Little Ghetto Boy
John Legend & The Roots Lyrics

My grandmother's suits was tailor made
My grandmother would dress nicely on Sundays for church

Sundays Mahalia played
Mahalia Jackson's gospel music was played on Sundays

Simple familiar ways
Life was simple and routine

Like how she kneeled and prayed
My grandmother would pray on her knees

Wailin', master, forgive us
We would plead for forgiveness from God

Our trust, pastors had us real afraid
We were afraid of pastors because of their power over our religious beliefs

I never listened, yet I still obeyed
I didn't understand why we had to obey, but I still did what I was told

I got to see how Philly played at such an early age
I experienced life in Philadelphia as a child

What my father was into sent him to his early grave
My father's actions led to his early death

Then moms started chasin' that base, like Willie Mays
My mother became addicted to drugs

My childhood was all of forty nights and forty days
It felt like my childhood was brief

Trouble was my ball and chain, shorties would call me names
I had a difficult childhood and was often bullied

Humble beginnings
I came from a modest background

But a star is what it all became
Despite hardships, I became successful

My journey from a dirty hallway
I came from a rough environment

To the Hall of Fame
I achieved great success in the music industry

Music, my therapeutic way to cope with all this pain
Music helped me cope with my struggles

Was headed for the drain
My life was on a difficult path

Soakin' before the rainwater came
I was on the brink of disaster

And chaos, until the order came
My life was in disarray until things fell into place

I started doin' what I'm 'sposed to do in life
I found my purpose in life

Tryin' to move out of the dark
I was striving to overcome my struggles

And closer to the light
I was moving towards success

They say if you get a chance to do it over, do it right
It's important to make the most of second chances

Tomorrow isn't promised every time you say goodnight
Life is unpredictable and we should appreciate every day

Story of a little ghetto boy, check it out
This is the story of a boy's journey from hardship to success and fulfillment

Little ghetto boy, oh
The song is addressed to a young boy from the ghetto

Playin' in the ghetto street, ayy
The boy plays in the streets of the ghetto

What you gonna do when you grow up
What are your plans for the future?

And have to face responsibility?
Responsibility comes with adulthood

Will you spend your days and nights in a pool room?
Will you waste your life on unproductive activities?

Will you sell caps of madness to the neighborhood
Will you contribute to the neighborhood's problems?

Little ghetto boy
The song is addressed to the boy again

You already know how rough life could be
You have already experienced hardships in life

Cause you see so much pain and misery
You have witnessed a lot of suffering in your community

Your daddy was blown away
Your father died a violent death

He robbed that grocery store, yeah
Your father was involved in criminal activity

Do you know that was a sad, sad day?
Your father's death was a tragedy

All your young life you've seen such misery and pain
You have been exposed to a lot of suffering in your young life

The world's a cruel place to live in, it ain't gonna change
The world is full of cruelty, and it may never change

You're so young, and you've got so far to go
You have a long life ahead of you

Don't think you'll reach your goal, young man
You may struggle to achieve your dreams, but don't give up

When, when you become a man, yeah
As you grow up and mature

You can make things change
You have the power to make a positive impact in the world

Oh, if you just take a stand, yeah, yeah
Stand up for what you believe in and make a difference

You've got to believe in yourself, in all that you do
Believe in your abilities and dreams

You've got to fight to make it better, better
Work hard to improve your circumstances

And you will see that others will start believin' too
Your success will inspire others to believe in themselves

Then my son, things will start to get better
With determination, things will improve for you

Hey, yeah, yeah

(Everything has got to get better)

Oh (everything has got to get better)

Everything is gonna get better (everything has got to get better)

Yeah, yeah, yeah (everything has got to get better)

Don't you know it's gonna get better (everything has got to get better)

Hey, yeah, yeah (everything has got to get better)

I do believe that everything (everything has got to get better)

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (everything has got to get better)

Whoa (everything has got to get better)

Whoa, yeah, yeah (everything has got to get better)

Whoa (everything has got to get better)

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Little ghetto boy, mmm, yeah
The song is addressed to the boy once again