I guess you have to have a problem if you want to invent a contraption

First you cause a train wreck, then they put me in traction

Well first came an action and then a reactionBut you can′t switch 'em round for your own satisfaction

Well you burned my house down then got mad at my reaction

Well in every complicated situation of a human relation

Makin′ sense of it all takes a whole lot of concentration

Well you can't blame a baby for her pregnant ma

And if there's one of these unavoidable laws

It′s that you just can′t take the effect and make it the cause

No

Well you can't take the effect and make it the cause

I didn′t rob a bank because you made up the law

Blame me for robbin' Peter, but don′t you blame Paul

Can't take the effect and make it the cause

I ain′t the reason that you gave me no reason to return your call

You built a house of cards and got shocked when you saw them fall

Yeah, well I ain't sayin' I′m innocent, in fact the reverse

But if you′re headed to the grave, you don't blame the hearse

You′re like a little girl yelling at her bother 'cause you lost his ball

Yeah

Well you keep blaming me for what you did but that ain′t all

The way you clean up a wreck is enough to give one pause, yes

Well you seem to forget just how this all started

I'm reactin′ to you because you left me broken-hearted

See you just can't take the effect and make it the cause

Well you can't take the effect and make it the cause

I didn′t rob a bank because you made up the law

Blame me for robbin′ Peter, but don't you blame Paul

Can′t take the effect and make it the cause