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In The Ghetto

Chords

4.91,328 votes

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KeyOriginal

Chords

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Capo on fret 1 (as written in this song)

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Elvis Presley - In The Ghetto
Standard tuning
CAPO 1
A * - Play the A with a hammer-on/pull-off (little finger on the 3rd fret of the B string to mimic the riff)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu3SBtub53g if you want the pro picking version.
[Verse 1]
        A   A*
As the snow flies
On a C#mcold and grey Chicago mornin'
A Dpoor little baby Echild is born
        A   A*
In the ghetto
[Verse 2]
        A   A*
And his mama cries
'cause if C#mthere's one thing that she don't need
It's Danother hungry Emouth to feed
        A   A*
In the ghetto
[Chorus]
People don't you Eunderstand
The child needs a Dhelping Ahand
Or Dhe'll grow to be an Eangry young man some Aday
Take a look at Eyou and me,
Are we too Dblind to Asee
DDo we simply C#mturn our heads and Bmlook the other Eway
[Verse 3]
         A   A*
Well the world turns
And a C#mhungry little boy with a runny nose
DPlays in the street as the Ecold wind blows
        A   A*
In the ghetto
[Verse 4]
        A   A*  
And his hunger burns
so he stC#marts to roam the streets at night
And he Dlearns how to steal, and he Elearns how to fight
        A   A*
In the ghetto
[Bridge]
EThen one night in desperation
DA young man breaks Aaway
DHe buys a gun, C#msteals a car,
BmTries to run, but he dEon't get far
[Verse 5]
         A   A*
And his mama cries
As a crowC#md gathers 'round an angry young man
Face Ddown on the street with a Egun in his hand
        A   A*
In the ghetto
[Verse 6]
        A   A*
As her young man dies,
On a cold C#mand grey Chicago mornin'
DAnother little baby Echild is born
        A   A*
In the ghetto
         A   A*
And his mama cries...

The story behind the song

"In the Ghetto," originally titled "The Vicious Circle," is a powerful 1969 song written by Mac Davis and recorded by Elvis Presley. It was a significant part of Presley's comeback album, From Elvis in Memphis, and was also released as a single. This track was recorded during a creative session at American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, following Presley's 1968 comeback special. Other hits like "Suspicious Minds" and "Kentucky Rain" also emerged from these sessions.

AI-written from these sources:In the Ghetto — Wikipedia ↗Elvis Presley — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

In The Ghetto

by Elvis Presley

Lyrics & chords · Original key · Capo on fret 1 (as written in this song)

Elvis Presley - In The Ghetto

Standard tuning

CAPO 1

A * - Play the A with a hammer-on/pull-off (little finger on the 3rd fret of the B string to mimic the riff)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu3SBtub53g if you want the pro picking version.

[Verse 1]

A A

As the snow flies

C#m

On a cold and grey Chicago mornin'

D E

A poor little baby child is born

A A

In the ghetto

[Verse 2]

A A

And his mama cries

C#m

'cause if there's one thing that she don't need

D E

It's another hungry mouth to feed

A A

In the ghetto

[Chorus]

People don't you understand

D A

The child needs a helping hand

D E A

Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day

Take a look at you and me,

D A

Are we too blind to see

D C#m Bm E

Do we simply turn our heads and look the other way

[Verse 3]

A A

Well the world turns

C#m

And a hungry little boy with a runny nose

D E

Plays in the street as the cold wind blows

A A

In the ghetto

[Verse 4]

A A

And his hunger burns

C#m

so he starts to roam the streets at night

D E

And he learns how to steal, and he learns how to fight

A A

In the ghetto

[Bridge]

Then one night in desperation

D A

A young man breaks away

D C#m

He buys a gun, steals a car,

Bm E

Tries to run, but he don't get far

[Verse 5]

A A

And his mama cries

C#m

As a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man

D E

Face down on the street with a gun in his hand

A A

In the ghetto

[Verse 6]

A A

As her young man dies,

C#m

On a cold and grey Chicago mornin'

D E

Another little baby child is born

A A

In the ghetto

A A

And his mama cries...

About In The Ghetto Chords by Elvis Presley

Learn how to play In The Ghetto by Elvis Presley with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “In The Ghetto chords”, “In The Ghetto guitar chords”, or “Elvis Presley In The Ghetto chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy In The Ghetto chords and for experienced players who want accurate In The Ghetto lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include A, B, C#m, D, E, Bm.

FAQ — In The Ghetto by Elvis Presley

How do I play "In The Ghetto" by Elvis Presley on guitar?

Open the free chords for "In The Ghetto" by Elvis Presley on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "In The Ghetto" by Elvis Presley free?

Yes. The chords for "In The Ghetto" by Elvis Presley are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "In The Ghetto" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "In The Ghetto" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "In The Ghetto"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "In The Ghetto" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "In The Ghetto" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "In The Ghetto" by Elvis Presley with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Elvis Presley below.

What key is "In The Ghetto" in?

The chords for "In The Ghetto" show the original chord names (including A, B, C#m, D, E, Bm). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.