Down In the Ghetto - Nitty Gritty

1. My pocket is week, my heart is willing Ah want a pound a rice, but can't find a shillin Can't buy the chicken back, much less the chicken Turn left and right is pure gunshot a fling Every whey mi guh is wicked song them a sing Now hear mi now Queens, and hear mi now Kings All over this world, local and Foreign Black and white, mi naah prejudice skin Now hear mi mister Lou, mister Wong and mister Chin To kill another man what good does that bring I feel it so much till cold bump take mi skin Mi head start to hurt mi, and mi eyes dem a spin CHO Who give the guns, who give the crack No-one to take the blame And a who import the guns and cocaine And a who innaculate the ghetto youths brain And mobilize dem inna this Bloodsport game Say if you want to rich, you haffi kill Shane And wicked enough to kill him mother miss Jane Mek dem say you a di wickedest man pon the lane And if you want you respect fi long like a train Well you better make shot fall like a rain You haffi put one foot pon then concord plane Hey, you better sell twenty kilo a cocaine CHO

As the snow flies On a cold and gray Chicago morn 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 little Hungry mouth to feed In the ghetto (in the ghetto) People, don't you understand The child needs a helping hand Or he'll grow to be an Angry young man some day Take a look at you and me Are we too blind to see Or do we simply turn our heads And look the other way Well, the world turns And a hungry little boy With a runny nose Plays in the street As the cold wind blows In the ghetto (in the ghetto) And his hunger burns So he starts to Roam the street at night He learns how to steal And he learns how to fight In the ghetto (in the ghetto) And then one night in desperation A young man breaks away He buys a gun, steals a car Tries to run, but he don't get far And his mama cries As a crowd gathers round An angry young man Face down in the street With a gun in his hand In the ghetto (in the ghetto) And as her young man dies On a cold and grey Chicago morn Another little baby child is born In the ghetto (in the ghetto) And his mama cries (in the ghetto)

Daddy don't go out tonight Just stay home 'til morning light Me and mama don't feel right Please hold us tight Daddy, why did you go to work? When you know just how much we love you so Please come back tomorrow They're giving out guns in the ghetto They're saying they'll set you free One day I'll have children of my own But I'm afraid they won't have me Mama, is daddy home? Why are you crying all alone? Grandma's tears have turned to stone And I'm all alone Mama, isn't daddy back? I'm getting scared and that's a fact Why are we all dressed like that All in black? They're giving out guns in the ghetto They're saying they'll set you free One day I'll have children of my own But I'm afraid they won't have me Daddy, don't go out tonight Please stay home 'til morning light Me and mama don't feel right Please hold us tight Daddy, why did you go to work? When you know just how much we love you so Please come back tomorrow They're giving out guns in the ghetto They're saying they'll set you free One day I'll have children of my own But I'm afraid they won't have me Mama, is daddy home? Why are you crying all alone? Grandma's tears have turned to stone And I'm chilled to the bone Mama, isn't daddy back? I'm getting scared and that's a fact Why are we all dressed like that All, all in black? They're giving out guns in the ghetto They're saying they'll set you free One day I'll have children of my own But I'm afraid they won't have me They're giving out guns in the ghetto They're saying they'll set you free One day I'll have children of my own But I'm afraid they won't have me They're giving out guns in the ghetto They're saying they'll set you free One day I'll have children of my own But I'm afraid they won't have me They're giving out guns in the ghetto They're saying they'll set you free