In The Ghetto
Candi Staton Lyrics

As the snow flies
As the snow is falling from the sky

On a cold and gray Chicago morn
On a cold and gray morning in Chicago

A poor little baby child is born
A poor and helpless newborn comes into the world

In the ghetto (in the ghetto)
In the poorest and roughest neighborhood

And his mama cries
The newborn's mother cries because of the harsh reality

'Cause if there's one thing
Because there is one thing

That she don't need
That she does not require or want

It's another little
It is another small and helpless

Hungry mouth to feed
Mouth that needs food and sustenance for survival

In the ghetto (in the ghetto)
In the unsavory circumstances of the neighborhood

People, don't you understand
People, can't you realize

The child needs a helping hand
The child requires some assistance and support

Or he'll grow to be an
Or else he will become

Angry young man some day
A frustrated and bitter young adult in the future

Take a look at you and me
Let's examine ourselves

Are we too blind to see
Are we incapable of noticing

Or do we simply turn our heads
Or do we just look away

And look the other way
And overlook the problem

Well, the world turns
Well, the world keeps moving

And a hungry little boy
And a famished young boy

With a runny nose
With a nose that is dripping

Plays in the street
Plays on the road

As the cold wind blows
When the chilly breeze comes along

In the ghetto (in the ghetto)
In the unsafe and impoverished slum area

And his hunger burns
And his insatiable craving for food continues

So he starts to
Therefore, he begins to

Roam the street at night
Walk through the street during nighttime

He learns how to steal
He figures out how to thieve

And he learns how to fight
And he comprehends how to brawl

In the ghetto (in the ghetto)
In the distressing and low-income part of the city

And then one night in desperation
And then one night, because of hopelessness

A young man breaks away
A young person runs away

He buys a gun, steals a car
He purchases a firearm, takes a vehicle unlawfully

Tries to run, but he don't get far
Attempts to escape, but he does not succeed

And his mama cries
And his mother weeps

As a crowd gathers round
As a group of people encircles the scene

An angry young man
A furious and resentful juvenile

Face down in the street
Lying with his face on the pavement

With a gun in his hand
Holding a firearm in his hand

In the ghetto (in the ghetto)
In the run-down and dangerous district

And as her young man dies
And as the young man perishes

On a cold and grey Chicago morn
On a cold and gray morning in Chicago

Another little baby child is born
Another small and vulnerable infant comes into existence

In the ghetto (in the ghetto)
In the rundown and deprived part of the city

And his mama cries (in the ghetto)
And his mother weeps in despair in the ghetto