For The Sake Of The Song

Why does she sing Her sad songs for me I'm not the one To tenderly bring Her soft sympathy I've just begun To see my way clear And it's plain, If I stop I will fall I can lay down a tear For her pain, Just a tear and that's all What does she want me to do? She says that she knows That moments are rare I suppose that it's true Then on she goes To say I don't care, And she knows That I do 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 that I'm cruel But 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 plan If she could see how I feel Then I know That she'd understand Oh does she actually think I'm to blame? Does she really believe That some word of mine Can relieve All her pain? Can't she see that she grieves Just because she's been blindly deceived By her shame? Nothin's what it seems Maybe she'll start someday To realize If she abandons her dreams Then all the words she can say Are only lies When will she see That to gain Is only to lose? All that she offers me Are her chains, I got to refuse Oh but it's only to herself that she's lied She likes to pretend It's something that she must defend With her pride And I don't intend To stand her and be the friend From whom she must hide --- For the Sake of the Song - Townes Van Zandt