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.
Wake up wake up
Ghetto children
Wake up wake up
Ghetto children
Ghetto boy
You're my life
And there's so much for you to protect and to say
And baby boy
Don't hit your wife
'Cause your kids may grow up someday to be this way
You don't know
What you may be
To some boy
In society
There's a secret to why
You must survive
So listen to what we say
'Cause this type of shit happens everyday
Go for yours cause dreams come true
And this is the message we bring to you
Hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
No matter what teachers say to you
Ghetto children are beautiful
Say hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
Baby girl
You're my life
It's important that you smile
And never cry
Study math and your sciences
Maybe you'll figure why we subtract and multiply
You don't know
What you may be
To some girl
In society
There's a secret to why we must survive
So listen to what we say
'Cause this type of shit happens everyday
Go for yours cause dreams come true
And this is the message we bring to you
Hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
No matter what teachers say to you
Ghetto children are beautiful
Say hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
Crack town
Ghetto in the city
Buildings are abandoned
The girls are still pretty
A child looks in the mirror
Here to see my life clearer
All I see is ghetto keys to this jet black carrera
Of course 911 don't mean help
The only ones that need help is them sons without wealth
It's apparent that this nation
They don't know what they facin
Young natural born killers
And these street corner masons
You want that type of money
That you see in a mob flick
Would you stash it your wallet?
Yes with the lumps under my carpet
Listen to your heart
Why should I listen to you?
I was here from the start
But you don't bring no money through
Look I only fill capes
And to get it I kill jakes
By the time I'm 21
I'll be the ghetto bill gates
You were born to be an angel
That it was in my brain too
Now the only star spangled
Is coming outta my bangle
Now that I'm out (ghetto ghetto boy)
It's like the whole world blames you
Although the ghetto's nothing like the conclusion I came to
Your friends ill you claimin' both sides (ghetto ghetto girl)
Now they don't claim you
Ghetto children change the world
Don't let it change you
Go for yours cause dreams come true
And this is the message we bring to you
Hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
No matter what teachers say to you
Ghetto children are beautiful
Say hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
Go for yours cause dreams come true
And this is the message we bring to you
Hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
No matter what teachers say to you
Ghetto children are beautiful
Say hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
Little children the ones that caught up
The whole world wants to be a part of
A little ghetto thang
A little ghetto thang (to fade)
Ghetto children
Wake up wake up
Ghetto children
Ghetto boy
You're my life
And there's so much for you to protect and to say
And baby boy
Don't hit your wife
'Cause your kids may grow up someday to be this way
You don't know
What you may be
To some boy
In society
There's a secret to why
You must survive
So listen to what we say
'Cause this type of shit happens everyday
Go for yours cause dreams come true
And this is the message we bring to you
Hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
No matter what teachers say to you
Ghetto children are beautiful
Say hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
Baby girl
You're my life
It's important that you smile
And never cry
Study math and your sciences
Maybe you'll figure why we subtract and multiply
You don't know
What you may be
To some girl
In society
There's a secret to why we must survive
So listen to what we say
'Cause this type of shit happens everyday
Go for yours cause dreams come true
And this is the message we bring to you
Hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
No matter what teachers say to you
Ghetto children are beautiful
Say hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
Crack town
Ghetto in the city
Buildings are abandoned
The girls are still pretty
A child looks in the mirror
Here to see my life clearer
All I see is ghetto keys to this jet black carrera
Of course 911 don't mean help
The only ones that need help is them sons without wealth
It's apparent that this nation
They don't know what they facin
Young natural born killers
And these street corner masons
You want that type of money
That you see in a mob flick
Would you stash it your wallet?
Yes with the lumps under my carpet
Listen to your heart
Why should I listen to you?
I was here from the start
But you don't bring no money through
Look I only fill capes
And to get it I kill jakes
By the time I'm 21
I'll be the ghetto bill gates
You were born to be an angel
That it was in my brain too
Now the only star spangled
Is coming outta my bangle
Now that I'm out (ghetto ghetto boy)
It's like the whole world blames you
Although the ghetto's nothing like the conclusion I came to
Your friends ill you claimin' both sides (ghetto ghetto girl)
Now they don't claim you
Ghetto children change the world
Don't let it change you
Go for yours cause dreams come true
And this is the message we bring to you
Hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
No matter what teachers say to you
Ghetto children are beautiful
Say hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
Go for yours cause dreams come true
And this is the message we bring to you
Hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
No matter what teachers say to you
Ghetto children are beautiful
Say hey now hey now now
Hey now hey now now
Little children the ones that caught up
The whole world wants to be a part of
A little ghetto thang
A little ghetto thang (to fade)
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Is it me or is kelise saying that the baby boy has a wife..she says dont hit your wife to the baby boy in the second verse.. i just dont get this song..
Listen to the song, it's not Kelis, it's Marc Dorcey on that verse. He's basically speaking in future tense; "baby boy" means a young man that has not mentally developed into a man yet and still plays childish games.