See Ruby Fall

Song by Johnny Cash

"See Ruby Fall"

Single by Johnny Cash
from the album  Hello, I'm Johnny Cash
A-side| "See Ruby Fall"
"Blistered"
Released| 1969 (1969)
Genre| country
Label| Columbia 4-45020
Songwriter(s)| Johnny Cash[1] or
Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison[2]
Producer(s)| Bob Johnston[1]
Audio
"See Ruby Fall" on YouTube

"See Ruby Fall" is a song co-written by Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison.[2][3] The title is a play on the phrase "See Ruby Falls", which is painted on some Southern barn roofs to direct potential tourists to a well-known waterfall in Chattanooga.

Recorded by Cash at the Columbia Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, on August 20, 1969,[2] the song was released as a single (Columbia 4-45020, with "Blistered" that was recorded two days earlier[2] on the opposite side)[4][5][6][7] in October.[4]

On U.S. Billboard's country chart, the single charted as a double-A-side, reaching #4.[8] On the Hot 100, "Blistered" reached #50, and "See Ruby Fall" #75.[9] (according to some sources, both songs reached #50).[10]

Both "Blistered" and "See Ruby Fall" are part of Johnny Cash's album Hello, I'm Johnny Cash (out in January 1970).

## Analysis

[edit]

> Cash and Roy Orbison collaborated on "See Ruby Fall," from Cash's Hello, I'm Johnny Cash album, after seeing a billboard in Tennessee that read "See Ruby Falls." Ruby Falls is a waterfall in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They took that hook and turned it into a song of frustration, as you watch someone you love drift further and further away from you. The narrator admits that he knew someday Ruby would leave him for a more exciting life than the one he could provide for her. She certainly did, as he explains that she can now be found under the red light downtown. It's a brutally frank song without a happy ending for the singer. It was released as the B-side of "Blistered."

— John M. Alexander. The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash[11]

> The B-side of the first single ("Blistered") [from the album Hello, I'm Johnny Cash (1970)] was a song Cash co-wrote with Roy Orbison called "See Ruby Fall." Inspired by signs they saw painted on barn roofs in Chattanooga urging travelers to visit the local attraction Ruby Falls, Cash and Orbison used the phrase to weave together the story of a love gone wrong. The singer knows his other half is on her way out of the door, so he lets her go, only to tell someone else where he can find her. It's classic country love-gone-wrong, covered up a bit by the almost ragtime piano that lessens the emotional impact of the song.

— C. Eric Banister. Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Man in Black[5]

## Track listing

[edit]

7" single (Columbia 4-45020,[1] 1969)No.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "See Ruby Fall"| J. Cash| 2:48
2.| "Blistered"| B. E. Wheeler| 2:18

## Charts

[edit]

Chart (1969)  | Peak
position

|

US Billboard Hot 100[12] | 50[10] or 75[9]
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[13] | 4

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Johnny Cash - See Ruby Fall / Blistered". Discogs. 1969. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
2. ^ a b c d John L. Smith (1 January 1999). Another Song to Sing: The Recorded Repertoire of Johnny Cash. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3629-7.
3. ^ John L. Smith (1 January 1985). The Johnny Cash Discography. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-24654-8.
4. ^ a b The Johnny Cash Record Catalog. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1994. pp. 8–9\. ISBN 978-0-313-29506-5.
5. ^ a b C. Eric Banister (1 August 2014). Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Man in Black. Backbeat. pp. 138–. ISBN 978-1-61713-609-2.
C. Eric Banister (1 August 2014). Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Man in Black. Backbeat Books. pp. 123–. ISBN 978-1-61713-608-5.
6. ^ Steve Turner (1 November 2005). The man called Cash: the life, love, and faith of an American legend. Thomas Nelson Inc. p. 266\. ISBN 978-0-8499-0815-6.
7. ^ Standard Catalog of American Records, 1950-1975. Krause Publications. 2000. ISBN 978-0-87341-934-5.
Tim Neely (1 August 2002). Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records: 1950-1975. Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-87349-471-7.
Tim Neely (31 August 2006). Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records: 1950-1975. Krause Publications. ISBN 9780896893078.
8. ^ Joel Whitburn (2002). Top Country Singles, 1944 to 2001: Chart Data Compiled from Billboard's Country Singles Charts, 1944-2001. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-151-2.
Joel Whitburn (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944-2005, Billboard. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-165-9.
"Blistered/See Ruby Fall Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
9. ^ a b Joel Whitburn (1978). Joel Whitburn's pop annual, 1955-1977. Record Research.Joel Whitburn (2001). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums, 1955-2001. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-147-5.Joel Whitburn (2003). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2002. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-155-0.Joel Whitburn (2007). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2006. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-172-7.
Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual, 1955-1999. Record Research. 2000. ISBN 978-0-89820-141-3.
10. ^ a b Joel Whitburn (1972). Top Pop Records, 1955-1970: Facts about 9800 Recordings Listed in Billboard's "Hot 100" Charts, Grouped Under the Names of the 2500 Recording Artists. Gale Research Company.
"Blistered/See Ruby Fall Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
11. ^ John M. Alexander (10 April 2018). The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash. University of Arkansas Press. pp. 212–. ISBN 978-1-68226-051-7.
John M. Alexander (16 April 2018). The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash. University of Arkansas Press. ISBN 978-1-61075-628-0.
12. ^ "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
13. ^ "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-05-20.

