The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Ooh, mm
Mm-hmm
Yes, this is the ghetto, sure 'nuff now
Oh, oh-oh, oh
Aw, yeah
Don't you know that's all right?
Yeah
Yeah
Aw (hey), yeah
The ghetto, hmm
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
Sure 'nuff
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
Oh, yeah
The ghetto, the ghetto
The ghetto, the ghetto, the ghetto
The ghetto, the ghetto, the ghetto
The ghetto, the ghetto, the ghetto
Yeah, yeah
The ghetto
The ghetto
You don't know what I'm talking about, yeah
The ghetto
The ghetto
My Lord
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
Whoa
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
I
I think y'all should listen to the brother
Wait a minute
No you ain't doin' what you're suppose to
You doin' what you wanna do (well)
But you know you are
Hey-ho
Living in my
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
That's alright, everything is okay
The ghetto
You better get a job
The ghetto
The ghetto
Quality night y'all (it was)
The ghetto
Everything is everything y'all
The ghetto
Pass the joint
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
We ain't gettin' out (woo)
The ghetto
Y'all look so elegant
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
Woo, look who it is
The ghetto
Yeah
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto (get it)
The ghetto (leave her alone man)
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
Hey man give me you're money
You better not tell anybody
I don't owe you shit
Mm-hm (hey boy)
Mm-hm
Whoa (hey hey, hey hey)
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto
I'm talkin' bout the ghetto (the ghetto)
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (hmm, yeah)
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (it's alright now)
Talkin' bout the ghetto (the ghetto)
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (oh)
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (whoa yeah)
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (hmm)
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (hmm)
Mm-hmm
Whoa-oh
Whoa-oh
I'm talkin 'bout the ghetto
I'm talkin' bout the ghetto, yeah
Can y'all dig it out there?
Mm-hmm
Yes, this is the ghetto, sure 'nuff now
Oh, oh-oh, oh
Aw, yeah
Don't you know that's all right?
Yeah
Yeah
Aw (hey), yeah
The ghetto, hmm
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
Sure 'nuff
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
Oh, yeah
The ghetto, the ghetto
The ghetto, the ghetto, the ghetto
The ghetto, the ghetto, the ghetto
The ghetto, the ghetto, the ghetto
Yeah, yeah
The ghetto
The ghetto
You don't know what I'm talking about, yeah
The ghetto
The ghetto
My Lord
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
Whoa
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
I
I think y'all should listen to the brother
Wait a minute
No you ain't doin' what you're suppose to
You doin' what you wanna do (well)
But you know you are
Hey-ho
Living in my
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
That's alright, everything is okay
The ghetto
You better get a job
The ghetto
The ghetto
Quality night y'all (it was)
The ghetto
Everything is everything y'all
The ghetto
Pass the joint
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
We ain't gettin' out (woo)
The ghetto
Y'all look so elegant
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
Woo, look who it is
The ghetto
Yeah
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto (get it)
The ghetto (leave her alone man)
The ghetto
The ghetto
The ghetto
Hey man give me you're money
You better not tell anybody
I don't owe you shit
Mm-hm (hey boy)
Mm-hm
Whoa (hey hey, hey hey)
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto
I'm talkin' bout the ghetto (the ghetto)
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (hmm, yeah)
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (it's alright now)
Talkin' bout the ghetto (the ghetto)
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (oh)
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (whoa yeah)
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (hmm)
The ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the ghetto (hmm)
Mm-hmm
Whoa-oh
Whoa-oh
I'm talkin 'bout the ghetto
I'm talkin' bout the ghetto, yeah
Can y'all dig it out there?
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Ghetto Lyrics as written by Leroy Hutson Donny Edward Hathaway
Lyrics © IN MY VAULT MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
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