About The Song
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Gather ’round, folks, let’s huddle close and listen to a story sung by the King himself, a story that echoes through the canyons of our hearts, long after the final note fades. It’s a tale of hardship, of dreams deferred, of hope flickering in the face of despair. It’s a song that shook the very soul of America in 1969, and its name? “In the Ghetto,” a searing masterpiece penned by Mac Davis and delivered with raw emotion by the one and only Elvis Presley.
Close your eyes and picture it: a cold Chicago mornin’, snowflakes swirling like tears against the grimy backdrop of the ghetto. A baby cries, born into a world already stacked against him. His mama, her face etched with worry, knows the struggle that awaits. Another hungry mouth to feed, another life buffeted by the winds of poverty and neglect. This is the stark reality “In the Ghetto” lays bare, a truth that resonated with millions then, and continues to grip us even today.
But Elvis wasn’t just painting a bleak picture. He was a storyteller, a weaver of melodies that could both wound and heal. The song’s bluesy rhythm, punctuated by the sting of a plucked guitar, mirrors the ache in the mother’s heart. Yet, beneath the sorrow, there’s a flicker of defiance. “People, don’t you understand the child needs a helping hand?” he pleads, his voice a clarion call to conscience. We, the privileged listeners, are held accountable. Are we too blind to see the suffering just beyond our comfortable walls? Do we simply turn our heads and avert our gaze?
“In the Ghetto” is a powerful indictment of social injustice, a stark reminder of the systemic inequalities that trap generations in cycles of poverty and despair. But it’s also a song of hope. The chorus, with its gospel-tinged harmonies, speaks of a future where the “hungry little boy” can break free, where opportunity can bloom even in the cracks of the concrete jungle.
This is the magic of Elvis Presley, the King who dared to step outside the confines of bubblegum pop and shine a light on the shadows of society. “In the Ghetto” is more than just a song; it’s a call to action, a plea for empathy, and a testament to the enduring power of music to awaken our hearts and challenge our complacency. So let the music wash over you, let the lyrics pierce your soul, and remember: even in the darkest corners of the ghetto, a spark of hope can flicker, waiting to be ignited by the flame of compassion.
Now, let the music begin, and let Elvis guide us through this poignant journey. For in the echoes of his voice, we might just find the strength to bridge the divides and build a world where every child, regardless of their zip code, has a chance to dream, to rise, and to sing their own song of hope
Video
Lyric
“In The Ghetto”
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin’
A poor little baby child is born
In the ghettoAnd his mama cries
‘Cause if there’s one thing that she don’t need
It’s another 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 some day
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
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,
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 on the street with a gun in his hand
In the ghetto
And as her young man dies,
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin’,
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto
And his mama cries