The Aristocracy of the Neighborhood

La Aristocracia Del Barrio

Between the bar and the bowling alleyEntre el bar y la bolera
They roam the sidewalksRondan las aceras
Keeping an eye on the neighborhood from a cornerControlando el barrio desde una esquina
With a gem on their fingerEn el índice una alhaja
Hair slicked backEl pelo a navaja
Splashing shoe polish and hair gelSalpicando betún y brillantina

Hear them whistlingÓigalos silbar
They seem to beParecen estar
Waiting for you, neighborEsperándole, vecino
To playPara jugar
A one-on-one with the localsUn mano a mano a los chinos

They are the aristocracy of the neighborhoodSon la aristocracia del barrio
The best of each houseLo mejor de cada casa
Soaking up the sun in the plazaTomando el Sol en la plaza

They have an elderly motherTienen a la madre anciana
A virgin sisterVirgen a la hermana
And on the Ramblas, one who's in the knowY en las Ramblas una que es del asunto
A father who passed away one dayUn padre que murió un día
And the philosophyY la filosofía
Of the rug, the buddy, and the pointDel tapete, el compañero y el punto

Watch him dodgeMírelo burlar
Without batting an eyeSin pestañear
Born cocky and with no cureNació chulo y sin remedio
Asking for sixPide con seis
And standing firm at two and a halfY se planta en dos y medio

They are the aristocracy of the neighborhoodSon la aristocracia del barrio
Gamblers, superstitiousTahúres, supersticiosos
Charlatans and proudCharlatanes y orgullosos

They deal in transistorsTrafican en transistores
LightersEn encendedores
Cosmetics and costume jewelryEn cosméticos y en bisutería
Until a partner's shoutHasta que el cante de un socio
Closes the businessLes cierra el negocio
At least for six months and a dayComo poco por seis meses y un día

Just like they leaveIgual que se van
They'll reappearReaparecerán
Dressed to the nines, butHechos un figurín, pero
With the colorCon el color
And the scent of the bagY el perfume del talego

They are the aristocracy of the neighborhoodSon la aristocracia del barrio
Independent renegadesTránsfugas independientes
Making the present betterMejorando a los presentes

If you follow their stepsSi les sigue usted los pasos
You'll see more than one caseVerá más de un caso
At the door of a courthouseQue en la puerta de un Juzgado de Guardia
For the lady and the little guyPor la hembra y el retaco
They'll even leave their smokesDeja hasta el tabaco
And dig through the claims in La VanguardiaY hurga en las demandas de La Vanguardia

They'll grow oldEnvejecerán
Baking breadHorneando pan
Everyone dies in their own wayCada cual muere a su modo
What can you do?Qué se va a hacer
There has to be people for everythingHa de haber gente para todo

And the aristocracy of the neighborhoodY la aristocracia del barrio
Sentimental and goodSentimentales y buenos
In the bar, they miss youEn el bar le echa de menos