The Ghetto
Donny Hathaway Lyrics

Ooh, mm
Starting off the song with a vocalization, communicating the sense of melody and rhythm to the listeners.

Mm-hmm
Another vocalization, indicating an agreement or acknowledgement from the singer.

Yes, this is the ghetto, sure 'nuff now
Acknowledging the current setting, describing the hardships that comes with living in the ghetto.

Oh, oh-oh, oh
Repeating the same vocalization and emphasizing the melodic mood of the song.

Aw, yeah
Expressing excitement or approval of something.

Don't you know that's all right?
Asking a rhetorical question, suggesting that life in the ghetto is acceptable or justifiable in some way.

Yeah
Reinforcing the previous statement with agreement or affirmation.

Aw (hey), yeah
Conveying the artist's enthusiasm through a repeated interjection.

The ghetto, hmm
Starting the refrain of the song, highlighting the issues faced by the people living in the ghetto.

The ghetto
Continuing the refrain and emphasizing the word 'ghetto' to reinforce the importance of discussing this topic.

The ghetto
Repeating the same phrase, further illustrating the prevalence and significance of the ghetto and its issues.

The ghetto
Continuing the repetition of the refrain, stressing the importance of the subject matter.

Sure 'nuff
A slang that communicates certainty and authenticity on the statement that has been made.

The ghetto
Repeating the refrain again to raise awareness of the problems faced by the inhabitants of the ghetto.

The ghetto The ghetto The ghetto The ghetto Oh, yeah
Restating the refrain multiple times, with a change in tone in the last phrase. The use of the drawn-out 'oh' suggests that the singer deeply understands the meaning and gravity of the subject matter being discussed.

The ghetto, the ghetto The ghetto, the ghetto, the ghetto The ghetto, the ghetto, the ghetto The ghetto, the ghetto, the ghetto Yeah, yeah
Repeating the refrain while varying the length of the line, evoking a sense of musicality while not losing sight of the importance of the topic. The repetition of 'yeah' shows the artist’s agreement about the problem and the need for an awareness of the same.

The ghetto The ghetto You don't know what I'm talking about, yeah The ghetto
Communicating that those who don't live in the ghetto don't fully understand the problems of members of the ghetto. The line seems like a challenge to the listeners to think and relate to the sufferings of the one's living in the ghetto.

The ghetto My Lord The ghetto The ghetto
Utilizing a religious reference to emphasize the severity of the issues related to the ghetto. The repetition of the line further emphasizes the point being made.

The ghetto Whoa The ghetto The ghetto
An expression of surprise in reaction to the issues that plague the ghetto. The repetition stresses the need to understand the gravity of the topic.

The ghetto The ghetto The ghetto I
Repeating the refrain, indicating a change in the artist's tone or an epiphany. The use of 'I' shifts the focus inward, suggesting that the artist has a personal connection to the topic at hand.

I think y'all should listen to the brother Wait a minute
The switch in tone, indicating an urgent desire to convey a message. The artist is asking the listeners to hear him out and stop for a second to understand the gravity of the message.

No you ain't doin' what you're suppose to You doin' what you wanna do (well) But you know you are
Pointing out the neglectful behavior of people and their lack of concern for such issues. The repeated phrase suggests that people don't understand or don't want to understand the gravity of the problems in the ghetto.

Hey-ho Living in my The ghetto The ghetto The ghetto The ghetto
Repeating the refrain with the slightly modified phrasing to emphasize that the singer himself belongs to the ghetto and has first-hand experience of the issues faced by its inhabitants.

That's alright, everything is okay The ghetto You better get a job The ghetto
An ironic and sarcastic comment on the complacency of people. Though everything might seem alright, the artist knows the truth that the issues of the ghetto have not been resolved yet. It culminates into a practical suggestion for those dwelling in the ghetto.

The ghetto Quality night y'all (it was) The ghetto
A reminiscence of the events that happened to the singer while living in the ghetto. The use of sarcasm in 'quality night y'all' exaggerates the tense and troublesome events that happened in the ghetto.

The ghetto Everything is everything y'all The ghetto Pass the joint The ghetto
Restating with different phrasing that despite having suffered so much in the ghetto, the inhabitants don't have a solution yet. The suggestion to 'pass the joint' perhaps indicates one of the modes of escapism that people from the ghetto indulge in.

The ghetto The ghetto We ain't gettin' out (woo) The ghetto
Repeating the refrain with a significantly more distressed and emotional tone. The use of 'woo' perhaps indicates the singer being resigned to fate and urban decay. The last line indicates that there seems to be no way out for the people living in the ghetto.

Y'all look so elegant The ghetto The ghetto The ghetto
An ironic comment on the state of people living in the ghetto. Despite being stuck in their societal and economic standing, they still seem to carry a grace and elegance that surpasses their circumstance. The line carries a sense of admiration for the people who reside in the ghetto.

Woo, look who it is The ghetto
A sarcastic exclamation indicating the arrival of something or someone that the artist expected. The line associates an imaginary person’s arrival with the ghetto, indicating that the artist's perception is tainted by his/her experience of living in the ghetto.

Yeah The ghetto The ghetto The ghetto (get it) The ghetto (leave her alone man) The ghetto The ghetto The ghetto
Repeating the refrain with more emphasis on the word 'ghetto,' perhaps to keep the listeners engaged and focused. The middle lines contain an additional conversational tone to them, indicating a scenario that the singer witness or perhaps was part of, while the last line emphasizes the importance of the continuing repetition to bring across the meaning.

Hey man give me your money You better not tell anybody I don't owe you shit
The singer provides a spoken word or poetry-style recitation, describing an event that has happened. Through this event, the singer highlights the kinds of criminal activities in the ghetto that arise as a result of limited resources and opportunities, and fear of peril among the inhabitants.

Mm-hm (hey boy) Mm-hm Whoa (hey hey, hey hey)
The final section invokes repetition in its most poetic form with vocalization, emphasizing the mood of the song once again. The phrase 'Hey boy' establishes a lyrical character to the vocals as poetic snippets.

I'm talkin 'bout the ghetto I'm talkin' bout the ghetto, yeah Can y'all dig it out there?
The concluding lines of the song emphasize the artist’s main point. The question 'can y'all dig it out there?' is perhaps a genuine question to the listeners about their grasp of the situation inside the ghetto, and how can they understand the struggles and strive for a better world for every inhabitant.