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His sentenced is passed and it cannot be repealed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"


Lyrics submitted by glennbass

Percy's Song Lyrics as written by Bob Dylan

Lyrics © WB MUSIC CORP

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Percy's Song song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment

    Sad that this song is not very well known. Sad song about a driver who had a wreak driving in "The Wind and the Rain". Not as another posted about driving drunk, must not have ever listened to the words or know the true story behind it. A song about a cruel judge who sentenced a man to 99 years to Joliet Prison for an accident caused by the weather. I purchased this album, and still have it, for other of Bob Dylan's hits that were playing on the radio, but this song that I never heard before, like so many I've purchased, ended up being my favorite. It's so awesome that so many great musicians bring us awareness about such matters we might not of ever heard of.

    SLYcraftson March 07, 2016   Link

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