In The Ghetto
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Lyrics

As the snow flies
The setting is on a cold and grey Chicago winter when snow begins to fall.

On a cold and grey Chicago morn
It's a typical cold and grey morning in Chicago.

A poor little baby child is born in the ghetto
A baby is born in the ghetto, which indicates that they will face hardships and limitations in life.

And his mama cries
The mother cries because she knows that her child has been born into a difficult life.

Cause there's one thing that she don't need
She is struggling financially and cannot afford to take care of another child.

Is another little hungry mouth to feed in the ghetto
The mother is concerned that she will not be able to feed another child because of the limited resources available to her in the ghetto.

Oh people don't you understand
The song is a plea to society to acknowledge the difficult circumstances that ghetto residents face.

This child needs a helping hand
The child needs more than a one-time handout - he needs consistent support to break out of the cycle of poverty.

He's gonna grow to be an angry young man some day
Growing up in the ghetto comes with significant emotional and psychological trauma that can manifest in a child's future behavior.

Take a look at you and me
The song is a call to people who are not part of the community and who are in positions of privilege in society.

Are we that blind to see?
The singer is asking why so many people are not taking action to provide support in the ghetto despite the clear need.

Do we simply turn our heads and look the other way?
The singer is questioning why people dismiss problems in society instead of taking steps to try and fix them.

And the world turns
Despite the various struggles of the people in the ghetto, the world goes on around them.

And the hungry little boy with the runny nose
The child is likely malnourished and does not have adequate medical care.

Plays in the streets as the cold wind blows in the ghetto
The child's life is one of hardship and poverty - despite being so young he has to endure terrible living conditions.

And his hunger burns
The child is dealing with significant food insecurity and is likely feeling the painful physical effects of malnutrition.

So he starts to roam the streets at night
The child has to take matters into his own hands to try and find sustenance.

And he learns how to steal and he learns how to fight in the ghetto
The harsh realities of poverty in the ghetto can lead to children having to take drastic measures to survive.

Then one night in desperation
The situation in the ghetto can be so dire that people feel they have no other option but to resort to criminal activity.

The young man breaks away
The young man tries to escape the ghetto and the hopelessness it represents.

He buys a gun and steals a car
The young man is turning to violence and crime, resorting to stealing and illegally obtaining a weapon.

He tries to run but he don't get far
The young man's need to escape led to poor decision-making that resulted in negative consequences.

A crowd gathers round an angry young man
People have taken notice of the young man's desperation and rebellion.

Face down in the street with a gun in his hand in the ghetto
Unfortunately, the young man's decisions have led to a violent end.

And as her young man dies
The mother must now deal with the tragedy of losing a child in a violent manner.

Another little baby child is born in the ghetto
The cycle of poverty and difficulty repeats itself in the ghetto, as another child is born into these challenging circumstances.