Percy's Song Lyrics - Sandy Denny

Bad news, bad news, come to me where I sleep 

Turn, turn, turn again 

Say, 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 

Would you tell me the facts, I said without fear 

Turn, turn, turn again 

That a friend of mine could 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 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, he left without 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His sentence it is passed and cannot be repealed 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 

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 

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 courthouse stairs and 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''