Woman of the Ghetto

I was born and raised in a ghetto
I was born and raised in a ghetto
I'm a woman of the ghetto
Listen to me, legislator

How do you raise your kids in a ghetto?
How do you raise your kids in a ghetto?
Feed one child and starve another
Tell me, tell me, legislator

How do make your bread in the ghetto?
How do make your bread in the ghetto?
Baked from the souls in the ghetto
Tell me, tell me, Legislator?

Break free
Black me
I'm a woman of the ghetto

Strong true
My eyes ain't blue
I am a woman of the ghetto

How do we get rid of rats in the ghetto?
How do we get rid of rats in the ghetto?
Do we make it one black and one white in the ghetto?
Is that your answer, legislator?

Now, how do you legislate, brother?
Listen to me
How do you legislate, brother?
When you free one man and try to chain up the other
Tell me, tell me, legislator

How does your heart feel late at night?
How does your heart feel late at night?
Does it beat with shame, does it beat with pride?
Won't you tell me, tell me, legislator?

Break free
Black me
I am a woman of the ghetto

Strong true
My eyes ain't blue
Listen to me legislator

My children learns just th same as yours
Long as nobody tries to close the door
They cry with pain when the knife cuts deep
They even close their eyes when they wanna sleep

We must all have identities
That's the only way that we can live free
Now, peace you say, is all that you ask?
But self-respect is a separate task

You sitting up there
In your ivory tower
60 stories tall
Now you may have seen one ghetto
But have you lived there at all?

Places like Watts
Detroit
Fillmore
Chicago
Holland
Washintong

Seen all voices
Seen all voices
Seen all voices from the ghetto
Seen all voices from the ghetto

Seen all voices
Seen all voices
'Cause I am the woman of the ghetto

See a woman cry
See the children die