Rain on the scarecrowjohn cougar mellencampscarecrow on a wooden cross blackbird in the barnfour hundred empty acres that used to be my farmi grew up like my daddy did my grandpa cleared this landwhen i was five i walked the fence while grandpa held my handrain on the scarecrow blood on the plowthis land fed a nation this land made me proudand son i'm just sorry there's no legacy for you nowrain on the scarecrow blood on the plowrain on the scarecrow blood on the plowthe crops we grew last summer weren't enough to pay the loanscouldn't buy the seed to plant this spring and the farmers bank foreclosedcalled my old friend schepman up to auction off the landhe said john it's just my job and i hope you understandhey calling it your job ol' hoss sure don't make it rightbut if you want me to i'll say a prayer for your soul tonightand grandma's on the front porch swing with a bible in her handsometimes i hear her singing "take me to the promised land"when you take away a man's dignity he can't work his fields and cowsthere'll be blood on the scarecrow blood on the plowblood on the scarecrow blood on the plowwell there's ninety-seven crosses planted in the courthouse yardninety-seven families who lost ninety-seven farmsi think about my grandpa and my neighbors and my nameand some nights i feel like dyin' like that scarecrow in the rainrain on the scarecrow blood on the plowthis land fed a nation this land made me proudand son i'm just sorry they're just memories for you nowrain on the scarecrow blood on the plowrain on the scarecrow blood on the plowrain on the scarecrow blood on the plowthis land fed a nation this land made me proudand son i'm just sorry they're just memories for you nowrain on the scarecrow blood on the plowrain on the scarecrow blood on the plow