These Days – English Lyrics

• By: Bon Jovi

Lyrics & Translation

[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
walk /wɔːk/ A1	verb - to move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front part of the head, from the forehead to the chin
rain /reɪn/ A1	noun - water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
king /kɪŋ/ A2	noun - a male ruler of an independent state, especially one who inherits the position by right of birth
song /sɔŋ/ A2	noun - a musical composition with lyrics
shelter /ˈʃeltər/ B1	noun - a place giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger
dream /driːm/ B1	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep
trying /ˈtraɪɪŋ/ A2	verb - attempt to do something
same /seɪm/ A2	adjective - alike; not different
star /stɑːr/ A2	noun - a luminous point in the night sky
fast /fɑːst/ B1	adjective - moving or capable of moving at high speed
age /eɪdʒ/ B1	noun - a period in history or a person's life
die /daɪ/ B1	verb - to stop living
hero /ˈhiːroʊ/ B2	noun - a person admired for courage, achievements, or noble qualities
innocence /ˈɪnəsəns/ C1	noun - the state of being innocent
grace /ɡreɪs/ B2	noun - elegance or beauty of movement
waste /weɪst/ B1	noun - an act of using something carelessly or extravagantly

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.