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 windTell me the trouble, tell me once to my ear
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Joliet prison and ninety-nine years
Turn, turn to the rain and the windOh what's the charge of how this came to be?
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Manslaughter in the highest of degrees
Turn, turn to the rain and the windI sat down and wrote the best words I could write
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Explaining to the judge I'd be there on Wednesday night
Turn, turn to the rain and the windWithout a reply I left by the moon
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And was in his chambers by the next afternoon
Turn, turn to the rain and the windCould you tell me the facts, I said without fear
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That a friend of mine would get ninety-nine years
Turn, turn to the rain and the windA crash on the highway flew the car to a field
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There was four persons killed and he was at the wheel
Turn, turn to the rain and the windBut I know him as good as I'm knowin' myself
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And he wouldn't harm a life that belonged to someone else
Turn, turn to the rain and the windThe judge he spoke out of the side of his mouth
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Sayin',"The witness who saw he left no doubt"
Turn, turn to the rain and the windThat may be true, he's got a sentence to serve
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But ninety-nine years, he just don't deserve
Turn, turn to the rain and the windToo late, too late for his case it is sealed
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His sentenced is passed and it cannot be repealed
Turn, turn to the rain and the windBut he ain't no criminal and his crime it is none
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What happened to him could happen to anyone
Turn, turn to the rain and the windAnd at that the judge jerked forward and his face it did freeze
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Sayin',"Could you kindly leave my office now, please"
Turn, turn to the rain and the windThe room was funny and I stood up so slow
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With no other choice except for to go
Turn, turn to the rain and the windI walked down the hallway and I heard his door slam
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I walked down the courthouse stairs and I did not understand
Turn, turn to the rain and the windAnd 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"