How can the grim reaper creep
If he really doesn't have the time?
And how long would you sleep
If the sun decided not to shine?
There's a man who lives up the block
He doesn't even own a clock
Sometimes he stays awake for days
He's doing it his own way
I used to give my friends a call
Now there's no one left at all
I think my father used to say
There's got to be a different way
To make myself feel OK
Or maybe that's just how he used to pray
And who cares how people live
If living's all they got?
And who knows how money grows?
Drop a nickel in the pot
I wrote a letter down to you
Like I'm Sullivan Ballou
It's a recipe for blue
Like it's 1862
Maybe I'm just a cast away
Or a poor boy led astray
There's no one left here to betray
The only child of the earth
Nobody left here to give birth
It's hard to tell what that's worth
I used to look up at the sky
Up at the beautiful blue sky
But now the earth has turned to gray
There's got to be a better way
To talk to God and hear her say
There are reasons why it is this way
How can the grim reaper creep
¿Cómo puede acechar la parca
If he really doesn't have the time?
Si realmente no tiene tiempo?
And how long would you sleep
¿Y cuánto dormirías
If the sun decided not to shine?
Si el sol decidiera no brillar?
There's a man who lives up the block
Hay un hombre que vive en la cuadra
He doesn't even own a clock
Ni siquiera tiene un reloj
Sometimes he stays awake for days
A veces se queda despierto durante días
He's doing it his own way
Lo está haciendo a su manera
I used to give my friends a call
Solía llamar a mis amigos
Now there's no one left at all
Ahora no queda nadie en absoluto
I think my father used to say
Creo que mi padre solía decir
There's got to be a different way
Tiene que haber una forma diferente
To make myself feel OK
Para hacerme sentir bien
Or maybe that's just how he used to pray
O tal vez así es como solía rezar
And who cares how people live
¿Y a quién le importa cómo vive la gente
If living's all they got?
Si vivir es todo lo que tienen?
And who knows how money grows?
¿Y quién sabe cómo crece el dinero?
Drop a nickel in the pot
Echa un níquel en la olla
I wrote a letter down to you
Te escribí una carta
Like I'm Sullivan Ballou
Como si fuera Sullivan Ballou
It's a recipe for blue
Es una receta para la tristeza
Like it's 1862
Como si fuera 1862
Maybe I'm just a cast away
Quizás solo soy un náufrago
Or a poor boy led astray
O un pobre chico extraviado
There's no one left here to betray
No queda nadie aquí para traicionar
The only child of the earth
El único hijo de la tierra
Nobody left here to give birth
No queda nadie aquí para dar a luz
It's hard to tell what that's worth
Es difícil decir cuánto vale eso
I used to look up at the sky
Solía mirar al cielo
Up at the beautiful blue sky
Al hermoso cielo azul
But now the earth has turned to gray
Pero ahora la tierra se ha vuelto gris
There's got to be a better way
Tiene que haber una mejor manera
To talk to God and hear her say
Para hablar con Dios y escucharla decir
There are reasons why it is this way
Hay razones por las que es así