Released: April 1, 1986

Songwriter: John Hornsby Bruce Hornsby

Producer: Elliot Scheiner Bruce Hornsby

[Verse 1]
The song came and went
Like the times that we spent
Hiding out from the rain under the carnival tent
I laughed and she'd smile
It would last for awhile
You don't know what you've got till you lose it all again

[Chorus]
Listen to the mandolin rain
Listen to the music on the lake
Oh, listen to my heart break every time she runs away
Oh, listen to the banjo wind
A sad song drifting low
Listen to the tears roll
Down my face as she turns to go

[Verse 2]
A cool evening dance
Listenin' to the bluegrass band takes the chill
From the air until they play the last song
I'll do my time
Oh, keeping you off my mind but there's moments
That I find, I'm not feeling so strong

[Chorus]
Listen to the mandolin rain
Listen to the music on the lake
Ah, listen to my heart break every time she runs away
Oh, listen to the banjo wind
A sad song drifting low
Listen to the tears roll
Down my face as she turns to go

[Bridge]
Runnin' down by the lakeshore
She did love the sound of a summer storm
It played on the lake like a mandolin
Now it's washing her away once again...whoa, again

[Piano Solo]

[Verse 3]
The boat's steaming in
Oh, I watch the sidewheel spin
And I think about her when I hear that whistle blow
I can't change my mind
Oh, I knew all the time that she'd go
But that's a choice I made long ago

[Chorus]
Listen to the mandolin rain
Listen to the music on the lake
Ah, listen to my heart break every time she runs away
Oh, 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 the...listen to the mandolin rain

[Outro]
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
Ooohhh
Listen to the mandolin rain