Townes Van Zandt - For The Sake Of The Song Lyrics
Oh, why does she sing her sad songs for me,
I'm not the one
Tenderly bring her soft sympathy
I've just begun
To see my way clear
If I stop I will fall
I can lay down a tear for her pain
Just a tear and that's all
Oh, 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,
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 I was 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
Could relieve
All her pain?
Can't she see that she grieves
Just because she's been blindly deceived
By her shame?
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
Oh but 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
Why can't she see that to gain
Is only to lose?
All that she offers me are her chains
And I got to refuse
Oh but it's only to herself that she's lied
She likes to pretend
There's something that she should defend,
With her pride
And I don't intend
To stand her and be the friend
From whom she must hide
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
Other Lyrics by Artist
- Townes Van Zandt - Highway Kind
- Townes Van Zandt - Fraulein
- Townes Van Zandt - Automobile Blues
- Townes Van Zandt - Dead Flowers
- Townes Van Zandt - Ira Hayes
- Townes Van Zandt - Gone Too Long
- Townes Van Zandt - Bw Railroad Blues
- Townes Van Zandt - Cowboy Junkies Lament
- Townes Van Zandt - Lover's Lullaby
- Townes Van Zandt - My Starter Won't Start This Morning
- Townes Van Zandt - Texas River Song
- Townes Van Zandt - The Hole
- Townes Van Zandt - Lover's Lullaby
- Townes Van Zandt - Lost Highway
- Townes Van Zandt - Dublin Blues
- Townes Van Zandt - Still Lookin' For You
- Townes Van Zandt - Cocaine
- Townes Van Zandt - Short-Haired Woman Blues
Rand Lyrics
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- Beatles, The - Julia
- Beatles, The - I've Got A Feeling
- Beatles, The - She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
- Beatles, The - Dig A Pony
- Beatles, The - Two Of Us
- Beatles, The - For You Blue
- Beatles, The - Teddy Boy
- Beatles, The - Medley: Rip It Up / Shake, Rattle And Roll / Blue Suede Shoes
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Townes Van Zandt For The Sake Of The Song Comments
This is beautiful music. I sincerely made a mistake in underestimating country music because this is one of the best songs I've heard in a long while.
This is brilliant
An absolutely stellar piece of songwriting.
I can only lay down a tear for our pain, and thank Townes for sharing his. Peace. Out.
Wordsmith of songwriting and briliant artist. RIP.
Seriously, why does this girl have to sing for the Sheik of the Thong?!
Heartbreaker of a voice....
Does anyone else relate this song to their mother?
Not this song, but I'm going to play Tower Song at my mother's funeral.
This song makes me think of a good friend's widow I tried to platonically comfort after he overdosed.
Are those bongos?
How do you have all of these bands that I like on your list? Crazy.
Who's list?
Mindbending rhyme scheme
Thanks for posting the lyrics, Dan Downing! Have you ever been to t Old Quarter Townes Annual Wake on Jan 1st in Galveston, on 20th St. Be there and take in all Towns All Night. Lots of songwriters from all over the world stop in!
Douglas Bowman holy shit thanks for this information
As good as good gets...love this tune.
Pure songwriting genius. I'm kinda glad that others don't appreciate this stuff. Imagine if the whole world gorged itself on caviar and foie gras...
He has great music composition and songwriting partterns, very special melodies.
Truly masterful songwriting. Love me some Townes. I cover this song on my channel.
i love you, townes
Happy Birthday Townes....
Magical.
In french : "une pure merveille". Great song from a damaged soul.
as life goes on, i understand the term "damaged soul" more than i care to
I only came across Townes Van Zandt in recent months, just can't get enough of him.
This and "None But the Rain" totally do it for me, but there are so many others!
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
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
My sorrow is real even though I can't change my plans
If she could see how I feel then I know that 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
Maybe she just has to sing for the sake of the song
Who do I think that I am to decide that she's wrong
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
It's only to herself that she's lied
She likes to pretend there's something that she should defend with her pride
I don't intend to stand her and be the friend from whom she must hide
Maybe she just has to sing for the sake of the song
Who do I think that I am to decide that she's wrong
Beautiful........
Can't put into words just what this song means to me. Thanks for posting.
Superb. R.
It took me 3 days, but I got that lick down! Capo 2nd fret btw. Great song, we miss you Townes.
Shane Richards Spotted you on a Blaze Foley video as well. Cheers!
Excellent writing! A woman's shame deceivers her to feel hurt by others, and she evidently takes this out on the singer. But the singer expresses acceptance that this is simply how things go: "Maybe she has to sing for the sake of the song." I think about emotional healing; we must turn toward the pain and learn that this a part of life, beautiful in its own way.
Townes is a poet
Heavyweight lyricist mate..
Was a Poet. unfortunately.
What kind of shame! It could be faults in general... Why inflicting shame into this!
SMT "can't she see that she grieves just because she's been blindly deceived by her shame"
The phrase " soft as glass" always intrigued me.
Best songwriter i've ever heard. Truly poetry inside every song!
Never heard this song before . Really interesting words written in this . Reminds me of Taxi by Harry Chaphin .
Simply beautiful songwriting. I could listen to TVZ 24 hours a day.
The most complex and interesting of his many complex and interesting
songs.