[Verse 1]
Listen, when I was a young boy
Growing up in the ghetto
Hanging out on corners
Singing with the fellas
Looking for the cute chicks
Trying to find the big fun
Looking for some trouble
To anybody who'll give me some
I was young and crazy
In the ghetto
Didn't know what my life would be
In the ghetto
I was dumb and oh so lazy
In the ghetto
Something had a spell on me
In the ghetto
Listen

[Chorus]
You wanna know what I'm talking 'bout?
Talking 'bout ghetto life
Ghetto life
You wanna know what I'm singing 'bout?
Talking 'bout ghetto life
Ghetto life
[Verse 2]
When I was a young man
Kind of free and fancy
I met this little cute girl
Said her name was Nancy
Had pigtails to her shoulders
She couldn't have been much older
She taught me what I had to know
To make a girl not wanna go
She was young and kinky
In the ghetto
She laid her pigtails down on me
In the ghetto
I was feeling oh so sneaky
In the ghetto
I had to see what love could be
In the ghetto
Listen, y'all

[Bridge]
I knew it all along
My game was strong
But I was wrong that time
I knew I had to pray
Give myself away
Did you think I was man enough?
Yeah
Did you think I was bad enough?
Yeah
Did you think I was smart enough?
Yeah
Did you think that I'd work it out?
[Interlude]
The ghetto life
Ayy, Long Beach Arena, somebody scream
Oohuh-oohuh
Oohuh-oohuh
Oohuh-oohuh
Listen

[Verse 3]
When I was a young boy
Tenements, slums and corner bums
Playing tag with winos
The only way to have some fun
One thing 'bout the ghetto
You don't have to worry
It'll be there tomorrow
Sister, don't you hurry

[Chorus]
Ghetto life
Talking 'bout ghetto life
Talking 'bout ghetto life
Ghetto life, baby
Talking 'bout ghetto life
Ghetto life
[Outro]
Woo, where is the place you funk?
Ghetto land, that's the place we funk
(The place we like to funk)
Say, where is the place you funk?
Ghetto land, that's the place where we funk
Say, where's the place you funk, Long Beach?
Ghetto land that's the place where we funk
Listen, where's the place you like to funk?
Ghetto land, that's the place where we funk
Where's the place you like to funk?
Where's the place you like to funk?

I knew it all along, my game was strong
I knew I had to pray, give myself away
Did you think I was man enough?
Yeah
Did you think I was strong enough?
Yeah
Did you think I was Black enough?
Yeah
Did you think that I'd work it out?
Woo!