Lyric discussion by ELight 

Cover art for That Girl Could Sing lyrics by Jackson Browne

In the first verse - I think that after the death of his wife, "she was a friend when I needed one..." refers to someone who befriended him in the difficult time...a diversion. I think that "with the possible exception of who he wanted her to be" refers to the exception of the possibility of her being his wife.

Is the last line really "that girl was sane"? Guess I'll have to listen to it again.