have you ever been a stranger in your hometown?
have you ever seen your dreams lying down (on) the ground?

he went to school right around his home
and played with the boys and the girls
everybody – he knew, and everybody knew him
he was a boy just like them all

he grew up – met a girl from the other side of town
«forever to the end of this world»:
this was what they thought and they loved and they kissed
while brown clouds are coming up

he was sixteen years when it all began
to school he couldn’t go anymore
he couldn’t go to work and he couldn’t meet his friends
there was no place for him to stay

and people turned around, they used to point at him:
«stranger, you’ve to walk down the ditch»
everybody – he knew, but nobody knew him
he was despised because of his race

have you ever been a stranger in your hometown?
have you ever seen your dreams lying down (on) the ground?
have you ever been whishing that the heaven turns blue?
have you ever seen your close friend denying you?

so I’m asking you / would you too?
please tell me now / would you too, if somehow
this will happen again

Hannes Liechti