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