Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

Calico Plains Lyrics by Pam Tillis

Mandolin Rain

1994

Sweet Abilena looks out at the midwestern sky
Sweet seventeen with a faraway look in her eyes
She said, "I feel like a bird in a cage
But come September I'm flying away"
I said, "I'm gonna miss you" then I made her promise to write
Since we were tall as the corn in the spring
We shared every secret, shared every dream
So anxious to grow in the new summer rain
And bloom like a rose on the calico plains
How could she hear as we laughed on that warm summer night
The tiny heart of the baby she carried inside
I stood beside her when September came
Watched her get married and caught the bouquet
And like those hand me down dresses she gave me
I made her dreams mine
From a seat by the window on wings made of steel
I stared at the patchwork over the fields
Where young tears that once fell like warm summer rain
Were turning to snow on the calico plains
Sweet Abilena looks out at the midwestern sky
Closer to thirty but farther away in her eyes
She holds her babies like she holds her dreams
Each night she kisses and rocks them to sleep while
She reads the letters she makes me promise to write
Sweet Abliena looks out at the midwestern sky
Credits
Pam Tillis

Pam Tillis

About “Calico Plains” by Pam Tillis

Read the complete lyrics to "Calico Plains" by Pam Tillis from the album "Mandolin Rain" in 1994. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Country.

"Calico Plains" is performed by Pam Tillis. from the album "Mandolin Rain" in 1994 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Calico Plains", explore more songs by Pam Tillis using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Pam Tillis · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Calico Plains" is credited to Pam Tillis. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Calico Plains" appears on "Mandolin Rain" in 1994.

Visit the Pam Tillis artist page at /artist/pam-tillis for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.