## External links

[edit]

* "See Ruby Fall" on the Johnny Cash official website

* v
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Johnny Cash

* Albums
* Singles
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* Songs
* Awards

Studio albums|

| 1950s|

* Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar!
* The Fabulous Johnny Cash
* Hymns by Johnny Cash
* Songs of Our Soil

|

1960s|

* Ride This Train
* Now, There Was a Song!
* Hymns from the Heart
* The Sound of Johnny Cash
* Blood, Sweat and Tears
* The Christmas Spirit
* I Walk the Line
* Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian
* Orange Blossom Special
* Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West
* Everybody Loves a Nut
* Happiness Is You
* Carryin' On with Johnny Cash & June Carter
* From Sea to Shining Sea
* The Holy Land

|

1970s|

* Hello, I'm Johnny Cash
* Man in Black
* A Thing Called Love
* America: A 200-Year Salute in Story and Song
* The Johnny Cash Family Christmas
* Any Old Wind That Blows
* Johnny Cash and His Woman
* Ragged Old Flag
* The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me
* The Johnny Cash Children's Album
* Johnny Cash Sings Precious Memories
* John R. Cash
* Look at Them Beans
* One Piece at a Time
* The Last Gunfighter Ballad
* The Rambler
* I Would Like to See You Again
* Gone Girl
* Silver
* A Believer Sings the Truth
* Johnny Cash Sings with B.C. Goodpasture Christian School

|

1980s|

* Rockabilly Blues
* Classic Christmas
* The Baron
* The Adventures of Johnny Cash
* Johnny 99
* Highwayman
* Rainbow
* Class of '55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming
* Heroes
* Believe in Him
* Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town
* Classic Cash
* Water from the Wells of Home

|

1990s|

* Highwayman 2
* Boom Chicka Boom
* The Mystery of Life
* Country Christmas
* American Recordings
* The Road Goes on Forever
* American II: Unchained

|

2000–2020s|

* American III: Solitary Man
* American IV: The Man Comes Around
* My Mother's Hymn Book
* American V: A Hundred Highways
* American VI: Ain't No Grave
* Out Among the Stars
* Songwriter

|

Live albums|

* At Folsom Prison
* At San Quentin
* The Johnny Cash Show
* På Österåker
* Strawberry Cake
* The Survivors
* Koncert v Praze (In Prague – Live)
* VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
* At Madison Square Garden
* A Concert Behind Prison Walls
* Live from Austin, TX

Soundtracks|

* I Walk the Line
* Little Fauss and Big Halsy
* The Gospel Road
* Return to the Promised Land

