In the Ghetto

錄像上看貓王唱這歌曲的時候，沒有多少憂鬱，倒是汗流滿麵，大約是那時的他已經因毒品體弱不堪。
多麽淒涼的歌，聽來好像在看一部生動完整的電影，尤其結束部分的升華，帶來強烈的畫麵感，濃重的悲劇性，令人心酸難忍。
歌詞寫得真好。和艾青《大堰河，我的保姆〉有異曲同工之效。
而這樣的故事，現在還在繼續上演。

As the snow flies
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
A poor 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

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

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

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

As her young man dies
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto