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."
Ruby Don
David Allan Coe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And rolled and curled your tinted hair
Ruby are you contemplating
Going out somewhere
The shadow on the wall
Tells me the sun is going down
Oh Ruby
Don't take your love to town
It wasn't me
That started that old crazy Asian war
But I was proud to go
And do my patriotic chore
And yes, it's true that
I'm not the man I used to be
Oh, Ruby I still need some company
Its 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 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
Some hundred times before
And if I could move I'd get my gun
And put her in the ground
Oh Ruby
Don't take your love to town
Oh Ruby for God's sake turn around
The song "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" by David Allan Coe tells the story of a disabled war veteran who is being left by his wife. Ruby, the singer in the song, is getting ready to go out, but the veteran implores her not to leave him alone. The man reflects on his past, where he was once a proud soldier serving in the war. He is now paralyzed and unable to take care of himself. He struggles to provide for Ruby and meet her needs despite his disability.
The song explores the themes of love, sacrifice, and war. The lyrics depict the difficulties faced by those who have served their country in war and are left with life-altering physical and mental wounds. The chorus, "Oh Ruby, don't take your love to town," is a poignant plea by the veteran to his wife not to abandon him in his time of need. The song captures the essence of the post-war era, where many veterans struggled to adjust to life after the war.
Line by Line Meaning
You've painted up your lips
You applied lipstick to your lips
And rolled and curled your tinted hair
You curled and styled your colored hair
Ruby are you contemplating
Ruby, are you thinking about
Going out somewhere
Leaving the house to go somewhere
The shadow on the wall
The shadow casted on the wall
Tells me the sun is going down
Indicates the setting of the sun
Oh Ruby
Addressing Ruby
Don't take your love to town
Do not go out looking for love
It wasn't me
I did not start
That started that old crazy Asian war
The Vietnam War
But I was proud to go
But I was happy to serve
And do my patriotic chore
And carry out my civic duty
And yes, it's true that
And it's true that
I'm not the man I used to be
I am not the same person I once was
Oh, Ruby I still need some company
Ruby, I still desire companionship
Its hard to love a man
It's difficult to love a man
Whose legs are bent and paralyzed
Whose legs are deformed and unable to move
And the wants and the needs of a woman your age
And the desires and necessities of a woman like yourself
Ruby I realize,
Ruby, I understand
But it won't be long I've heard them say until I not around
But I have heard that it will not be long until I am no longer here
Oh Ruby
Addressing Ruby
Don't take your love to town
Do not leave the house looking for love
She's leaving now cause
Ruby is leaving now because
I just heard the slamming of the door
I heard the door slam shut
The way I know I've heard it
The way I recognize the sound
Some hundred times before
Countless times in the past
And if I could move I'd get my gun
And if I were able to move, I would grab my gun
And put her in the ground
And shoot her to death
Oh Ruby
Addressing Ruby
Don't take your love to town
Do not leave the house looking for love
Oh Ruby for God's sake turn around
Ruby, please turn back
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MEL TILLIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Grizzlyadam Smith
HOLY...MOLY,...!!...NEVER HEARD HIM DO THIS ONE,..BUT IT SURE IS GREAT..!!
loves2hunt1995
love it
Sylvia Foster
Awesome song by David Allan Coe.
STEVE PETERMAN
Phaser guitar sounds are what makes it Outlaw!!
texreb66
this same disc of mine was stolen. Thank you so much for posting it.
Wesley Hollinghead
david alan coe was my hero
Magne Høiberg
he still is one of mine :)
virgil vollmar
It wasn't me who started that ole crazy Muslim war