Wake up in a strange land, one of forty thieves
And I see for the first time just what you believe
I go down to the market where I can buy or sell
And listen to the chanting and all the lies the wise ones tell
They say
East is east, west is west
Two diff'rent colors on the map
We say break the line, chew the fat
And keep moving out into the gap
Beggars in the back street, there for all the world to leave
It's you that's begging for attention
Well it's all the same to me
And I won't ask permission, not from teachers or from kings
Cause I can see for myself all the pain that you will bring
They say
East is east, west is west
Two diff'rent rhythms to the rap
We say break the line, chew the fat
And keep moving out into the gap
They say
East is east, west is west
Two diff'rent colors on the map
We say break the line, chew the fat
And keep moving out into the gap
They say
East is east, west is west
Two diff'rent colors on the map
We say break the line, chew the fat
And keep moving out into the gap
Can you smell the perfume of a hundred thousand years?
Dare you look into the eyes that hide a hundred million tears?
But there's no need to be so frightened of all the figures in the night
Cause we share the same emotions and no one's wrong and no one's right
Cause they say
East is east, west is west
Two diff'rent colors on the map
We say break the line, chew the fat
And keep moving out into the gap
They say
East is east, west is west
Two diff'rent colors on the map
We say break the line, chew the fat
And keep moving out into the gap
They say
East is east, west is west
Two diff'rent rhythms to the rap
We say break the line, chew the fat
And keep moving out into the gap