Little child, runnin' wild
Watch a while, you see he never smiles
Broken home, father gone
Mama tired so he's all alone

Kind of sad, kind of mad
Ghetto child, thinkin' he's been had
But I can just hear him
In the back of his mind sayin'

Didn't have to be here
You didn't have to love for me
While I was just a nothin' child
Why couldn't y'all just let me be
Let me be, let me be, let me be

Little child, runnin' wild
Watch a while, you see he never smiles
Broken home, daddy gone
Mama tired and he's all alone

Kind of sad, oh, baby, kind of mad
Ghetto child, thinkin' he's been had
And I can just hear him sayin'

I didn't have to be here
You didn't have to love for me
While I was just a nothin' child
Why couldn't they just let me be
Let me be, let me be, let me be
Ain't got no money