The Other Side

His name is Jackson

He lives in Jamaica

Every morning he comes down to the docks to watch the ships come and go

He's been here too long

Mental slavery has not touched him one bit

He still knows his history, he knows where he comes from

That is why he believes the ocean can give him answers

About the very very far home

That he's never been to. All his life he says

I wish I was home, I wish I was in Africa (2x)

I have seen his world

I've seen the other world. I have nothing to say

I put my coat on my shoulders

As I walked away, I heard myself sing

The grass is greener on the other side

Til you get there and see it for yourself (3x)

His name is Themba

He lives in Soweto

Every morning he goes to the airport to watch the planes come and go

He has changed his African name to a western one

Cause he doesn't know how it hurts to have a name

You can't be proud of. He hopes that one day

One of these birds of the sky can take him away

To a very very far land

Running away from the very roots

That so many black people in the world

Are wanting to come back. A place they call home

They wish they were home

They wish they were in Africa (2x)

I live in his world, I've seen the other world

I got nothing to say

I put my coat on my shoulders

As I walked away, I heard myself sing