While the year 1969 of this hit suggested a Vietnam connection to many, “that old crazy Asian war” refers to the 1950-53 Korean War, as the 1966 Mel Tillis song is told from the point-of-view of a disabled and dying veteran of that conflict. Tillis’ actual inspiration though was a WWII veteran who lived near his family in Florida. “Ruby is a real-life narrative about a soldier coming home from World War II in 1947 to Palm Beach County, Florida,” Tillis said. “The soldier brought along with him a pretty little English woman he called ‘Ruby,’ his war bride from England, one of the nurses that helped to bring him around to somewhat of a life.” The soldier had recurring problems from his war wounds and was confined mostly to his wheelchair. Tillis continued, “He’d get drunk and accuse Ruby of everything under the sun. Having stood as much as she could, Ruby and the soldier eventually divorced, and she moved on.” There are other online variations of the story, including a suggestion that the real-life marriage had ended in a murder-suicide.

Though not issued at the time, the first commercial recording of “Ruby” was made in September 1966 by Waylon Jennings: [ Ссылка ] . Mel’s own version was recorded in December and was the first to be released in January ’67. Kenny’s turned out to be the most mainstream-successful rendition of the song, though Johnny Darrell had done better on the Country charts with his Top-10 1967 release.

Pop Chart Peaks: Billboard 6, Cash Box 7, Record World 9 - C&W Peak: 39 - UK Peaks: 1 (NME, TP/MN), 2 (MM, BMRB)

45 single issued on Reprise 829 - Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town (Tillis) by Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, arranged by Glen D. Hardin, produced by Jimmy Bowen

. THE 1969 HITS ARCHIVE - Here in one place, a comprehensive collection of ‘pop’ best-sellers and songs which made an impact that were either released or enjoyed a major chunk of their popularity within the calendar year 1969 (some were recorded in 1968)

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