For The Sake Of The Song Lyrics - Counting Crows

(Original by Townes Van Zandt) 

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 

eventhough 

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 here and be the friend 

from whom she must hide