As the snow flies On a cold and gray Chicago mornin' 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 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 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 streets at night And he learns how to steal, and he learns how to fight In the ghetto (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 (in the ghetto) And as her young man dies On a cold and gray Chicago mornin' (In the ghetto) Another little baby child is born In the ghetto (in the ghetto) And his mama cries (in the ghetto) (In the ghetto) (Aah-aah)