Escrita por Mac
Davis, foi gravada por Elvis em janeiro de 1969 e lançada em abril
de 1969 em um compacto que tinha Any day now como Lado B. É uma
narrativa sobre a pobreza, de um menino que nasceu de uma mãe que
tinha mais filhos do que podia sustentar num ghetto de Chicago. O
menino cresce faminto, rouba e briga na rua. Compra uma arma e rouba
um carro, mas é morto pela polícia ao mesmo momento que seu próprio
filho nasce.
A canção sugere
que o destino da nova criança vai ser o mesmo do pai. Chegou ao
número 3 nos Estados Unidos número 2 no Canadá e Reino Unido. Foi
número 1 na Alemanha Ocidental, Irlanda, Noruega, Australia e Nova
Zelandia.
Foi regravada por
Sammy Davis Jr., Marilyn Mason, Dolly Parton, Bobbie Gentry, Nik Cave
and The Bad Seeds, The Cranberries, Chris De Burgh, entre outros
artistas.
A letra:
As the snow flies
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
A poor little baby child is born
In the ghetto (in the ghetto)
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)
'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?
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 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)
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
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
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)
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'
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto (in the ghetto)
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto (in the ghetto)
And his mama cries (in the ghetto)
(In the ghetto)
(Aah-aah)
(In the ghetto)
(Aah-aah)
A versão de Elvis Presley ao vivo:
A versão de Sammy Davis Jr.:
A versão dos Cranberries:
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