For Taking the Trouble

For taking the trouble, for hanging on and tryin'
Now you've been working through the rubble of a shattered mind

Yeah Baby, tell me why the tears are falling from your eye
Tears of laughter, tears of grief, are they the tears of a captured thief?

You thought that you were home free, thought you had her well in hand
But there were things about her you didn't understand

Yeah Baby, tell me how you're gonna keep that promise now?
To live your life without regret and make it work with what you get

You didn't then, but now you know
When she began to lie-you really should have let her go

You're learnin' how to talk about it, you're learnin' how to bend
It's like you're learning how to walk all over again

Yeah Baby, tell me who you're gonna give your lovin' to?
That girl who catches every eye
Or the one you can set your compass by

You set it by her soulful smile
The fire in her eye
And the way she goes that extra mile
The love you wanted this to be
Is somewhere down the line
You'll find her eventually

Your grandma and her grandma
Sittin' 'round heaven discussin' the law
Lovin' that girl was not your crime,
Livin' without her gonna take some time
Lovin' that girl next thing you knew,
You'd turned away from the thing you do
Lovin' that girl, you couldn't see
Living without her gonna make you free

Words and Music by Jackson Browne
(Swallow Turn Music, ASCAP)