If Not Now... - Tracy Chapman

I hitched a ride with my soul by the side of the road Just as the sky turned black I took a walk with my fame down memory lane I never did find my way back You know that I gotta say time's slipping away And what will it hold for me? What am I gonna do while I'm looking at you? You're standing, ignoring me I thought that I heard someone say now There's no time for running away now Hey now, hey now! Feel no shame, 'cause time's no chain Feel no shame The first thing I saw as I walked through the door Was a sign on the wall that read: It said you might never know that I want you to know What is written inside of your head And time as it stands won't be held in my hands Or living inside of my skin And as it fell from the sky I asked myself "why, Can I never let anyone in?" I thought that I heard someone say now There's no time for running away now Hey now, hey now! Feel no shame, 'cause time's no chain Feel no shame Feel no shame, 'cause time's no chain Feel no shame I hitched a ride with my soul by the side of the road Just as the sky turned black I took a walk with my fame down memory lane I never did find my way back You know that I gotta say time's slipping away And what will it hold for me? What am I gonna do while I'm looking at you? You're standing, ignoring me I thought that I heard someone say now There's no time for running away now Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now Feel no shame, 'cause time's no chain Feel no shame, 'cause time's no chain Feel no shame, 'cause time's no chain Feel no shame

Rows and flows of angel hair And ice cream castles in the air And feather canyons everywhere I've looked at clouds that way But now they only block the sun They rain and snow on everyone So many things I would have done But clouds got in my way I've looked at clouds from both sides now From up and down, and still somehow It's cloud illusions, I recall I really don't know clouds At all Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels The dizzy dancin' way you feel As every fairy tale comes real I've looked at love that way But now it's just another show You leave 'em laughin' when you go And if you care, don't let them know Don't give yourself away I've looked at love from both sides now From give and take, and still somehow It's love's illusions, I recall I really don't know love At all Tears and fears and feelin' proud To say "I love you" right out loud Dreams and schemes and circus crowds I've looked at life that way But now old friends, they're actin' strange They shake their heads, they say I've changed Well, something's lost, but something's gained In livin' every day I've looked at life from both sides now From win and lose and still somehow It's life's illusions, I recall I really don't know life I've looked at life from both sides now From up and down and still somehow It's life's illusions, I recall I really don't know life At all

A vacation in a foreign land Uncle Sam does the best he can You're in the army now Oh, oh, you're in the army now Now you remember what the draftsman said Nothing to do all day but stay in bed You're in the army now Oh, oh, you're in the army now You'll be the hero of the neighbourhood Nobody knows that you left for good You're in the army now Oh, oh, you're in the army now Smiling faces as you wait to land But once you get there no one gives a damn You're in the army now Oh, oh, you're in the army now Hand grenades flying over your head Missile rounds flying over your head If you want to survive get out of bed You're in the army now Oh, oh, you're in the army now Shots ring out in the dead of night The sergeant calls (Stand up and fight) You're in the army now Oh, oh, you're in the army now You're in the army now Oh, oh, you're in the army now You've got your orders better shoot on sight Your finger's on the trigger But it don't seem right You're in the army now Oh, oh, you're in the army now You're in the army now Oh, oh, you're in the army now Night is falling and you just can't see Is this illusion or reality You're in the army now Oh, oh, you're in the army In the army now You're in the army now Oh, oh, you're in the army In the army now You're in the army now Oh, oh you're in the army now You're in the army now

Trying hard now It's so hard now Trying hard now Oh, he's ready Gonna make a move, yeah Oh, he's ready And makin' moves, yeah Yeah, yeah Getting strong now Won't be long now Getting strong now Gonna fly now Flying high now Gonna fly, fly

Hush, hush Don't say a word The faint cries can hardly be heard A storm lies beyond the horizon, barely Don't stop Sweep through the days Like children that can't stay awake Stay here untainted and say Stay while the melody's sung Break like a wave on the run I do be sure I can't say anymore I just know that it won't last forever Rush, rush Take me away Like hourglass sand that never escapes Stars are born and then die, but carefree A small clock that ticks without time And watched by an ocean of eyes Ending, ascending and then Stay while the melody's sung Break like a wave on the run I do be sure I can't say anymore I just know that it won't last I just know that it won't last forever