Compilations|

* Johnny Cash Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous
* Greatest!
* Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams
* Now Here's Johnny Cash
* All Aboard the Blue Train with Johnny Cash
* Original Sun Sound of Johnny Cash
* Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash
* Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
* Heart of Cash
* Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
* Sunday Morning Coming Down
* International Superstar
* Five Feet High and Rising
* Destination Victoria Station
* Greatest Hits, Vol. 3
* The Unissued Johnny Cash
* Johnny & June
* Tall Man
* Encore
* Biggest Hits
* The Man in Black 1954–1958
* The Man in Black 1959–1962
* Come Along and Ride This Train
* The Essential Johnny Cash (1992)
* Wanted Man
* The Man in Black 1963–1969
* The Man in Black – His Greatest Hits
* 16 Biggest Hits
* Love, God, Murder
* The Essential Johnny Cash (2002)
* 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Johnny Cash
* Unearthed
* The Legend
* The Legend of Johnny Cash
* Patriot
* 16 Biggest Hits: Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash
* The Legend of Johnny Cash Vol. II
* The Complete Columbia Album Collection
* Johnny Cash and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Songs|

* "25 Minutes to Go"
* "Any Old Wind That Blows"
* "Austin Prison"
* "A Wonderful Time Up There"
* "The Ballad of Boot Hill"
* "The Ballad of Ira Hayes"
* "Ballad of a Teenage Queen"
* "Big River"
* "Blistered"
* "A Boy Named Sue"
* "Busted"
* "Cat's in the Cradle"
* "Cocaine Blues"
* "Cry! Cry! Cry!"
* "Daddy Sang Bass"
* "Dark as a Dungeon"
* "Don't Take Your Guns to Town"
* "Engine 143"
* "Everybody Loves a Nut"
* "Flesh and Blood"
* "The Folk Singer"
* "Folsom Prison Blues"
* "Forty Shades of Green"
* "Get Rhythm"
* "Give My Love to Rose"
* "Goodnight, Irene"
* "Green, Green Grass of Home"
* "Guess Things Happen That Way"
* "Hey, Porter"
* "Home of the Blues"
* "Hurt"
* "I Couldn't Keep from Crying"
* "I Love You Because"
* "I Still Miss Someone"
* "I Walk the Line"
* "I Wish I Was Crazy Again"
* "If I Had a Hammer"
* "If I Were a Carpenter"
* "In My Life"
* "In the Jailhouse Now"
* "It Ain't Me Babe"
* "Jackson"
* "Kate"
* "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream"
* "The Man Comes Around"
* "Man in Black"
* "The Matador"
* "Oh Lonesome Me"
* "One Piece at a Time"
* "Oney"
* "Orange Blossom Special"
* "The One on the Right Is on the Left"
* "Personal Jesus"
* "Ragged Old Flag"
* "Remember the Alamo"
* "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky"
* "Ring of Fire"
* "Rock Island Line"
* "Seasons of My Heart"
* "So Doggone Lonesome"
* "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down"
* "Tennessee Flat Top Box"
* "There Ain't No Good Chain Gang"
* "A Thing Called Love"
* "Understand Your Man"
* "What Is Truth"
* "What'd I Say"
* "Without Love"
* "You Are My Sunshine"

Film|

Gospel Road: A Story of Jesus

Television|

The Johnny Cash Show

Biographies|

* Man in Black: His Own Story in His Own Words
* Cash: The Autobiography
* Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music
* My Father and the Man in Black
* Walk the Line
* Ring of Fire (musical)
* Ring of Fire (2013 film)
* My Darling Vivian

Tribute albums|

* The Sound Behind Johnny Cash
* Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash
* Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
* Johnny's Blues: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
* Walk the Line: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
* Fade to Black: Memories of Johnny
* All Aboard: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
* Johnny Cash Remixed
* We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash
* Forever Words

Associated acts|

* The Highwaymen
* The Tennessee Three
* Bob Wootton
* Carl Perkins
* W. S. Holland
* Marshall Grant
* Luther Perkins
* Million Dollar Quartet
* The Great Eighties Eight

Family|

* June Carter Cash
* John Carter Cash
* Rosanne Cash
* Cindy Cash
* Carlene Carter
* Tommy Cash
* Carter Family

Historical sites|

* Johnny Cash Boyhood Home
* Dyess, Arkansas
* Johnny Cash Museum
* House of Cash
* Carter Family Fold

Legacy|

Statue of Johnny Cash

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