The rain did fall

Songtext

[OPENING — SOLO VOICE, THEN OTHERS JOIN] well, look at that then — the rain did fall. on the cracked ol’ ground, through the dry air, across the dusty stone — the rain did fall. [REFRAIN] oh, the rain did fall, an’ we heard un on the roof, rain did fall, an’ the thirsty earth knew truth. weren’t enough to end it, weren’t enough at all — but bless what little come to us, the rain did fall. [VERSE] down by the Ouse, there’s a change in the land, wet chalk, wet grass, black earth in yer hand. Uck’s got a trickle where dust used to lie, an’ every old ditch got a watery cry. some crops be ruined, some gone brown, some never made it out the ground — but what can be gathered, we’ll gather yet, what can be saved, we wunt forget. [TURNAROUND — CALL AND RESPONSE] [LEAD:] what come down then? [ALL:] rain come down! [LEAD:] where did un fall? [ALL:] over us all! on the cracked ol’ ground, through the dry air, across the dusty stone — the rain did fall. [INSTRUMENTAL — 8 BARS] [fiddle, hand drum, acoustic guitar, foot-stomp — lively, a bit of a dance now] [SECOND REFRAIN] oh, the rain did fall, hear the gutters sing, rain did fall, put a bit o’ green in everything. drought aaint over, there’s a way to go — but every journey starts somewhere, an’ now the streams do flow. [BREAKDOWN — QUIETER, INTIMATE] old Mister Lunn looked up an’ grinned, “don’t count yer blessings till it’s soaked right in.” but even he stood out a while, rain on his coat — an’ a proper little smile. [FINAL REFRAIN — FULL COMPANY] the rain did fall! the rain did fall! on the cracked ol’ ground, through the dry air, across the dusty stone — the rain did fall! not enough yet, but enough to start, a drop for the field, an’ a lift for the heart. what can be gathered, we’ll gather it all — Sussex stood thirsty… an’ the rain did fall. [OUTRO — VOICES AND FIDDLE] rain did fall… rain did fall… not the end — just a start. rain did fall.