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