The World Cup has captured the attention of billions of people all over the globe this year and, as this is Wales’ first time qualifying in 64 years, it feels like a very special time to be Welsh.
It’s a doubly exciting time for us as the proceeds from the unofficial Wales World Cup song, The Grass is Greener (Don’t Take Me Home), are being donated to Tŷ Hafan!
Matt Hagerty, Jon Maguire and Chris Bennet, who are schoolfriends from Blackwood, have put their heads together to reinvent this already well-known song to celebrate Wales being in the 2022 World Cup.
Photo credit: Football Association of Wales
Not only are the proceeds from the song being donated to Tŷ Hafan, but the men have also donated £1000 from their own pockets!
Jon, a music producer – together with Chris and Matt – wrote, recorded and produced the refreshed song themselves, and Tom Hollister of Cardinal Black did the vocals.
We were delighted to show Jon and Chris around the hospice recently to show them where the money they’ve raised is going.
The lyrics of the song are inspired by players and managers from the past and present – here’s how it goes:
Sixty years, sixty years of waiting
We’ve still been singing and we’ve been patient
But now we’re here and we’re here to stay
What a time to be alive
So drink it up and keep it going
Cause thanks to Speed and Page and Coleman
That other place across the bridge looking over here tonight
Because the grass is greener on the other side
And if we win or if we lose tonight
We’ll be singing
Don’t take me home please don’t take me home
I just don’t wanna go to work
I wanna stay here and drink all your beer
So please don’t, please don’t take me home
Let out the dragon and set him free yeah
Let the world hear Yma o Hyd
Sing it loud make history
Let’s raise the roof tonight
Cause the grass is greener on the other side
And if we win or if we lose tonight
We’ll be singing
Don’t take me home please don’t take me home
I just don’t wanna go to work
I wanna stay here and drink all your beer
So please don’t, please don’t take me home
The red wall’s living brighter days
So God bless Mr Gareth Bale
Cause we’re Cymru and we’re here to stay
We are Wales until we die
We’ll be singing Don’t take me home please don’t take me home
I just don’t wanna go to work
I wanna stay here and drink all your beer
So please don’t, please don’t take me home
You can listen to The Grass is Greener (Don’t Take Me Home) on Spotify or Youtube.
Thank you Matt, Jon and Chris and good luck, Wales!