Graham Central Station was a funk band named after founder Larry Graham(for… Read Full Bio ↴Graham Central Station was a funk band named after founder Larry Graham(formerly of Sly and the Family Stone) and Grand Central Station in New York City.

The band's origins date from when Santana guitarist Neal Schon formed the band Azteca along with Larry Graham (bass guitar) and Gregg Errico (drums), both from Sly and the Family Stone, and Peter Sears (keyboards), from Hot Tuna and Jefferson Starship. Santana bass guitar player Tom Rutley would move into to the bass spot with Azteca. That band, like Santana with heavy Latin influences, would eventually morph into Graham Central Station, while Schon would found Journey.

Graham Central Station's biggest hit was Your Love, which charted at number 9 in 1975. The group integrated Graham's slap bass style along with influences ranging from marching band to gospel. They played with the dichotomy between the funk rock star image and the "sanctified" gospel group image. Some of their recordings feature their then Warner Bros labelmates Tower of Power horn section. Graham went solo in the later 1970's having a chart hit with "One in a Million, You".

While no longer as popular as in the 70's, Larry Graham (born in Beaumont Texas in 1946) continues to tour & play music into the 21st century, most notably with Prince with whom he shares an interest in the Jehovah's Witness religion. In 1999, Graham recorded an album for Prince's label under the Graham Central Station moniker that featured old Sly Stone era bandmates Cynthia Robinson and sax player Jerry Martini and performed on Prince's "Rave Un2 2000" live DVD and appeared as a featured act throughout Prince's Jam of The Year tour.

Ghetto
Graham Central Station Lyrics

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Said I had to raise, raise, raise
My kids in the ghetto
'Cause there was no place else to go
Listening to the devil's lies
Everywhere you go you're in his eyes
I said lord, lord, lord, can't stand it no more

Somebody said won't you send them home

Send them home where they belong
But I'm still trying to iind out how we got here
'Cause I know it wasn't on our own

All we did was graze the lazy days
Back off in the ghetto
Singing "Lord we shall overcome"
But now we sing a different tune
Cause while you're sending people to the moon
Here on earth the end came but not too soon

Somebody said won't you send them home
Send them home where they belong
But I'm still trying to find out how we got here
'Cause I know it wasn't on our own

Said I had to raise, raise, raise
My kids in the ghetto
'Cause there was no place else to go

Listening to the devil's lies
Everywhere you go you're in his eyes
I said, lord, lord, lord, can't stand it no more

Somebody said won't you send them home
Send them home where they belong

But I'm still trying to find out how we got here
Cause I know it wasn't on our own Larry Graham

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Graham Central Station’s “Ghetto” speak to the experience of Black people living in impoverished urban areas. The singer acknowledges the difficulty of raising children in such an environment but feels trapped because there are no other options. The oppressive forces surrounding them are represented as the devil, with the constant reminder that they are always watching. While people suggest sending their families away from the ghetto, the singer is still struggling to understand how they ended up there in the first place. The song acknowledges the struggle for civil rights and equality, with the mention of “Lord we shall overcome” but also reveals a sense of hopelessness and frustration knowing that even as progress is made in one area, poverty and inequality remain prevalent.

Overall, "Ghetto" is a reflection on the impact of systemic oppression, poverty, and lack of resources on Black communities in urban settings. It also speaks to the resilience and hope of those living in these circumstances and the search for answers to the systemic issues that have led to their plight.

Line by Line Meaning

Said I had to raise, raise, raise My kids in the ghetto 'Cause there was no place else to go
The singer had no choice but to raise their children in the unsafe and impoverished ghetto due to a lack of options.

Listening to the devil's lies Everywhere you go you're in his eyes I said lord, lord, lord, can't stand it no more
The singer feels constantly oppressed and manipulated by others; they feel as if they are surrounded by deception and cannot take it anymore.

Somebody said won't you send them home Send them home where they belong But I'm still trying to iind out how we got here 'Cause I know it wasn't on our own
Despite suggestions to leave the ghetto for a better life, the singer questions why they were forced to end up there in the first place, as they know it was not a choice they made for themselves.

All we did was graze the lazy days Back off in the ghetto Singing "Lord we shall overcome" But now we sing a different tune
While in the ghetto, the artist and others tried to make the best of their situation and keep a positive attitude through their struggles, but now they have become disenchanted and resentful.

Cause while you're sending people to the moon Here on earth the end came but not too soon
The artist points out the irony of technology advancing to the point of space travel while many people on Earth still suffer and struggle, with progress moving at a slow pace.

Contributed by Jackson C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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