In the Ghetto
Dolly Parton 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 on the street with a gun in his hand
In the ghetto
As her young man dies
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto
The song "In the Ghetto" performed by Dolly Parton is a story of a poor family living in the slums of Chicago where a baby boy is born. The first verse sets the scene of a helpless child being born into an environment that offers very little hope. The mother of the baby cries, as she is unable to provide for another hungry mouth to feed. The second verse highlights the need for people to understand that the child needs help and support from the community, or he would grow up to become an angry and resentful person. Dolly Parton questions the willingness of people to help those in need, urging them not to turn a blind eye to the misery in the ghetto.
The third verse introduces a young boy growing up on the streets with a runny nose and hunger gnawing at his insides. It paints a picture of a child who is forced to learn how to survive on the streets, turning to stealing and fighting. The fourth and final verse follows an angry young man who, in desperation, breaks away from his circumstances, but his attempts to run away are unsuccessful, and he is faced with a tragic end. The cycle repeats itself with the birth of another child in the ghetto.
Line by Line Meaning
As the snow flies
In the winter season
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
On a chilling and gloomy morning in Chicago
A poor little baby child is born
A newborn baby is brought into this world
In the ghetto
In a deprived and impoverished area
And his mama cries
The mother cries for her child's future
'Cause if there's one thing that she don't need
The mother is already struggling with one mouth to feed
It's another hungry mouth to feed
She cannot afford to provide for another child
In the ghetto
The cycle of poverty continues
People, don't you understand
We need to recognize the problem
The child needs a helping hand
The child needs support from the community
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
Neglect can cause a child to become hostile
Take a look at you and me
We are part of this problem
Are we too blind to see
We refuse to acknowledge the issue
Do we simply turn our heads
We choose to ignore what's happening around us
And look the other way
We avoid the discomfort that comes with addressing the problem
Well the world turns
Life goes on
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
A malnourished child is out on the streets
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
The child spends his time in the harsh conditions of the street
In the ghetto
Still, he lives in an impoverished community
And his hunger burns
The hunger pains become unbearable
So he starts to roam the streets at night
He resorts to wandering the streets at night
And he learns how to steal
He resorts to theft to fulfil his needs
And he learns how to fight
Violence becomes a way for him to survive
In the ghetto
This is the reality for many of the people here
Then one night in desperation
Driven by desperation
A young man breaks away
The child now grows into a young man
He buys a gun, steals a car
He resorts to crime and is now armed
Tries to run, but he don't get far
He tries to escape, but his actions have caught up to him
And his mama cries
His actions have caused his mother pain
As a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man
He now becomes the spectacle for the community
Face down on the street with a gun in his hand
He lies on the ground, armed and defeated
In the ghetto
This is just another tragic incident in the area
As her young man dies
His young life has been lost
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
The same cold and gray morning everything began
Another little baby child is born
Another child is born into similar conditions
In the ghetto
And the cycle repeats itself
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Mac Davis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Romy K.
on Gypsy Joe And Me
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