(originally by Townes Van Zandt)
Why does she sing these sad songs for me, I'm not the one
To tenderly bring her soft sympathy I've just begun
To see my way clear it's plain, if I stop I will fall
I can lay down a tear for her pain, a tear and that's all.
What does she want me to do?
She says that she that knows moments are rare
I suppose that it's true
And on she goes to say I don't care when she knows that I do.
Well, maybe she just has to sing, for the sake of the song
And who do I think that I am to decide that she's wrong.
She'd like to think I was cruel,
She knows that's a lie for I would be
No more than a tool
If I allowed her to cry all over me.
Oh my sorrow is real even though I can't change my plans
If she could see how I feel then I know she'd understand
Does she actually think I'm to blame?
Does she really believe that some word of mine could relieve all her pain?
Can't she see that she grieves just because she's been blindly deceived
By her shame?
Well, maybe she just has to sing, for the sake of the song
And who do I think that I am to decide that she's wrong.
I know nothings what it seems, maybe one day she'll start to realize
That if she abandons her dreams then all the words she can say are only lies
When will she see that the gain is only to lose?
All that she offers me are her chains, and I got to refuse.
But it's only to herself that she's lied
She likes to pretend it's something that she should defend, with her pride
And I don't intend to stand here and be the friend from whom she must hide.
Well, maybe she just has to sing, for the sake of the song
And who do I think that I am to decide that she's wrong.
Well, maybe she just has to sing, for the sake of the song