15 Cuban Minutes

Sana, sana colito de rana
 Si, no sanas hoy
 Bueno sana mañana
 Mañana, mañana
 Lo que dice Havana
 Si, no paso hoy
 Paso mañana
 15 Cuban minutes
 Fairly safe to say
 Can feel more like an hour
 Or the entire day
 In the land where time means nothing
 Not hard to slip away
 El Diablo baila sábado
 Y los curas on Sunday
 15 Cuban minutes
 The end is out of sight
 So, I'll meet you by the cannon
 On the Malecón tonight
 It started in Havana
 In 1921
 On the schooner Chiquimula
 Where a party had begun
 Primer cumpleaños
 For a tiny lad at sea
 And in my heart, is still
 That faded photo of J.D.
 Signal flags were flying
 Atop the entire fleet
 What a rhumba band from Santiago
 Played the birthday boy to sleep
 That's the tale was told to me
 A seadog nursery rhyme
 And the music that was handed down
 From a long forgotten time
 15 Cuban minutes
 Can get lost in the fog
 Life's a test, just do your best
 Like a three-legged dog
 In the land where time means nothing
 You can often lose your mind
 Now place your bets, or better yet
 Just join a conga line
 15 minutes
 Can turn night into day
 They're dancin' on the tables
 Down at El Frente
 Another entry in the log
 My mind put to a test
 When we sailed with the Hemingways
 On a schooner from Key West
 They'd come to make a movie
 'Bout long forgotten times
 See old friends, drink some rum
 And visit family shrines
 So how the hell did we wind up
 Just taggin' right along
 They were lookin' for a soundtrack
 And heard one of my songs
 So I sang Havana Daydreamin'
 Just me and my guitar
 To some very stern KGB guys
 Tryin' to blend in at the bar
 So for 15 Cuban minutes
 La bodega did ignite
 Bongos y tumbadoras
 Kept us up all night
 Mojitos by the minute
 Crowd stacked at the door
 Niños, dogs and roosters
 Frolicked on the floor
 15 Cuban minutes
 Lots of give and take
 Birthdays always come and go
 But not a birthday cake
 ♪
 15 Cuban minutes
 Are easy to embrace
 No calendars or watch to wind
 No schedules to chase
 In the land where time means nothing
 This phrase it cries, delay
 Put it on a t-shirt
 And everyone will pay
 You say minutos Cubanos
 Dejace la drama
 Aqui no hay AC
 Solo la ventana
 Music makes us happy
 It's in our chromosomes
 No matter where we wander
 The music takes us home
 It started on the island
 Dispersed by sweet song birds
 Who flew north 'cross the Gulf Stream
 And everybody heard
 Now the clock just keeps on tickin'
 I hear it everywhere I go
 And I sing along in cars and bars
 Along Calles Ocho
 God bless Ricky Ricardo
 And little Ricky too
 They set my mind on island time
 How about you?
 The Greeks and the Egyptians
 Had sundials in the sand
 Now we have atomic clocks
 That measure the Big Bang
 Still I prefer the simple way
 Let's take it to the street
 More walkin' and less talkin'
 Tap time with your feet
 15 Cuban minutes
 Still stands the test of time
 Like a Salas photograph
 Or a Kenneth Patchen rhyme
 If you're looking for a launch pad
 No news just hearsay
 Don't bother with the Wi-Fi
 Fuck Siri, ask Jośe
 15 Cuban minutes
 There's no end in sight
 I'll meet you by the cannon
 On the Malecón tonight
 Sana, sana colita de rana
 Si, no sanas hoy
 Bueno sana mañana
 Mañana, mañana
 Lo que dice Havana
 Si, no paso hoy
 Paso mañana