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Effect and Cause Lyrics by The White Stripes

Icky Thump

2007

[Verse 1]
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, mmm
Well, first came an action and then a reaction
But you can't switch 'em 'round for your own satisfaction
Well you burnt 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 lotta concentration, mmm
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
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 2]
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 saying 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 yellin' at her brother 'cause you lost his ball, yes
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 brokenhearted
See you just can't just take the effect and make it the cause
[Chorus]
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
Credits
The White Stripes

The White Stripes

About “Effect and Cause” by The White Stripes

Read the complete lyrics to "Effect and Cause" by The White Stripes from the album "Icky Thump" in 2007. 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 Pop.

"Effect and Cause" is performed by The White Stripes. from the album "Icky Thump" in 2007 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 "Effect and Cause", explore more songs by The White Stripes 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.

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Frequently asked questions

"Effect and Cause" is credited to The White Stripes. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Effect and Cause" appears on "Icky Thump" in 2007.

Visit the The White Stripes artist page at /artist/the-white-stripes for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.