Arlo Guthrie

Percys Song

Arlo Guthrie


Tom: G

G                       C               G
Sad News, sad news, has come to where I sleep
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, turn again
       G                       C           (walk down bass to Am)
Saying one of my friends is in trouble deep
Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn to the wind and the rain


G                            C          G
Tell me the trouble, tell me once to my ears
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, turn again
G                             C           (walk down bass to Am)
Joliet Prison for ninety-nine years
Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn to the wind and the rain


  G                            C          G
A crash on the highway threw a car into a field
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, turn again
           G                      C                 (walk down bass to Am)
There were four people killed and he was at the wheel
Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn to the wind and the rain


      G                     C           G
But I know him as well as I know my own self
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, turn again
       G                           C                    (walk down bass to Am)
And he wouldn't harm a life that belonged to someone else
Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn to the wind and the rain


      G                    C                          G
"That may be so," said the judge from the side of his mouth
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, turn again
        G                   C                   (walk down bass to Am)
But the witness who saw it, he left little doubt
Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, to the wind and the rain


   G                  C               G
He may, he may have a sentence for to serve
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, turn again
    G                         C               (walk down bass to Am)
But ninety-nine years he just does not deserve
Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn to the wind and the rain


    G                       C          G
Too late, too late, for his case it is sealed
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, turn again
     G                           C                 (walk down bass to Am)
His sentence it is passed and it cannot be repealed
Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn to the wind and the rain


    G                             C           G
But he ain't no criminal, and his crime it is none
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, turn again
         G                          C                 (walk down bass to Am)
And what happened to him could have happened to anyone
Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn to the wind and the rain


   G                                     C           G
At that the judge jerked forward and his face it did freeze
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, turn again
        G                         C                 (walk down bass to Am)
Saying "Would you kindly leave my office now please"
Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn to the wind and the rain


  G                    C             G
I squinted my eyes and I stood up so slow,
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn turn again
     G                 C               (walk down bass to Am)
With no other choice except for me to go
Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn to the wind and the rain


        G                          C               G
Well, I walked down the hall and I heard his door slam
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, turn again
  G                             C                   (walk down bass to Am)
I walked down the stairs, but I could not understand
Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn to the wind and the rain


  G                            C                     G
I played my guitar through the night and through the day
Am                D    Dsus  D
Turn, turn, turn again
        G              C                   (walk down bass to Am)
But the only tune that my guitar would play
    Am                C            D    Dsus  D
Was oh, how cruel the wind and the rain