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