These Days – English Lyrics

• By: Bon Jovi

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the poignant narrative of Bon Jovi's 'These Days,' a song that delves into the realities of adulthood and societal issues. Through its compelling lyrics and blend of rock and soul elements, this track offers a unique opportunity to understand the language of introspection and social commentary in music.

[English]

(GENTLE MUSIC)

♪ I WAS WALKING AROUND, JUST A FACE IN THE CROWD ♪

♪ TRYING TO KEEP MYSELF OUT OF THE RAIN ♪

♪ SAW A VAGABOND KING WEAR A STYROFOAM CROWN ♪

♪ WONDERED IF I MIGHT END UP THE SAME ♪

♪ THERE'S A MAN OUT ON THE CORNER ♪

♪ SINGING OLD SONGS ABOUT CHANGE ♪

♪ EVERYBODY'S GOT THEIR CROSS TO BEAR THESE DAYS ♪

♪ SHE CAME LOOKING FOR SOME SHELTER ♪

♪ WITH A SUITCASE FULL OF DREAMS ♪

♪ TO A MOTEL ROOM ON THE BOULEVARD ♪

♪ I GUESS SHE'S TRYING TO BE JAMES DEAN ♪

♪ SHE'S SEEN ALL THE DISCIPLES AND ALL THE WANNABES ♪

♪ NO ONE WANTS TO BE THEMSELVES THESE DAYS ♪

♪ STILL, THERE'S NOTHING TO HOLD ON TO BUT THESE DAYS ♪

♪ THESE DAYS, THE STARS HANG OUT OF REACH ♪

♪ THESE DAYS, THERE AIN'T A LADDER ON THE STREETS ♪

♪ OH, NO, NO ♪

♪ THESE DAYS ARE FAST, NOTHING LASTS ♪

♪ IN THIS GRACELESS AGE ♪

♪ THERE AIN'T NOBODY LEFT BUT US THESE DAYS ♪

♪ JIMMY SHOES, HE BUSTED BOTH HIS LEGS ♪

♪ TRYING TO LEARN TO FLY ♪

♪ FROM A SECOND STORY WINDOW ♪

♪ HE JUST JUMPED AND CLOSED HIS EYES ♪

♪ HIS MAMA SAID HE WAS CRAZY ♪

♪ HE SAID, MAMA, I'VE GOTTA TRY ♪

♪ DON'T YOU KNOW THAT ALL MY HEROES DIED ♪

♪ AND I GUESS I'D RATHER DIE THAN FADE AWAY ♪

♪ YEAH ♪

♪ THESE DAYS, THE STARS HANG OUT OF REACH ♪

♪ YEAH ♪

♪ BUT THESE DAYS, THERE AIN'T A LADDER ON THE STREETS ♪

♪ OH, NO, NO ♪

♪ THESE DAYS ARE FAST, NOTHING LASTS ♪

♪ IT'S A GRACELESS AGE ♪

♪ EVEN INNOCENCE HAS CAUGHT THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN ♪

♪ THERE AIN'T NOBODY LEFT BUT US THESE DAYS ♪

♪ I KNOW ROME'S STILL BURNING ♪

♪ THOUGH THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED ♪

♪ THIS WORLD KEEPS TURNING ROUND ♪

♪ AND ROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND THESE DAYS ♪

♪ THESE DAYS, THE STARS HANG OUT OF REACH ♪

♪ YEAH ♪

♪ BUT THESE DAYS, THERE AIN'T A LADDER ON THE STREETS ♪

♪ OH, NO, NO ♪

♪ THESE DAYS ARE FAST, NOTHING LASTS ♪

♪ THERE AIN'T NO TIME TO WASTE ♪

♪ THERE AIN'T NOBODY LEFT TO TAKE THE BLAME ♪

♪ OH, NO, NO ♪

♪ THERE AIN'T NOBODY LEFT BUT US THESE DAYS ♪

♪ AIN'T NOBODY LEFT BUT US THESE DAYS ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
vagabond /vəˈɡæbɒnd/ C1	noun - a person who wanders from place to place without a settled home
styrofoam /ˈstaɪrəˌfoʊm/ B2	noun - lightweight, foamed plastic material, often used for cups or packaging
crown /kraʊn/ A2	noun - a decorative headpiece worn by a monarch
cross /krɒs/ B1	noun - a shape consisting of two intersecting lines or bars verb - to go across or intersect
shelter /ˈʃɛltər/ B1	noun - a place that provides protection from danger or weather verb - to provide a safe place for someone
suitcase /ˈsuːtkeɪs/ A2	noun - a portable case for carrying clothes and personal items while traveling
boulevard /ˈbʊləˌvɑːrd/ B2	noun - a wide city street, often lined with trees
disciple /dɪˈsaɪpəl/ B2	noun - a follower or student of a teacher, leader, or philosophy
wannabe /ˈwɒnəˌbiː/ C1	noun - a person who aspires to be someone else or to belong to a particular group
graceless /ˈɡreɪsləs/ C1	adjective - lacking elegance, refinement, or smoothness
ladder /ˈlædər/ A2	noun - a set of rungs or steps used for climbing up or down
stars /stɑːrz/ A1	noun - luminous celestial bodies visible at night
reach /riːtʃ/ B1	verb - to extend one’s hand or effort in order to touch or obtain something noun - the distance that can be covered or the extent of something
innocence /ˈɪnəsəns/ B2	noun - the state of being free from guilt or moral wrong
midnight /ˈmɪdnaɪt/ B1	noun - the middle of the night; 12:00 am
train /treɪn/ A2	noun - a series of connected railway carriages pulled by a locomotive verb - to teach or develop a skill through practice
burning /ˈbɜːrnɪŋ/ B2	adjective - on fire; giving off heat or intense emotion
turning /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/ B1	verb - to cause to move in a circular direction or to change position
blame /bleɪm/ B2	noun - responsibility for a fault or wrong verb - to hold someone responsible for a fault or wrong

Key Grammar Structures

• I was walking around, just a face in the crowd

  ➔ Past Continuous (was/were + verb‑ing)

  ➔ The verb "was walking" shows the Past Continuous to describe an ongoing action in the past.

• Trying to keep myself out of the rain

  ➔ Present participle clause (verb‑ing) used as a modifier

  ➔ "Trying" is a present participle that adds extra information about the subject’s intention.

• There's a man out on the corner

  ➔ Existential there + be

  ➔ "There’s" (= there is) introduces the existence of "a man".

• Everyone's got their cross to bear these days

  ➔ Present perfect with "have got" for possession

  ➔ "has got" (= has) shows possession: "Everyone" possesses "a cross to bear".

• She came looking for some shelter

  ➔ Verb + present participle (came looking) indicating simultaneous actions

  ➔ "came looking" combines the past verb "came" with the present participle "looking" to show she arrived while searching.

• I guess she's trying to be James Dean

  ➔ Present continuous (is trying) after a reporting verb

  ➔ "is trying" shows an ongoing effort at the moment of speaking.

• No one wants to be themselves these days

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose after a verb of desire (wants to be)

  ➔ "to be" is the infinitive that follows "wants" and expresses the desired state.

• Jimmy shoes, he busted both his legs trying to learn to fly

  ➔ Past simple + gerund phrase (trying to learn) indicating purpose

  ➔ "busted" is past simple; "trying to learn" (gerund) explains why he busted his legs.

• Don't you know that all my heroes died

  ➔ Negative interrogative with auxiliary "do"

  ➔ "Don't you know" uses the negative auxiliary "do" to form a rhetorical question.