[Verse 1]
Little ghetto boy
Playing in the ghetto street
What'cha gonna do when you grow up
And have to face responsibility?
Will you spend your days and nights in a pool room?
Will you sell caps of madness to the neighborhood?
Little ghetto boy

[Bridge]
You already know how rough life can be
'Cause you've seen so much pain and misery

[Verse 2]
Little ghetto boy
Your daddy was blown away
He robbed that grocery store
Don't you know that was a sad, sad old day?
All of your young life
You've seen such misery and pain
The world is a cruel place to live
And it ain't gonna change
You're so young
You've got so far to go
Don't think you'll reach your goal, young man
Hanging by the pool room door
Look out, y'all
[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 3]
Little ghetto boy
When, when, when you become a man
You can make things change, yeah, hey, hey
If you just take a stand
You gotta believe in yourself and all you do
You've gotta fight to make it better
You'll see how others will start believing, too
And my son, things will start to get better

[Outro]
(Everything has got to get better)
Hey
(Everything has got to get better)
I said everything
(Everything has got to get better)
Everything has got to get better
(Everything has got to get better)
I declare, I believe every day
(Everything has got to get better)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
(Everything has got to get better)

[Instrumental Break]
I said everything
(Everything has got to get better)
Has got to get better
(Everything has got to get better)
Said I'm depending on you, little brother
(Everything has got to get better)
Yeah, yeah-yeah