The Ballad of the Devil and Death

There is a great song from the Argentine rock band La renga that is called "La Balada del Diablo y la Muerte". The song contains such a beautiful poetry and story that I've decided it was unfair that it was unknown to the rest of the world. Here is my best shot at a translation -with some liberties taken. Hope you enjoy it!

The Ballad of the Devil and Death

The Devil stood in the corner of my 'hood,

that spot where the wind turns and crosscuts meet;

and beside him stood Death, sipping whisky from a jar;

they scornfully looked at me

out of the corner of their eye

and quietly gave some chuckles out.

And I waited across that autumn street

for someone I no longer remember

through that chilly night,

that found me awake once more.

And thus I heard Death’s muttered words:

“For so long he’s wriggled out

as a rat among wild beasts,

and yet, now it’d be so smooth,

taking a new lamb, merely

by crossing the street.”

I then hid within the fog

and searched among the shadows

for the face that -I then found out-

would never come around.

With the last hope of redemption

I crossed the street as a shaky leaf

and decided to face them both.

“They’ve stood me up”, I said

and asked for light to share a smoke.

Under some yellow tree, we

drank and slacked around;

they told me about their lives,

their triumphs and misadventures;

that the World had gone insane

and even Heaven had been bought.

And even more frightened from them

I stood aghast at Men.

I no longer waited for him

but among the laughter of the coven

Death and the Devil slowly turned my friends;

where the wind turns and crosscuts meet,

that spot in the corner of my 'hood.

Here is the song:

(Perdón si esto enojó a algun fan de La Renga, hubo la mejor intención)