Percy's Song

Bad news, bad news, comes to me where I sleep.
Turn, turn, turn again.
Saying one of your friends is in trouble deep.
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

Tell me the trouble, tell me once to my ear.
Turn, turn, turn again.
Joliet Prison and ninety-nine years.
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

Oh, what's the charge of how this came to be.
Turn, turn, turn again.
Manslaughter, in the highest degree.
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

I sat down and wrote the best words I could write.
Turn, turn, turn again.
Explaining to the judge, I'd be there on Wednesday night.
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

Without a reply, I left by the moon.
Turn, turn, turn again.
And was in his chambers by the next afternoon.
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

"Could you tell me the facts ?", I said without fear.
Turn, turn, turn again.
That a friend of mine would get ninety-nine years.
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

"A crash on the highway threw the car to a field".
Turn, turn, turn again.
"There were four persons killed, and he was at the wheel".
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

"But I knew him as good, as I'm knowing myself".
Turn, turn, turn again.
"And he wouldn't harm a life that belonged to someone else".
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

The judge he spoke out of the side of his mouth.
Turn, turn, turn again.
Saying the witness who saw him, he left little doubt.
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

"That maybe be true, he's go a sentence to serve".
Turn, turn, turn again.
"But ninety-nine years, he just don't deserve".
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

"Too late, too late for his case it is sealed".
Turn, turn, turn again.
"His sentence is passed, and cannot be repealed".
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

"But he ain't no criminal, and his crime it is none".
Turn, turn, turn again.
"What happened to him could happen to anyone".
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

And at that, the judge jerked forward, and his face it did freeze.
Turn, turn, turn again.
Saying, "Could you kindly leave my office now, please".
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

Well his eyes looked funny, and I stood up so slow.
Turn, turn, turn again.
With no other choice, except for to go.
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

I walked down the hallway, and I heard his door slam.
Turn, turn, turn again.
I walked down the court house stairs, and I did not understand.
Turn, turn to the rain and the wind.

And I played my guitar through the night, to the day.
Turn, turn, turn again.
And the only tune my guitar could play
Was,"The old cruel, rain and the wind".