Ghetto
The Original Delaney & Bonnie Lyrics
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Maybe at the close of your day
On your front porch you'll hear the sound of a jukebox
From a neighbourhood cafe
Well at noon you may hear the neighbours fussin'
When a kid breaks a window pane
And at night - and at night you may be wakened
The rich folks they own the big city
And they down us for living the way we do
But when you're born the child of a poor man
You know the ghetto is the only place for you
Well if there's such a thing as revolution
And there will be if we rise to the call
When we build we build we build we build the New Jerusalem
There won't be no more ghetto - ghetto at all
No there won't be no more ghetto - ghetto at all
The Original Delaney & Bonnie's song "Ghetto" is essentially about the struggles and realities of living in the ghetto. The first verse sets the scene for the listener, describing how the sound of a jukebox can be heard on one's front porch. This signifies the presence of a neighborhood cafe in the area. However, the lyrics also describe how the noise from the jukebox can sometimes be so loud that it disrupts the peace.
In the second verse, the lyrics describe how the residents of the ghetto are often subjected to the consequences of their neighbor's actions. When a kid breaks a window pane, for example, everyone is forced to hear the ensuing argument. The final line of the verse describes how the sound of the outbound train can be so loud that it wakes people up in the middle of the night. All these descriptions help to paint a vivid picture of what it's like to live in the ghetto day in and day out.
The final verse is a call to action. The lyrics advocate for the creation of a "New Jerusalem" where there will be no more ghettos. It's a call for people to rise to the challenge and take responsibility for making their communities better. The song suggests that this can be achieved through a collective effort of building a better world. In essence, then, the song isn't just about describing the ghetto experience but also about inspiring people to think about what they can do to change it.
Line by Line Meaning
If you ever live in a ghetto
If you have lived in poverty-stricken areas
Maybe at the close of your day
Perhaps at the end of your day
On your front porch you'll hear the sound of a jukebox
You will hear the sound of a jukebox playing as you sit on your porch
From a neighbourhood cafe
Coming from a nearby cafe
Well at noon you may hear the neighbours fussin'
Around noon, you may hear neighbors arguing or complaining
When a kid breaks a window pane
When a child breaks a window in the area
And at night - and at night you may be wakened
And at night, you may be awakened
By the sound of the out- outbound train
By the sound of the outgoing train in the distance
The rich folks they own the big city
The wealthy individuals are in control of the major cities
And they down us for living the way we do
They look down on us for living in poverty conditions
But when you're born the child of a poor man
If you are born into a poor family
You know the ghetto is the only place for you
You realize that the ghettos are the only places you can afford to live
Well if there's such a thing as revolution
If there's going to be a revolution
And there will be if we rise to the call
It will happen if we answer the call to action
When we build we build we build we build the New Jerusalem
When we create something new, it will be the new and improved Jerusalem
There won't be no more ghetto - ghetto at all
Poverty-stricken areas will be eliminated completely
No there won't be no more ghetto - ghetto at all
There will be no more poverty-stricken areas
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: OBIE TRICE, LEE HAZLEWOOD, TREMAINE ALDON NEVERSON, JONATHAN ROTEM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind