In My Tribe. Merchant joined 10,000 Maniacs at the age of 17 and became the band's driving artistic force. After a pair of successful independent releases, they signed to Elektra in 1985 and briefly became one of the most popular acts in alternative rock, shooting into the Top 40 with 1987's In My Tribe and charting even higher with their follow-up effort, Blind Man's Zoo. Merchant's desire to launch a solo career increased alongside the band's growing reputation, however, and by the time the group sat down to record 1992's Our Time in Eden, she gave her bandmates two years' notice. Following the release of MTV Unplugged in 1994, she publicly announced she was leaving the group's ranks.
OpheliaMerchant made her solo debut with 1995's Tigerlily, a self-produced album that debuted at number 13 and scored a Top Ten single with "Carnival." Two additional singles, "Wonder" and "Jealousy," also cracked the Top 40, prompting Tigerlily to sell over five million copies in the U.S. alone. It was followed in 1998 by Ophelia, another platinum-selling effort that was supported by Merchant's inclusion in the second Lilith Fair tour. Live in Concert, recorded at New York's Neil Simon Theatre, appeared a year later. A prominent social activist, Merchant also drew notice by campaigning in the name of such hot-button issues as animal rights, domestic violence, and homelessness.
MotherlandMerchant launched a folk tour in 2000, with members of progressive folk band the Horse Flies joining her on the road. She then returned to her solo career with Motherland. Two years later, Merchant left Elektra's roster and formed her own independent label, Myth America, in order to issue House Carpenter's Daughter, a collection of traditional and contemporary folk music inspired by the 2000 tour. A long period of silence followed, during which a pair of greatest-hits releases -- the 10,000 Maniacs collection Campfire Songs and Merchant's own Retrospective: 1995-2005 -- kept fans relatively sated. As the decade drew to a close, though, Merchant signed with Nonesuch Records and began making plans for a new album, which eventually arrived in the form of the ambitious, double-disc neo-children's album, 2010's Leave Your Sleep. Merchant returned to straight-ahead pop music with a self-titled album in May 2014.
In The Ghetto
Natalie Merchant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
Another 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
In the ghetto
The child needs a helping hand
O-or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
Oh, people look at you and me,
Are we too blind to see,
Do we simply turn our heads
And look the other way
As the world turns
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
In the ghetto (in the ghetto)
And his hunger burns
So he starts to roam the streets at night
Where he learns how to steal
And he learns how to fight
In the ghetto
Oh, People, don't you understand
This child needs a helping hand
O-or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
People look at you and me,
Are we too blind to see,
Do we simply turn our heads
And look the other way
As the world turns
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 (In the ghetto)
As her young man dies,
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin',
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto x 2 (In the ghetto x 2)
The song "In the Ghetto" was written by Mac Davis and first recorded by Elvis Presley in 1969. The version by Natalie Merchant and T. Chapman was released in 1997. The song tells a story about a cycle of poverty and violence that often occurs in urban areas, specifically in the African American community. The lyrics describe the birth of a baby in the ghetto, and the struggles that the mother faces in providing for the child. The child grows up to be a young man who turns to crime in order to survive, and eventually meets a tragic end.
The lyrics are a commentary on the social issues of poverty and racism, and the impact they have on individuals and communities. The song suggests that society has a responsibility to help those who are struggling, or else they may turn to violence and crime. The use of the word "ghetto" in the title and throughout the lyrics is significant, as it refers to the impoverished neighborhoods where many African Americans were forced to live due to discrimination and segregation.
Overall, "In the Ghetto" is a powerful and emotive song that speaks to the struggles of individuals and communities living in poverty. The lyrics are a call to action for society to do more to support and uplift those who are struggling, and to recognize the systemic issues that contribute to poverty and violence.
Line by Line Meaning
As the snow flies
In the midst of snowfall
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
During a chilly early morning in Chicago
Another little baby child is born
A new baby is brought to this world
In the ghetto
Into a deprived and poverty-stricken neighborhood
And his mama cries
And his mother weeps
'Cause if there's one thing that she don't need
Because she cannot afford to provide for another mouth
It's another hungry mouth to feed
Another person to feed could lead to famine
In the ghetto
In a destitute environment
Oh, well People, don't you understand
People, can't you recognize
The child needs a helping hand
This young one requires assistance
O-or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
Or he will become a resentful youth a day
Oh, people look at you and me,
Oh, society observes us, you and me,
Are we too blind to see,
Are we too ignorant to comprehend,
Do we simply turn our heads
Do we just ignore
And look the other way
And avoid the situation altogether
As the world turns
As time progresses
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
And a famished boy with a dripping nose
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
Spends time outside in the path of the chilly wind
In the ghetto (in the ghetto)
In the poverty-stricken locality
And his hunger burns
The boy's appetite intensifies
So he starts to roam the streets at night
So he begins to wander around the streets during nighttime
Where he learns how to steal
Where he acquires the skills to steal
And he learns how to fight
And he gains knowledge of how to brawl
In the ghetto
In the destitute neighborhood
Oh, People, don't you understand
Oh, society, can't you comprehend
This child needs a helping hand
This youngster needs assistance
O-or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
Or he will become an resentful young adult one day
People look at you and me,
Society observes you and me,
Are we too blind to see,
Are we too naive to recognize,
Do we simply turn our heads
Do we just look the other way
And look the other way
And ignore the issue
As the world turns
As life moves on
Then one night in desperation
Then one evening in utter hopelessness
A young man breaks away
A young adult escapes
He buys a gun, steals a car,
He purchases a firearm, takes a car without permission
Tries to run, but he don't get far
Attempts to flee, but is unsuccessful
And his mama cries
And his mother weeps
As a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man
As a group of people encircles a furious young adult
Face down on the street with a gun in his hand
Lying on the roadway with a firearm in his grip
In the ghetto (In the ghetto)
In the impoverished area
As her young man dies,
As her son dies,
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin',
During a chilly early morning in Chicago,
Another little baby child is born
Another newborn arrives
In the ghetto x 2 (In the ghetto x 2)
In the ghetto; sung twice for emphasis
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Missing Link Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mac Davis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind