A poor little baby child is born
In the ghetto
He buys a gun, steals a car
Well, the world turns
With a gun in his hand in the ghetto
In the ghetto
As a crowd gathers
It's another hungry mouth to feed
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
So he starts to roam the streets at night
And his hunger burns
And he learns how to steal
Another little baby child is born
And look the other way
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
He tries to run, but he don't get far
Then one night in desperation
In the ghetto
Take a look at you and me
'Round an angry young man
Are we too blind to see
Face down on the street
And he learns how to fight in the ghetto
'Cause if there's one thing that she don't need
People, don't you understand
In the ghetto
And as her young man dies
The young man breaks away
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
The child needs a helping hand
Do we simply turn our heads
An angry young man some day
And his mama cries
And his mama cries
Or he'll grow to be