[Intro: female, soft drawl] You left your coat on the porch rail, sugar Rain took the shape of your sleeve [Verse 1: female] I keep your key by the sugar jar Beside the bills and a chipped teacup The screen door knocks when the wind turns hard Like you got tired of giving up [Male: low rumbling] Down by the levee, the black mud knows Every boot print, every lie You made a promise under the cypress Then watched it sink when the water climbed [Chorus: female lead, gospel choir] Come back crooked, come back slow Past the cane rows, past the cold I can forgive what I can’t explain Just don’t leave me talking to the rain [Male chant] Talk to the rain! [Verse 2: female] Your photograph curls by the kitchen flame Your Sunday grin still cuts like tin I hear the ferris wheel call your name When the county fair lets the night roll in [Male: low rumbling] I wore my Sunday shoes in the dust Had a whole damn sermon in my chest But the preacher’s gone and the band packed up And the devil keeps the change from the jukebox [Chorus: female lead, gospel choir] Come back crooked, come back slow Past the cane rows, past the cold I can forgive what I can’t explain Just don’t leave me talking to the rain [Bridge: female and male call-and-response] [Female] If you’re still out there, say my name [Male] The river keeps it, the river keeps it [Female] If you’re still breathing, take the blame [Male] The river keeps it, the river keeps it [Choir] Bring that lost one home again [Final Chorus: full choir, duet] [Female] Come back crooked, come back slow [Male] Past the cane rows, past the cold [Female] I can forgive what I can’t explain [Both] Just don’t leave me talking to the rain [Outro: female, soft drawl] Your key’s still here by the sugar jar The porch light’s on. The road is dark.
