He has changed his African name to a western one
I put my coat on my shoulders
He hopes that one day
Hey, I wish I was home, I wish I was in Africa
The grass is greener on the other side
That he's never been to all his life
Running away from the very roots
Till you get there and see it for yourself
To have a name you can't be proud of
To watch the ships come and go
They wish they were home, they wish they were in Africa
As I walk away, I heard myself sing
I have seen his world, I've seen the other world
The grass is greener on the other side
'Cause he doesn't know how it hurts
The grass is greener on the other side
The grass is greener on the other side
That is why he believes the ocean
Can give him some answers
One of these birds of the sky
I live in his world, I've seen the other world
I got nothing to say I put my coat on my shoulders
They wish they were home, they wish they were in Africa
That so many black people in the world
The grass is greener on the other side
Are wanting to come back to a place they call home
Till you get there and see it for yourself
Till you get there and see it for yourself
He still know his history, he knows where he come from
Mental slavery, has not touched him one bit
Every mornin' he goes to the airport
Till you get there and see it for yourself
I have nothing to say
His name is Themba, he lives in Soweto
To watch the planes come and go
Till you get there and see it for yourself
As I walked away I heard myself sing
Can take him away to a very very far land
He's been here too long
Till you get there and see it for yourself
He says, "I wish I was home, I wish I was in Africa"
About the very very far home
The grass is greener on the other side