I guess you have to have a problem 

If you want to invent a contraption

First you cause a train wreck

Then you put me in traction 



Well, first came an action

And then a reaction

But you can't switch around

For your own satisfaction

Well, you put my house down, then got mad

At my reaction



Well, in every complicated situation

You're the human relation

Makin' sense of it all

Take a whole lot a concentration



Well, you can blame my baby

For her pregnant ma

And if there's one of these

On the order for laws

It's that 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 a law

When you people robbin' Peter

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

Well are you sayin' I'm innocent?

In fact the reverse

But if you're headin' to the grave

You don't blame the hearse 

You're like a little girl yellin' at her brother

'Cause you lost his ball



Well you keep blamin' me for what you did

And that ain't all 

The way you clean up a wreck

Is enough to get one pause

You seem to forget

Just how this song 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 



Can't take the effect

And make it the cause

I didn't rob a bank

Because you made up a law

Blame people robbin' Peter

Don't you blame Paul 

Can't take the effect

And make it the cause