In the Ghetto
Echoes of Urban Struggle: Bobbie Gentry's Tale of Ghetto Desperation
Lyrics
As the snow flies
Describes the setting of snowfall
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
Paints a picture of a cold and bleak morning in Chicago
A poor little baby child is born
Highlights the birth of a poor infant
In the ghetto
Emphasizes the context of poverty within the neighborhood
And his mama cries
Portrays the mother's emotional distress
'Cause if there's one thing that she don't need
Expresses the burden of another mouth to feed
It's another hungry mouth to feed
Reiterates the struggle of poverty
In the ghetto
Reiterates the impoverished living conditions
People, don't you understand
Call for understanding and assistance for the child
The child needs a helping hand
Emphasizes the child's need for support
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
Warns of potential negative outcomes if the child lacks support
Take a look at you and me,
Challenges the observer's perspective on societal issues
Are we too blind to see,
Questions the societal awareness of prevalent problems
Do we simply turn our heads
Reflects on society's tendency to ignore issues
And look the other way
Denotes the act of avoiding problems
Well the world turns
Portrays the continuity of the world despite hardships
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
Illustrates a hungry boy playing outside
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
Emphasizes the harshness of the weather in the impoverished area
In the ghetto
Reiterates the setting of poverty within the neighborhood
And his hunger burns
Expresses the intense hunger the boy feels
So he starts to roam the streets at night
Describes the boy's attempt to alleviate hunger by wandering the streets
And he learns how to steal
Highlights the boy's turn towards theft to survive
And he learns how to fight
Indicates the boy's adaptation to a life of conflict
In the ghetto
Emphasizes the perpetuation of the cycle of poverty and crime
Then one night in desperation
Describes a pivotal moment of the young man's decision under duress
A young man breaks away
Depicts the young man's attempt to break free from his circumstances
He buys a gun, steals a car,
Illustrates his resort to criminal actions out of desperation
Tries to run, but he don't get far
Shows the failure of his attempt to escape
And his mama cries
Repeats the mother's emotional pain at her son's situation
As a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man
Describes a scene of societal confrontation with the angry young man
Face down on the street with a gun in his hand
Portrays a young man in a dangerous situation with a weapon
In the ghetto
Reiterates the setting of poverty and violence within the neighborhood
As her young man dies,
Expresses the cycle of tragedy repeating as a new life enters the same circumstances
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin',
Recalls the birth of another child in the same dire situation
Another little baby child is born
Re-emphasizes the perpetuation of poverty and its associated hardships
In the ghetto
Empty row
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