years in correctional facilities, including three years at the Ohio Penitentiary. Coe claimed he received encouragement to begin writing songs from Screamin' Jay Hawkins, with whom he had spent time in prison.

After concluding another prison term in 1967, Coe embarked on a music career in Nashville, living in a hearse which he parked in front of the Ryman Auditorium while he performed on the street. He caught the attention of Shelby Singleton, owner of the independent record label Plantation Records and signed a contract with his label.

He is the father of Tyler Mahan Coe, who created the country music podcast Cocaine & Rhinestones. He has a daughter, Shelli Coe Mackie, and is father-in-law to the late Michael Mackie, formerly of Texas band 'Thunderosa'.

Coe's musical style derives from blues, rock, and country music traditions. His vocal style is described as a 'throaty baritone'. His lyrical content is often humorous or comedic, with William Ruhlmann describing him as a 'near-parody of a country singer'. Stephen Thomas Erlewine describes Coe as "a great, unashamed country singer, singing the purest honky-tonk and hardest country of his era […] he may not be the most original outlaw, but there is none more outlaw than him".

Coe's lyrics frequently include references to alcohol and drug use, and are often boisterous and cocky. Coe's debut album Penitentiary Blues was described as "voodoo blues" and "redneck music" by Allmusic's Thom Jurek. It focused on themes such as working for the first time, blood tests from veins used to inject heroin, prison time, hoodoo imagery, and death. The album's influences included Charlie Rich, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Tony Joe White. Coe later explained to Kristofer Engelhardt of Review: "I didn't really care for some of the country music until people like Kris Kristofferson and some of those people started writing songs. They had a little more to say than just, 'Oh baby I miss you', or whatever. I don't do anything halfway. Once I got into country music, I went back and researched it, and learned everything there was to know about it. I could do impersonations of Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow, Marty Robbins, just about anybody. I knew just about all there was to know about country music."

Coe's first country album, The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy, has been described as alt-country, 'pre-punk' and "a hillbilly version of Marc Bolan's glitz and glitter". Credited influences on the album include Merle Haggard. In his early career, Coe was known for his unpredictable live performances, in which he would ride a Harley-Davidson motorcycle onto the stage and curse at his audience. Coe has also performed in a rhinestone suit and a mask which resembled that of the Lone Ranger, calling himself the 'Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy'.

The album Rebel Meets Rebel featured a song, "Cherokee Cry", which criticizes the United States government's treatment of Native Americans. When asked why he did not write more political songs, Coe replied, "I live in my own world, not thee world. I just write songs about what affects me in everyday life. At one point I wrote a song that was sort of a protest about when they were talking about drafting women into the military. It was about my son making it past the draft, but my daughter didn't. And I've done Farm Aid."

In his review of Coe's 1987 album A Matter of Life...and Death, Allmusic's Thom Jurek wrote, "Coe may have had some hits, but it is records like this that make one wonder if there was not a conspiracy to marginalize him and make him fail. Coe is a brilliant songwriter well into the 21st century, and deserves to be lauded along with the likes of [Willie] Nelson and [Waylon] Jennings and Kristofferson and Newbury – and even Cash."

Loneliness in Ruby
David Allan Coe Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

They say she came all the way from Dallas
But I see more than Texas in the hard times on her face
And every song she sings brings back a hundred thousand memories
Of another girl another time another place
She does not have the body of the woman I once loved
But she's still the girl that I once idolized
And I swear I see a little bit of every girl I've known
In the loneliness of Ruby's eyes in the loneliness of Ruby's eyes

Kin folks say she's had a lot of lovers
But love don't leave a woman filled with shame
And I've heard tell she had a child in Dallas
And all the men in Houston know her name
She does not have the body

In the loneliness of Ruby's eyes in the loneliness of Ruby's eyes
In the loneliness of Ruby's eyes

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of David Allan Coe's song "Loneliness in Ruby's Eyes" tell a story about a woman named Ruby who has faced hardship and loveless relationships throughout her life. The opening line suggests that she might have moved to town from another place, and her troubled past is reflected in her face. The singer observes that every song she sings holds memories of events from different periods of her life.

Despite her ravaged body and troubled past, Ruby reminds the singer of a girl from his past that he once looked up to. He notices some of the qualities of every girl he has ever known in her eyes. The song also delves into unsubstantiated rumors of Ruby having an undisclosed number of lovers and having given birth to a child in Dallas. Still, the singer insists that love should not leave a woman feeling ashamed.

The song's message is about seeing beyond surface appearances and stories and finding the common experiences that unite us all. Coe uses Ruby as a vessel to convey his thoughts on the universality of loneliness, self-doubt, and heartbreak but also the resilience that is key to human survival.

Line by Line Meaning

They say she came all the way from Dallas
According to hearsay, Ruby arrived in their town from Dallas

But I see more than Texas in the hard times on her face
Despite being from Texas, Ruby's struggles are evident on her face and go beyond her place of origin

And every song she sings brings back a hundred thousand memories
Ruby's songs evoke a great deal of nostalgia and recollection

Of another girl another time another place
These memories are not specific to Ruby, rather they belong to someone else and are associated with another time and place

She does not have the body of the woman I once loved
Ruby's physical appearance does not match that of a woman the singer once loved

But she's still the girl that I once idolized
Despite physical differences, the singer still sees Ruby as the girl he once held in high esteem

And I swear I see a little bit of every girl I've known
The loneliness in Ruby's eyes reflects the loneliness the singer saw in every girl he's ever known

In the loneliness of Ruby's eyes in the loneliness of Ruby's eyes
The song's title is repeated, emphasizing the central theme of loneliness in Ruby's eyes

Kin folks say she's had a lot of lovers
According to Ruby's family, she has had many romantic partners

But love don't leave a woman filled with shame
Despite her previous relationships, love is not something that should leave Ruby feeling ashamed

And I've heard tell she had a child in Dallas
There are rumors that Ruby gave birth to a child in Dallas

And all the men in Houston know her name
Ruby's reputation is known by many men in Houston

She does not have the body
The physical attributes of the women the singer has loved are not present in Ruby

In the loneliness of Ruby's eyes in the loneliness of Ruby's eyes
The song's title is repeated once more, highlighting the profound sense of emptiness observed within Ruby's gaze

In the loneliness of Ruby's eyes
The song concludes with a poignant emphasis on Ruby's solitude and isolation

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: DAVID ALLAN COE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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