He will leave behind all of his clothes   He wore when he was with her   All he needs are his railroad boots   And his leather jacket      As he says goodbye to Ruby's arms   Although his heart is breaking   He will steal away out through her blinds   For soon she will be waking      Morning light has washed her face   And everything is turning blue now   She holds on to her pillow case   There's nothing he can do now      As he says goodbye to Ruby's arms   He says, she'll find another soldier   And he swears to God by Christmastime   There'll be someone else to hold her      The only thing he is taking is   The scarf off of her clothesline   He'll hurry past her chest of drawers   And her broken wind chimes      As he says goodbye, he says goodbye   Goodbye to Ruby's arms      He will feel his way down her darkened hall   And out into the morning   The hobos in the freight yards   Have kept their fires burning      And Jesus Christ, this cold hard rain   Won't someone put him on his train   He'll never kiss her lips again   Or break her heart      As he says goodbye, he says goodbye   Say goodbye to Ruby's arms