Rubin walked the streets of New Orleans till dawnĬherise so lightly in his arms and her hair hung gently down The course of love must follow blind without a look behind The truth of love an unsung song must tell If you could see my heart you would know it true Singing Rubin, Rubin tell me true for I have no one but you The voice of Cherise from the face of the mandolin When Ruby froze and turned to stone for the strings played all alone The song he played was the carnival paradeĮach note cut a thread of Cherise's fate it cut through like a blade Rubin's song took on a different tone and he played it just for her The crowd pressed round, Ruby stood as though alone Sweet Ruby Claire at Rubin stared, at Rubin stared Looking out to the crowd who is standing there Like waves against the bandstand, dancers broke to the painted mandolin Masquerade began when nightfall finally woke The breeze would pause to listen in before going on its way again When Rubin played on his painted mandolin I'd swear to it on my very soul, If I lie, say I fall down cold There's none Cherise, except for you, except for you If you could see my heart you would know it's true I feel afraid and I don't know why I do, Is there another girl for you? When a fatal vision gripped her tight Cherise beware tonight It was inlaid with a pretty face in jade played in the carnival paradeĬherise was dressing as Pirouette in white It was the afternoon of carnival as she brushes it gently down Cherise was brushing her long hair gently down