Te vi, me viste, al principio fue una broma Luego la verdad se asoma Intercambiamos sonrisas Pasó algún tiempo, poco menos de una hora Y por debajo de la mesa Tu tacón tocó mi bota Fue más sencillo que hacer la tabla del uno y a la hora del desayuno Ya sabía que te amaba A las semanas de iniciar con la aventura Se nos hizo miel la luna y un concierto pa Tijuana Era prohibido, era imposible, pero hicimos lo que se nos dio la gana Después de eso nos veíamos casi a diario Nuestro amigo el calendario Nos dio 400 citas De tanto amarnos nos volvimos dos extraños No sé quién toma hoy tu mano Ni tú, dónde estoy ahorita Fue más sencillo que hacer la tabla del uno y a la hora del desayuno Ya sabía que te amaba A las semanas de iniciar con la aventura Se nos hizo miel la luna y un concierto pa Tijuana Era prohibido, era imposible, pero hicimos lo que se nos dio la gana, yeh-hey Pasando el tiempo, analizando la ruptura, la versión que tiene el lobo No es la de Caperucita De tanto amarnos, nos volvimos dos extraños No sé quién toma hoy tu mano, ni tú, dónde estoy ahorita Seguramente pa la otra que nos veamos repitamos Lo de la primera cita, yeah, eh-eh-eh-eh Uh, mmh-mmh-mmh, mmh

Miras con tanta dulzura, hermosa criatura Tú mi bello ángel que cayó del cielo Soy un simple pobre diablo que corrió con suerte Que logró obtenerte por obra divina Pues en cada esquina te busqué Solo tú eres la persona La que me ilusiona, la que me emociona Por ti pierdo el rumbo y en cada segundo Me voy de este mundo con sentirte a ti Entre el cielo y el infierno Solo hay un espacio, solo hay un abismo Es que yo pierdo el ritmo cuando me abandonas Y me quedo solo, solo sin ti Viniste a reconformarme, a rehabilitarme Tú mi bello ángel, yo estaba perdido Siento que después de ti yo soy otra persona Ya no me conozco, ¿qué paso conmigo? Por eso te digo que tú Solo tú eres la persona La que me ilusiona, la que me emociona Por ti pierdo el rumbo y en cada segundo Me voy de este mundo con sentirte a ti Entre el cielo y el infierno Solo hay un espacio, solo hay un abismo Es que yo pierdo el ritmo cuando me abandonas Y me quedo solo, solo sin ti Solo tú eres la persona La que me ilusiona, la que me emociona Por ti pierdo el rumbo y en cada segundo Me voy de este mundo con sentirte a ti Entre el cielo y el infierno Solo hay un espacio, solo hay un abismo Es que yo pierdo el ritmo cuando me abandonas Y me quedo solo, solo sin ti

Compa ¿Qué le parece esa morra? La que anda bailando sola Me gusta pa' mí Bella Ella sabe que está buena Que todos andan mirándola cómo baila Me acerco Y le tiro todo un verbo Tomamos tragos sin peros solo tentación Le dije "Voy a conquistar tu familia" Que en unos días, vas a ser mía Me dijo Que estoy muy loco, pero le gusta Que ningún vato como yo actúa Ahí te va mija Y pura doble P viejo Así no más compa Pedro puro Eslabón Armado A las plebitas (cha-chau) No soy Un vato que tiene varo Pero hablando del corazón Te cumplo todo Me agarro Pegadito de su mano Mi compa ni se la creyó Que al pasar fui yo Su cuerpo Juro por Dios, que era tan perfecta Su cintura como modelo Sus ojos Desde el principio me enamoraron A ella le gusto Y a mí me gusta

You got a fast car I want a ticket to anywhere Maybe we make a deal Maybe together we can get somewhere Any place is better Startin' from zero, got nothing to lose Maybe we'll make something Me, myself, I got nothing to prove You got a fast car I got a plan to get us out of here I been working at the convenience store Managed to save just a little bit of money Won't have to drive too far Just across the border and into the city You and I can both get jobs Finally see what it means to be living See, my old man's got a problem He lives with the bottle, that's the way it is He says his body's too old for working His body's too young to look like his Mama went off and left him She wanted more from life than he could give I said, "somebody's got to take care of him" So I quit school and that's what I did You got a fast car Is it fast enough so we can fly away? Still gotta make a decision Leave tonight, or live and die this way So, I remember when we were driving, driving in your car Speed so fast, I felt like I was drunk City lights lay out before us And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder And I, I, had a feeling that I belonged I, I, had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone You got a fast car We go cruisin', entertain ourselves You still ain't got a job So I work in a market as a checkout girl I know things will get better You'll find work and I'll get promoted We'll move out of the shelter Buy a bigger house, live in the suburbs So, I remember when we were driving, driving in your car Speed so fast, I felt like I was drunk City lights lay out before us And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder And I, I, had a feeling that I belonged I, I, had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone You got a fast car I got a job that pays all our bills You stay out drinking late at the bar See more of your friends than you do of your kids I'd always hoped for better Thought maybe together you and me would find it I got no plans, I ain't going nowhere So take your fast car and keep on driving So, I remember when we were driving, driving in your car Speed so fast, I felt like I was drunk City lights lay out before us And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder And I, I, had a feeling that I belonged I, I, had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone You got a fast car Is it fast enough so you can fly away? You still gotta make a decision Leave tonight, or live and die this way