As the snow flies On a cold and gray Chicago mornin' Another 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 hungry mouth to feed In the ghetto Oh, well People, don't you understand The child needs a helping hand O-or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day Oh, people 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 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 streets at night Where he learns how to steal And he learns how to fight In the ghetto Oh, People, don't you understand This child needs a helping hand O-or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day People 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 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 on the street with a gun in his hand In the ghetto (In the ghetto) As her young man dies, On a cold and gray Chicago mornin', Another little baby child is born In the ghetto x 2 (In the ghetto x 2)