Intro: A

         A
As the snow flies
     C#m
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
   Bm                E        
A poor little baby child is born
         A
In the ghetto

And his mama cries
           C#m                                              
'Cause if there's one thing that she don't need
      Bm             E
It's another hungry mouth to feed
         A
In the ghetto


                      E
So people, don't you understand
                  F#m       D
The child needs a helping hand
    F#m                  D                   A
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
                    E
Take a look at you and me,
            F#m      D
Are we too blind to see,
C#m           Bm      
Do we simply turn our heads
     D              E
And look the other way


           A     
Well the world turns
      C#m                                   
And a poor little boy with a runny nose
 Bm                         E
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
         A
In the ghetto

And his hunger burns
       C#m
So he starts to roam the streets at night
               Bm                    
And he learns how to steal
        E
And he learns how to fight
         A
In the ghetto


 E
Then one night in desperation
   F#m              D
A young man breaks away
 C#m             Bm
He buys a gun, steals a car,
  D                   E    
Tries to run, but he doesn't get far
 

         A
And his mama cries
      C#m
As a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man
      Bm                        E
Face down on the street with a gun in his hand
         A
In the ghetto

As her young man dies,
     C#m                              
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin',
  Bm                  E
Another little baby child is born
         A
In the ghetto
         A
In the ghetto...