Standard (EADGBE)

2x

 The song came and went,

 like the times that we spent,

 hiding out from the rain under the carnival tent

Happen she d smile,

 it would last for awhile,

 you don't know what you got, till you lose it all again

Listen to the mandolin rain,

 listen to the music on the lake;

 listen to my heart break, every time she runs away

Listen to the banjo wind,

 a sad song drifting low,

 listen to the tears roll, down my face as she turns to go

 A cool evening dance,

 listening to the bluegrass band takes the chill

 from the air, till they play the last song

I'll do my time,

 keeping you off my mind;

 but there's moments that I find, I'm not feeling too strong

Listen to the mandolin rain,

 listen to the music on the lake;

 listen to my heart break, every time she runs away

Listen to the banjo wind,

 a sad song drifting low,

 listen to the tears roll, down my face as she turns to go

Running down by the lakeshore,

 she did love the sound of a summer storm

Playing on the lake like a mandolin,

 now it's washing her away once again

Solo

 The boat's steaming in,

 I watch the side wheel spin, and

 I think about her when I hear the whistle blow

I can't change my mind,

 I knew all the time that she'd go;

 but that's a choice I made long ago

Listen to the mandolin rain,

 listen to the music on the lake;

 listen to my heart break every time she runs away

Listen to the banjo wind,

 a sad song drifting low;

 listen to the tears roll, down my face as she turns to go

 As she turns to go

 Listen to, listen to the mandolin rain

 Listen to the tears roll, down my face as she turns to go

 Listen to the tears roll, down my face as she turns to go

 Listen to, listen to the mandolin rain