(from the album rubaiyat: elektra's 40th anniversary; performed by jackson browne with david lindley)



First girl I loved--

Time has come I will sing the sad goodbye song

When I was seventeenI used to know you

And I haven't seen you now in so many years

And the last time I saw you

You said you joined the church of jesus

But me I remember your long red hair

Falling in our faces as I kissed you



I just want you to know I just had to go

I just want you to know I just had to grow

And you're probably married now

With a house and car and all

And you turned into a grown-up female stranger

If I was lyin' by you nowI wouldn't be here at all



Well we parted so hard

Me rushing 'round new york with a guitar

Making love to people I didn't even like to see

And I still sometimes think of you

As I lay here in the six at morning

And in the lonely midnight

I've got to hold your face before me



I just want you to know I just had to go

I just want you to know I just had to grow

And you're probably married now

With kids and all

And you turned into a grown-up female stranger

If I was lyin' by you nowI'd just have to fall



And I never slept with you

Though we must have made love a thousand times

'cause we were just young

Didn't have no place to go



I just want you to know I just had to go

I just want you to know I just had to grow

So it's goodbye first love

And I hope you're fine

I have a sweet woman

Maybe someday she'll have babies by me

(she pretty)

She's a true friend of mine