Ruby's Shoes

(Album: Paper Wings & Halo - 2000)

Ruby's shoes would take her
A mile or so to school every day
Where the white people hated her
They'd scream and hold signs and tell her to go away

But Ruby's will was stronger
Than the bigots with the signs could ever know
She stopped every morning on the corner
And prayed that someday the pain would go

And she'd stop and she'd pray
That all the hatred would go away
She was only six years old but she knew
Walk a mile in Ruby's shoes

Ruby sat alone in the classroom
She never dreamed the other children wouldn't come
They hated her for the color of her skin
Well color is such an amazing illusion

She'd stop and she'd pray
That all the hatred would go away
She was only six years old but she knew
Walk a mile in Ruby's shoes

Now Ruby knew about Dorothy
And the ruby shoes that she wore
She wondered about Oz sometimes
Well, well no other child ever walked her shoes before

And she'd stop and she'd pray
That all the hatred would go away
She was only six years old but she knew
Walk a mile in Ruby's shoes

Ruby, if birds can always fly
Why oh why can't you and I?

Ruby's shoes would take her
A mile or so to school every day
Where the white people hated her
They'd scream and hold signs and tell her to go away

And she'd stop and she'd pray
That all the hatred would go away
She'd stop and she'd pray
That no other children would be raised this way
Ruby's shoes

If birds can fly
Then why oh why
If birds can fly then why oh why can't I