Tonight I find it hard to sleep
each sound and squeak i hear
keeps me staring at the ceiling

Oh it's dark as night outside
and i can't stand
the quiet that it brings me

and i got too much on my mind
i think it's time to take a drive
and leave it all behind

i've got a song that's halfway there
i think it needs the ocean air
i'm gonna grab my guitar
and get in my car

oh, i need some understanding
i need a little love
gonna speed down to the oceanside
in a race with the stars above

with my guitar in hand
i sit down in the sand
i can see the sun is coming

courage fill and crack the sky
with purple silver and golden light
join the day from night

on the shoreline a fisherman
with the bait on his line and a rod in his hand
is ready to greet the day

he turns around to notice me
and the two of us are patiently
waiting for the suns rays

i just need some understanding
and a little love
and somehow i am thinking now
i can get what i've been dreaming of...

but this fisherman is closing in
i think he could be crazy
he says, "would you ride with me, ohhh
i could use the company
i got a fish to catch
and you have got a song to sing."

his eyes are wide as the boat would sway
oh would you like to say you have my attention
see i cannot hear to write your song
but you don't have too long
to show me what you're working with

i like to give you just a little somethin'
and you may think it's nothing on first listen
in the time it takes for you to make love,
you can break love
waste love
and throw it all away...

but all you need is faith
and hope will bring a brighter day
and every time you love
let it lift someone else up

if someone tries to burn you
give him your hand and turn and pick him up
when he's all alone

now if you find yourself getting frustrated
try not to get too jaded
or you could go insane, like me

and tell your man you must be crazy
your m.o. is lazy when it comes to love
if every failure and turning tide
i toss the blue moon rays
but it never comes back to me

so have some faith, you say

and hope will find its way
well i doubt what you're sure of
and it seems to me the greatest of these is love

but it's so hard to love...
we were sitting on his boat
our backs to each other
he was giving me a little time
and all that he said
was hurting my head
wondering how to leave the selfishness behind

all that i could say
is that it's so hard to love...
the way that You always do

i stepped off the boat and thanked the man
not sure what i was thankful for
when i turned back around to see him again
he was already gone

walking back from the water to my guitar
that's when the light came on
i knew what he was talking about
i know how to finish my song

LORD, i just need some understanding,
i need a little love
and i want to sing this song to somebody
who does what they're made of

Oh, we need some understanding
We all need love...