录像上看猫王唱这歌曲的时候，没有多少忧郁，倒是汗流满面，大约是那时的他已经因毒品体弱不堪。
多么凄凉的歌，听来好像在看一部生动完整的电影，尤其结束部分的升华，带来强烈的画面感，浓重的悲剧性，令人心酸难忍。
歌词写得真好。和艾青《大堰河，我的保姆〉有异曲同工之效。
而这样的故事，现在还在继续上演。

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