Merle Haggard
In the Ghetto
[Verse]
As the snow flies on a cold and gray Chicago morn
A poor little baby child is born in the ghetto
And his mama cries 'cause if there's one thing that she don't need
It's another little hungry mouth to feed in the ghetto

People, don't you understand the child needs a helping hand
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man someday
Take a look at you and me, are we too blind to see?
Do we simply turn our heads and look the other way as the world turns?

A hungry little boy with a runny nose
Plays in the streets 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
And he buys a gun and he steals a car and he tries to run
But he don't get far and his mama cries
As a crowd gathers round and the angry young man
Face down the street with a gun in his hand in the ghetto
As her young man dies

On a cold and gray Chicago morn
Another little baby child is born in the ghetto
And his mama cries