Bad news, bad news,
Come 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 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 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

Could ya 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 knew 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 spoke
Out of the side of his mouth,
Turn, turn, turn again
Sayin', "The witness who saw,
He left little 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 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And it cannot be repealed,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

Well 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 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"