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For a Dancer Lyrics by Jackson Browne

Late for the Sky

1974

[Verse 1]
Keep a fire burning in your eye
And pay attention to the open sky
You never know what will be coming down
I don't remember losing track of you
You were always dancing in and out of view
I must've thought you'd always be around
Always keeping things real by playing the clown
Now you're nowhere to be found

[Verse 2]
I don't know what happens when people die
Can't seem to grasp it as hard as I try
It's like a song I can hear playing right in my ear that I can't sing
I can't help listening
And I can't help feeling stupid standing 'round
Crying as they ease you down
'Cause I know that you'd rather we were dancing
Dancing our sorrow away
(Right on dancing)
No matter what fate chooses to play
(There's nothing you can do about it anyway)

[Chorus]
Just do the steps that you've been shown
By everyone you've ever known
Until the dance becomes your very own
No matter how close to yours another's steps have grown
In the end, there is one dance you'll do alone

[Verse 3]
Keep a fire for the human race
Let your prayers go drifting into space
You never know what will be coming down
Perhaps a better world is drawing near
Just as easily it could all disappear
Along with whatever meaning you might have found
Don't let the uncertainty turn you around
(The world keeps turning around and around)
Go on and make a joyful sound

[Chorus]
Into a dancer you have grown
From a seed somebody else has thrown
Go on ahead and throw some seeds of your own
And somewhere between the time you arrive and the time you go
May lie a reason you were alive, but you'll never know
Credits
Jackson Browne

Jackson Browne

About “For a Dancer” by Jackson Browne

Read the complete lyrics to "For a Dancer" by Jackson Browne from the album "Late for the Sky" in 1974. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Singer-Songwriter, USA, In English.

"For a Dancer" is performed by Jackson Browne. from the album "Late for the Sky" in 1974 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "For a Dancer", explore more songs by Jackson Browne using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Jackson Browne · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"For a Dancer" is credited to Jackson Browne. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"For a Dancer" appears on "Late for the Sky" in 1974.

Visit the Jackson Browne artist page at /artist/jackson-browne for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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