Across 110th Street
Womack Bobby Lyrics
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Woo, ooh
I was the third brother of five
Doing whatever I had to do to survive
I'm not saying what I did was alright
Tryna break out of the ghetto was a day to day fight
But I knew there was a better way of life, and I was just trying to find
You don't know what you'll do until you're put under pressure
'Cross 110th Street is a hell of a tester
Across 110th Street
Pimps trying to catch a woman that's weak
Across 110th Street
Pushers won't let the junkie go free
Across 110th Street
Woman trying to catch a trick on the street, ooh baby
Across 110th Street
You can find it all in the street
Woo, ooh, oh
I got one more thing I'd like to talk to y'all about right now
Hey brother, there's a better way out
Snorting that coke, shooting that dope, man, you're copping out
Take my advice, it's either live or die
You've got to be strong if you wanna survive
The family on the other side of town
Would catch hell without a ghetto around
In every city you'll find the same thing going down
Harlem is the capital of every ghetto town
Help me sing it
Across 110th Street
Pimps trying to catch a woman that's weak
Across 110th Street
Pushers won't let the junkie go free, oh
Across 110th Street
A woman trying to catch a trick on the street, ooh baby
Across 110th Street, look
You can find it all in the street
Yes, you can
Oh, look around you, look around you, look around you
Look around you, uh, yeah
Woo, ooh
The song "Across 110th Street" by Bobby Womack addresses the harsh realities of life in the ghetto, particularly in Harlem, where 110th Street serves as a dividing line between the relatively affluent West Side and the poverty-stricken East Side. Womack himself grew up in a rural area of Cleveland, Ohio, but he was intimately familiar with the struggles of poverty and racism that afflicted black communities across the country.
The opening stanza sets the scene with Womack describing himself as the third of five brothers who had to fight to survive in the ghetto. He admits that some of what he did may not have been right, but he was doing what he had to do to make it out of the ghetto. The second stanza describes the psychological toll that poverty takes on people. Womack notes that after being beaten down for so long, the idea of getting up again doesn't even occur to him. He knows there is a better life out there, but the struggle to find it is constant. The chorus describes the various players in the ghetto - pimps, pushers, junkies, and opportunistic women - who all struggle to make their way across 110th Street.
The bridge of the song focuses on offering advice to those who are caught up in the cycle of drugs and violence. Womack pleads with them to find a better way out, to resist the temptation to get high or engage in criminal activity, and to be strong enough to survive. He emphasizes that everyone is affected by the ghetto, even those who live outside of it, and that it will take collective effort to bring about change.
Line by Line Meaning
I was the third brother of five
I was the third of five siblings
Doing whatever I had to do to survive
I did whatever it takes to survive
I'm not saying what I did was alright
I'm not saying what I did was right
Trying to break out of the ghetto was a day to day fight
Trying to escape the ghetto was a daily struggle
Been down so long, getting up didn't cross my mind
After being in a tough situation for so long, the thought of getting better didn't occur to me
I knew there was a better way of life that I was just trying to find
I was looking for a better life
You don't know what you'll do until you're put under pressure
One cannot predict what they will do when put under pressure
Across 110th Street is a hell of a tester
The area across 110th Street is a difficult challenge
Across 110th Street
Referring to the location of the struggles
Pimps trying to catch a woman that's weak
Pimps target and exploit vulnerable women
Pushers won't let the junkie go free
Drug dealers won't let addicts free from their addiction
Woman trying to catch a trick on the street
Women soliciting sex work on the street
You can find it all in the street
There are many problems evident on the street
Hey brother, there's a better way out
Hey friend, there are better options for you
Snorting that coke, shooting that dope man you're copping out
Using drugs is a cowardly and irresponsible way out
Take my advice, it's either live or die
My advice is to either live or die
You've got to be strong, if you want to survive
Strength is necessary to survive
The family on the other side of town
A family living in another part of town
Would catch hell without a ghetto around
The experience would be difficult for them without a ghetto
In every city you find the same thing going down
The same problems can be found in every city
Harlem is the capital of every ghetto town
Harlem is the epitome of a ghetto town
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Bobby Womack
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind