The Other Side - Lucky Dube
Number In The Book No glove, no love You've been hearing this so many times Don't you think it's time To be a little more responsible Too many people die these days, oh If you read the papers, check out the news The numbers are there Every number, represents a human being Who was a father, who was a mother A son or a daughter of this land... Oh You don't make the commitment but your body does Even if you're dead silent Chorus You are here today, tomorrow you are gone You don't wanna be another number in the book (x3) In the shadows of the night A lady from the street corner talks to a customer Money exchanges hands That's the formality and she says No glove, no love You can pay me well, but it ain't worth my life Too many people die these days If you read the papers, check out the news The numbers are there Every number, represents a human being Who was a father, who was a mother A son or a daughter of this land... Oh It ain't worth my life... Oh 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 (x2) 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 Chorus The grass is greener on the other side Til you get there and see it for yourself (x3) 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 (x2) 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 Ding Ding Licky Licky Licky Bong It seems like it only happened yesterday Now that I think about it Tears cannot bring you joy But joy can bring you tears Even though I cry today I will not hide it It is for a different reason - joy That is why I'll shout it out For the world to hear I say hello, hello happiness Oh Jah, thank you For another day, I say Chorus Ding ding licky licky licky bong (x3) Another tear drop falls But I don't care I took a wrong turn in life before But I've paid my dues Objects in the rear view mirror They appear closer than they are If you don't talk the talk Don't walk the walk If you won't please, don't tease Another lesson learned I'm gonna shout it out again Hello, hello happiness Oh God, thank you For another chance There is no future in the past So shout it out... Cool Down They've been married for seventeen years But you can see she don't trust him at all And you can see she don't believe he's not cheating You can't blame the poor girl He's been a busy man All his life, like the rest of us One day she caught him with another girl He said it was his mother She caught him with another one He said it was his sister He's in deep water again I don't know what he's gonna say today But I won't be surprised If he gets out of this one Like the other ones Cause I know, he's the Houdini Of cheaters, hear him now when he says Chorus Cool down baby, everything is under control It doesn't matter where I get my appetite, I always eat at home (x2) They've been married for seventeen years But you can see he don't trust her at all And you can see he don't believe she's not cheating You can't blame the poor man She's been a busy girl All her life, like the rest of us One day he caught her with another man She said it was her father He caught her with another one She said it was her brother I believe it is true Bird of a feather fly together She has learned from the master I wasn't surprised at all when I heard her say-ey Family Ties Ever since they were born She was worried about their friends Even when they turned twenty five She was worried about the company they'd keep One day it was three in the morning The door bell rang She got up in a sweat Blue lights flashing everywhere The boys in blue standing at the door The look on their faces scared her enough Before they told her what she was always afraid of Chorus Do you know where your son/daughter is tonight I'm afraid they won't be coming home tonight Ever since she was brought to this home She's been cursing every woman with a child She says they brought to this world the curse That have stained the good name of mankind One day it was three in the morning The guard came running to tell us she's gone Blue lights flashing everywhere All over again The boys in blue, looking for her The look on their faces Scared us enough when they told us to strengthen our family ties Chorus Do you know where your mother/father is tonight I'm afraid they won't be coming home tonight Divorce Party It is not the 4th of July But we're celebrating Mr bb and Mrs bb have decided to call it a day After so many years, living together They have called us here today To witness what they call freedom from each other They've been living in style, they wanna end it in style They wanna end it with a bang. Chorus Divorce party, divorce party We see them now In the middle of the room Holding glasses so high They not renewing their sacred vows, not at all But they're telling everybody What they didn't like about each other One says, do you remember that day I said that Do you remember that day (x2) you did that I hope our paths will never meet again Soldier Stand for the truth you stand alone Government will cover up I saw a man sitting in a room Holding a gun to his head He said man oh man What am I gonna do I can't change the past but I can change the future If I pull this trigger right now, right here Everything will be overf Not a day goes by I don't see them in my dreams Not a day goes by I don't hear them screaming in my ears Begging for mercy, pleading innocent Since my heart is made up to be as cold As the barrel of this gun I hold I would pull the trigger anyway Chorus I was a soldier, following instructions from a man We have known as the general So many medals, so many praises Nothing can take away the guilt That I feel inside me Government covered up every crime we committed Against human kind Not a day goes by, I don't see them in my dreams Not a day goes by, I don't hear them crying in my ears Julie! Julie! I heard of this guy He lives up on the mountain They say he mixes herbs Throws the bones, tells the future I'm on my way right now I wanna know about my future With a girl named Julie Chorus Julie Julie Julie oh Girl (x2) Road is hard getting up there But they say where there's love There'll always be a way So I'm gonna huff and puff make my way to the mountain Cause I wanna know my future with a girl named Julie Chorus Julie Julie Julie oh Girl (x2) Some people call him a witch doctor But how can he be a witch and a doctor at the same time If she's not the right one for me I better stop dreaming about her I'm on my way right now I wanna know my future with a girl named Julie The Bully If you know what's good for you Stay out of his way If you have no insurance Stay out of his sight He's a bully, from Soweto I can tell he's looking for a fight Look at his face I can tell he's looking for a fight Look at his nose, he kills for fun He's one of those people we were warned about So many years ago His days gonna come Every dog has his day Chorus Sinners shall never go to heaven (x4) If you're on the right side of the law, don't be where he is He is wanted dead or alive He kills for fun, stay out of his way I can tell he's looking for a fight Look at his face I can tell he's looking for afight Look at his nose He's a bully from Soweto In his world dog eat dog That is how we know his day is gonna come Every dog has his day Hero Do you see the smiles on their faces After you have done what you do best Do you see satisfaction on their faces After you have blessed themw ith your gift You don't think iit's much But to them it means the world They wake up in the morning and wish you were there Don't have to lie to gain their trust You have never won a Nobel prize They have never seen you on the tv Your little contribution makes their lives a little bit better every day Chorus You're a hero, you're a hero Big it up, big it up For the fireman Big it up, big it up For the street cleaners Big it up for the man ad the woman who take care of abandonded children Big it up, big it up For the grandmothers Who are left to take care of the children Big it up, big it up Wo!!
Artist: Lucky Dube
Title: The Other Side