Sign O' The Times – English Lyrics

• By: Prince
• Album: Sign O' The Times

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the English language through Prince's 'Sign O' The Times,' a song that masterfully uses stark, direct language to comment on complex social issues. This track is special because it demonstrates how powerful and evocative simple vocabulary can be when paired with a compelling rhythm and a clear message. By listening, you can learn how to articulate profound observations about the world around you in a concise and impactful way.

[English]

Oh yeah

...

In France a skinny man

Died of a big disease with a little name

By chance his girlfriend came across a needle

And soon she did the same

At home there are seventeen year old boys

And their idea of fun

Is being in a gang called the Disciples

High on crack, totin' a machine gun

...

Time, times

Hurricane Annie ripped the ceiling off a church

And killed everyone inside

You turn on the telly and every other story

Is tellin' you somebody died

Sister killed her baby 'cause she couldn't afford to feed it

And we're sending people to the moon

In September my cousin tried reefer for the very first time

Now he's doing horse, it's June

...

Times, times

It's silly, no?

When a rocket ship explodes

And everybody still wants to fly

Some say a man ain't happy

Unless a man truly dies

Oh why

Time, time

Baby make a speech, Star Wars fly

Neighbors just shine it on

But if a night falls and a bomb falls

Will anybody see the dawn?

Time, times

It is silly, no?

When a rocket blows

And everybody still wants to fly

Some say a man ain't happy, truly

Until a man truly dies

Oh why, oh why, Sign o' the Times

...

Time, time

...

Sign o' the Times, mess with your mind

Hurry before it's too late

Let's fall in love, get married, have a baby

We'll call him Nate, if it's a boy

...

Time, times

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
died /daɪd/ A2	verb - to stop living
disease /dɪˈziːz/ B2	noun - an illness that affects people, animals, or plants
needle /ˈniːdl/ A2	noun - a small, thin piece of metal with a point at one end and a hole at the other
gang /ɡæŋ/ B1	noun - a group of people who spend time together
machine /məˈʃiːn/ B1	noun - a tool or device that uses power to do work
hurricane /ˈhʌrɪkeɪn/ C1	noun - a very violent tropical storm
telly /ˈteli/ B1	noun - (British) television
rocket /ˈrɒkɪt/ B1	noun - a vehicle shaped like a tube that is powered by a rocket engine
shine /ʃaɪn/ A2	verb - to give off bright light
bomb /bɒm/ B2	noun - a device or object that explodes
dawn /dɔːn/ B1	noun - the first light of day
mind /maɪnd/ B1	noun - the part of a person that thinks, feels, and knows
late /leɪt/ A2	adjective - after the expected or usual time
love /lʌv/ A2	noun - a strong feeling of affection
married /ˈmærid/ B1	adjective - having a spouse
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A1	noun - a very young child