In The Ghetto
Davis Mac Lyrics
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On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
A poor little baby child is born
In the ghetto
And his mama cries
'Cause if there's one thing that she don't need
It's another hungry mouth to feed
People, don't you understand
The child needs a helping hand
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
Take a look at you and me,
Are we too blind to see,
Do we simply turn our heads
And look the other way
Well the world turns
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
In the ghetto
And his hunger burns
So he starts to roam the streets at night
And he learns how to steal
And he learns how to fight
In the ghetto
Then one night in desperation
A young man breaks away
He buys a gun, steals a car,
Tries to run, but he don't get far
And his mama cries
As a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man
Face down in the street with a gun in his hand
In the ghetto
As her young man dies,
On a cold and grey Chicago mornin',
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto
And his mama cries
In the ghetto
In the ghetto
The song 'In the Ghetto' by Elvis Presley tells the story of a poor family struggling to survive in the midst of poverty and violence, most likely in a violent neighborhood in the city of Chicago. The opening lines describe the birth of a new child on a "cold and gray Chicago mornin'", a stark contrast to the joy and warmth that typically accompanies such an occasion. The child is already born into a community plagued by hunger, poverty, and desperation, and his mother weeps because she knows that her struggle to feed and care for him will only be magnified in such a hostile environment. The chorus then calls out for help, urging listeners to be aware of the conditions surrounding this baby's life and do something to make a change.
As the story continues, the song describes the dangers and temptations that face young people growing up in such a community. The boy is hungry and cold, and he starts to learn how to survive on the streets. He steals and fights, and eventually, he becomes so desperate that he turns to violence as his last resort. The song ends with a tragic realization that the cycle of poverty and violence continues to repeat itself: as the young man dies with a gun in his hand, another baby is born into the same hopeless situation.
The lyrics of 'In the Ghetto' poignantly capture the struggles faced by those living in poverty and the vicious cycle of violence that often accompanies it. They also serve as a call to action, urging listeners to recognize the pain and suffering of those living in the ghetto and to take steps to help end the cycle of poverty and violence.
Line by Line Meaning
As the snow flies
It's a cold and snowy day in Chicago.
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
It's still cold and gray, and the place is Chicago.
A poor little baby child is born
A newborn child is born into poverty.
In the ghetto
The place where the child is born is a ghetto, characterized by poverty, crime, and social decay.
And his mama cries
The mother of the newborn cries, expressing her concern and worry about the future of her child.
'Cause if there's one thing that she don't need
The mother already has a hard life living in the ghetto, and she doesn't need another hungry mouth to feed.
It's another hungry mouth to feed
The new child adds to the already difficult situation of poverty and hunger.
People, don't you understand
The songwriter, Davis Mac, addresses people, asking if they understand the plight of the people living in the ghetto.
The child needs a helping hand
The child needs help from others to survive.
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
If the child is not helped, he may grow up to be misguided and full of anger.
Take a look at you and me,
Everyone, including the listener and the singer, should take a close look at themselves.
Are we too blind to see,
The songwriter asks if people are not aware of the suffering of others.
Do we simply turn our heads
Despite being aware of the plight of others, people often choose to ignore it and avoid responsibility.
And look the other way
People pretend that the situation doesn't exist and ignore the problems in their society.
Well the world turns
Despite the problems and poverty of the ghetto, the world continues to revolve.
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
A hungry and sick child roams the streets of the ghetto.
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
The child wanders around in the street, unaffected by the harsh weather conditions.
In the ghetto
This line repeats the central setting of the song, the ghetto.
And his hunger burns
The child's hunger pains him and drives him to do desperate things.
So he starts to roam the streets at night
The child provides for himself by searching and wandering the streets, even during the night.
And he learns how to steal
To survive, the child learns to steal.
And he learns how to fight
The child combats and confronts other people who may be a threat to him.
In the ghetto
Despite wandering out and being exposed to different areas, the child still lives in and is bound to the ghetto.
Then one night in desperation
When options are hardly there, and even stealing is not enough for food, the child becomes desperate to find a way out.
A young man breaks away
The child, now a young man, finally leaves the ghetto.
He buys a gun, steals a car,
The young man resorts to situations of crime to escape the poverty, and loneliness that the ghetto imposes.
Tries to run, but he don't get far
The young man tries to escape the ghetto in the stolen car, but fails.
And his mama cries
The mother of the young man does not want to see her son in such a hopeless, and disappointing situation.
As a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man
The young man, now angry and also disappointed, is a spectacle for people who gather around him.
Face down in the street with a gun in his hand
The young man commits suicide among the crowd, holding a gun in his hand, forcing the society to see it happening.
In the ghetto
The setting where everything happened in, and where the cycle of poverty, and desperation continue.
As her young man dies,
The young man is now dead, which is a symbol of the failure of society to intervene for the existential difficulties of the people living in the ghetto.
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin',
The song comes to an end in the same setting as it began - on a cold Chicago morning.
Another little baby child is born
The poverty cycle continues, and another newborn baby is born into poverty.
In the ghetto
Continuing the theme of the song, the setting of the newborn's birth is the ghetto.
And his mama cries
The mother cries again because she knows that her child will be doomed to the same life of poverty and struggle in the ghetto.
In the ghetto
The concluding line of the song describes the continuing cycle of poverty and struggle in the ghetto.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Mac Davis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind