Delbert McClinton

When Rita Leaves

Delbert McClinton


Tom: E

E B7 E

[Verse 1]
           E                                              B7
She left a lipstick letter on the mirror shattered on the bathroom floor.
                                            E
All I could put back together was never see me no more.
                                 E7                 A                F#m
Took all her clothes but one red dress, the one she knows I like the best.
            E                   B7                         E          N.C.
All I could do was clean up the mess, and wonder where she had gone.


[Verse 2]
        E                             B7                        
I had a sky-blue rag top Mustang, a 1964.
                                                     E     
She drove it off into the night til it just wouldn't go no more.
                          E7                A                    F#m        
She caught a ride on into town, bought some gas and laid the top down.
         E                       B7                          E       N.C.
Then she burned that pony to the ground on the desert in New Mexico.


[Chorus]
          B7             E
When Rita leaves, Rita's gone.
    B7                               E     
She gave me every chance a man could want.
           A      
I've never known a love so strong,
      E                          A
Or so crazy when she's been done wrong.
          B7             E     E
When Rita leaves, Rita's gone.


[Solo]  
E E B7 B7 B7 B7 
E E E E E7 
A F#m E B7 E 
E 
N.C.


[Verse 3]
        E                               B7
I put a call into her mamasita, back in El Paso.
                                                   E
She said she got the story from Rita on her way to Mexico.
                              E7                 A              F#m
Her mama knew I was taking it hard, said she was sorry about my car.
                 E                            B7                                 
She said "You're lucky all she broke was your heart
                    E         N.C.
You better just let her go."


[Chorus]
          B7             E
When Rita leaves, Rita's gone.
    B7                               E     E7
She gave me every chance a man could want.
           A      
I've never known a love so strong,
      E                          A
Or so crazy when she's been done wrong.
          B7             E      E
When Rita leaves, Rita's gone.


[Spoken]
          E
She never gave me a chance to explain.
       A                                F#m
Hell I guess it doesn't much matter now anyway.

[Sung]
          B7             E
When Rita leaves, Rita's gone.
          B7             E
When Rita leaves, Rita's gone.