When Rita Leaves

She left a lipstick letter on the mirror shattered on the bathroom floor

All I could put back together was never see me no more

Took all her clothes but one red dress, the one she knows I like the best

All I could do was clean up the mess and wonder where she'd gone

I had a sky-blue, rag top Mustang, a 1964

She drove it off into the night till it just wouldn't go no more

She caught a ride on into town, bought some gas and laid the top down

Then she burned that pony to the ground on the desert in new Mexico

When Rita leaves, Rita's gone

She gave me every chance a man could want

I've never known a love so strong

Or so crazy when she's been done wrong

When Rita leaves, Rita's gone

I put a call into her mamasita back in El Paso

She said she got the story from Rita on her way to Mexico

Her mama knew I was takin' it hard, said she was sorry about my car

She said, "You're lucky all she broke was your heart

You better just let her go"

When Rita leaves, Rita's gone

She gave me every chance a man could want

I've never known a love so strong

Or so crazy when she's been done wrong

When Rita leaves, Rita's gone

She never gave me a chance to explain

Well I guess it doesn't much matter now anyway

When Rita leaves, Rita's gone

When Rita leaves, Rita's gone