As the snow flies
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
A poor little baby child is born
In the ghetto (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 (in the ghetto)
Now people, don't you understand
A child needs a helping hand
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
Now take a look at you and me
Are we too blind to see?
Do we simply turn our heads and look the other way?
Well, the world turns
You never stood in that man's shoes
Or saw things through his eyes
Or stood and watched, with helpless hands
While the heart inside you dies
So help your brother along the way
No matter where he starts
For the same God that made you, made him too
These men with broken hearts
And his mama cries
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
In the ghetto
And his hunger burns
So he starts to roam the streets at night
And he learns how to steal and he learns how to fight
In the ghetto
Then one night in desperation
The young man breaks away
He buys a gun, he steals a car
Tries to run, but he don't get far
And his mama cries
Seen my mama cry, hard to believe
Her baby sellin' drugs, can't believe it
Said my first ten thousand, thought I was dreamin'
Said they was solid, it got hard, they was leavin'
You won't believe what I done did, you won't believe what I done seen
Police DA behind, I run, they chase me, took one for the team
I was born in the ghetto, raised in the ghetto
I learned from the ghetto, all I know is the ghetto
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto
Born in the ghetto
Yes, I was born in the ghetto
And his mama cries
