Ruben And Cherise

Cerise was brushing her long hair gently down

It was the afternoon of carnival

as she brushes it gently down

Reuben was strumming his painted mandolin

It was inlaid with a pretty face in jade

Played the Carnival Parade

Cerise was dressing as Pirouette in white

when a fatal vision gripped her tight

Cerise beware tonight

Reuben, Reuben tell me truly true

I feel afraid and I don't know why I do

Is there another girl for you?

If you could see in my heart

you would know it's true

there is none Cerise except for you

Except for you

I swear to it on my very soul

If I lie may I fall down cold

When Reuben played on his painted mandolin

the breeze would stop to listen in

before going its way again

Masquerade began when nightfall finally woke

Like waves against the bandstand dancers broke

to the painted mandolin

Looking out on the crowd, who is standing there?

Sweet Ruby Claire at Reuben stared

At Reuben stared

She was dressed as Pirouette in red

and her hair hung gently down

The crowd pressed round

Ruby stood as though alone

Reuben's song took on a different tone

and he played it just for her

The song he played was the Carnival Parade

Each note cut a thread of Cerise's fate

It cut through like a blade

Reuben was playing his painted mandolin

When Ruby froze and turned to stone

for the strings played all alone

The voice of Cerise from the face of the mandolin

singing: Reuben, Reuben tell me true

for I have no one but you

If you could see in my heart

you would know it's true

There is none Cerise, except for you -except for you

I swear to it on my very soul

If I lie, may I fall down cold * * *

The truth of love

an unsung song must tell

The course of love must follow blind

without a look behind

Reuben walked the streets

of New Orleans 'till dawn,

Cerise so lightly in his arms

and her hair hung gently down

• Artist:Jerry Garcia
• Album:Cats Under The Stars (1978)