Bad news, bad news came to me where I sleep Turn, turn, turn again Sayin' 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 of degrees 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 flew the car to a field Turn, turn, turn again There was four persons killed and he was at the wheel Turn, turn to the rain and the wind
But I know him as good as I'm knowin' 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 Sayin','The witness who saw he left no doubt' Turn, turn to the rain and the wind
That may be true, he's got 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Too late, too late for his case it is sealed Turn, turn, turn again His sentenced is passed and it cannot be repealed Turn, turn to the rain and the wind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 Sayin','Could you kindly leave my office now, please' Turn, turn to the rain and the wind
The room was 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 courthouse 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, 'Oh the cruel rain and the wind'