REUBEN AND CERISE
(Words by Robert Hunter / Music by Jerry Garcia)
The Grateful Dead


Cerise was brushing her long hair gently down
It was the afternoon of carnival
as she brushes it gently down

Reuben was strumming the 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 the 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 the 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
Rubin walked through the streets 
of New Orleans 'till dawn,
Cerise so lightly in his arms 
and her hair hung gently down


*****


these additional verses connect at the asterisks(***) and replace the original ending verse 


Ahoy old Ferryman
Riverboat of Charron ride
Though alive, take Reuben to the other side 
For his sweet Cerise has died

It's a long lonely walk from Hell
to the burying ground
Cerise may return
but don't you look around 
for your glance would cut her down

The truth of love an unsung song must tell
The course of love must follow blind
but Reuben looked behind

Reuben walked the streets of New Orleans till dawn
with the ghost of Cerise in his empty arms
and her hair hung gently down