[Intro: mandolin chop, soft fiddle] Screw still turns if you lean your weight in Barn still smells like October under the tin [Verse 1] They sold the orchard on a Tuesday in the rain Buyer from the county with a clipboard and a name Mama signed and Daddy watched the pen like it might bite I stood by the cider press and tried to keep it light Trees lined up like soldiers that had already lost the war Apples on the ground nobody was fighting for We kept the press because the barn was not in the deal Said, one more autumn, then we see how selling feels [Chorus] Cider press, cider press Iron and a wheel Cider press, cider press Tell me what is real Who gets to turn the screw when the orchard is a ghost Who gets the first sweet taste and who needs it the most Cider press, cider press Sitting in the shade Cider press, cider press All the plans we made Pour into a bucket that we pass around the floor One more season humming like it did before [Verse 2] Brother wants to haul it to his place beside the creek Sister says it stays until the first frost week I do not want the iron, I want the afternoon When Grandpa let me feed the fruit and hummed a crooked tune We argued in the dust with our kindness wearing thin Then Daddy put his hand on the frame and we went quiet within He said, nobody owns a press that fed the whole damn hill You use it while it works, and you leave it when you will [Chorus] Cider press, cider press Iron and a wheel Cider press, cider press Tell me what is real Who gets to turn the screw when the orchard is a ghost Who gets the first sweet taste and who needs it the most Cider press, cider press Sitting in the shade Cider press, cider press All the plans we made Pour into a bucket that we pass around the floor One more season humming like it did before [Bridge: fiddle soft, voice close] First frost came early and the apples turned to wine We pressed what we could gather from the border line Buyer drove past waving like the land had always been his We raised a cloudy jar and we did not make a wish [Verse 3] Now the press sits cold and the barn door hangs loose I still check the screw like a man looking for an excuse Grief is not the orchard gone, grief is the afternoon You almost hear him humming underneath the tune [Final Chorus] Cider press, cider press Iron and a wheel Cider press, cider press Tell me what is real Who gets to turn the screw when the orchard is a ghost Who gets the first sweet taste and who needs it the most Cider press, cider press Sitting in the shade Cider press, cider press All the love we made Pour into a bucket that we pass around the floor One more season humming like it did before [Outro: mandolin, fiddle fade] Screw still turns if you lean your weight in Barn still smells like October under the tin
