G D Am C 2x
D

    G             D
The song came and went,
         Am            C
like the times that we spent,
       G            D              C            D
hiding out from the rain under the carnival tent
G            D
Happen she d smile,
         Am        C
it would last for awhile,
          G             D             C            G   D
you don't know what you got, till you lose it all again
 
C             G        C                     
Listen to the mandolin rain,
              G            D   
listen to the music on the lake;
             Am    C            G        C     G
listen to my heart break, every time she runs away
C             G     C
Listen to the banjo wind,
           G        D
a sad song drifting low,
              Am    C                         G        C  D
listen to the tears roll, down my face as she turns to go 
 
  G            D
A cool evening dance,
          Am               C              G
listening to the bluegrass band takes the chill
         D              C             G    D    
from the air, till they play the last song
G          D
I'll do my time, 
        Am         C
keeping you off my mind;
            G              D             C           G     D
but there's moments that I find, I'm not feeling too strong 
 
C             G        C                     
Listen to the mandolin rain,
              G            D   
listen to the music on the lake;
             Am    C            G        C     G
listen to my heart break, every time she runs away
C             G     C
Listen to the banjo wind,
           G        D
a sad song drifting low,
              Am    C                         G        C  D
listen to the tears roll, down my face as she turns to go 

F                   C
Running down by the lakeshore,
        D        Am         C      D
she did love the sound of a summer storm
F                          C
Playing on the lake like a mandolin,
         Am           C         D
now it's washing her away once again
 
Solo

    G               D
The boat's steaming in,
  Am                   C              
I watch the side wheel spin, and 
  G               D      C                G    D  
I think about her when I hear the whistle blow
G                 D
I can't change my mind,
  Am           C               G 
I knew all the time that she'd go;
             D             C     G  D
but that's a choice I made long ago

C             G        C                     
Listen to the mandolin rain,
              G            D   
listen to the music on the lake;
             Am    C           G        C     G
listen to my heart break every time she runs away
C             G     C
Listen to the banjo wind,
           G        D
a sad song drifting low;
              Am    C                         G        C  D
listen to the tears roll, down my face as she turns to go 
                C
As she turns to go 
                         G        C                     
Listen to, listen to the mandolin rain

              Am    C                         G        C  D
Listen to the tears roll, down my face as she turns to go
              Am    C                         G        C  D
Listen to the tears roll, down my face as she turns to go 
                         G        C                     
Listen to, listen to the mandolin rain

* Alternate: 

Capo III

G  = E
D  = B
Am = F#m
C  = A
F  = D