Sussex Rain Return

Lyrics

[Verse 1] The downs lie cracked and pale The sheep stand thin and still The brook runs like a thread Below the long dry hill I walked the chalk this morn With dust upon my shoe The hawthorn held its breath And every lane was blue [Pre-Chorus] O hear us now O hear us now We have waited long For the sky to bow [Chorus] Rain, come back Rain, come home Rain on the field Rain on the stone (come back) Rain, come back Rain, come down Wash the thirst From Sussex town [Verse 2] The mill wheel slept in mud The orchard leaves were curled Old men by the pub wall Spoke low of the lost world The river showed its bones By nettles on the bank We kept our mugs and hope And gave the dry days thanks [Pre-Chorus] O hear us now O hear us now We have waited long For the sky to bow [Chorus] Rain, come back Rain, come home Rain on the field Rain on the stone (come back) Rain, come back Rain, come down Wash the thirst From Sussex town [Bridge] Then first a smell of earth From over Ditchling way Then one fat drop on my hand Then three more in a wave The whole churchyard looked up The crows gave out their cry And every dry brown hedge Began to shine alive [Final Chorus] Rain, come back Rain, come home Rain on the field Rain on the stone (come back) Rain, come back Rain, come down Bless the seed And flood the ground (come down) Rain, come back Rain, come home Sussex sings And we are whole