Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Gotham City for the ghetto, ghetto
Gotham City for the ghetto, ghetto
[Verse 2]
Uh, yo, yo
Everybody's talkin' about the good ol' days, good ol' days
Everybody's talkin' about the good ol' days
I remember when me and my brothers
We used to sit up on the porch in the summertime
And just talk about
Just makin' it, you know what I'm sayin'?
Bein' successful, followin' after our dreams
You know, and, uh
I believe that's every kid's dream, you know what I'm sayin'?
To rise and be somebody, but, damn
Sometimes we just get caught up
[Verse 3]
I ain't got no money
And I ain't got no friends
Looks like my world is coming to an end
No food on the table
No clothes on my back
No shoes on my feet
And I just barely got a used Cadillac
Now ain't that ghetto for ya?
But somehow it's got to change, yeah
Ghetto for ya
[Verse 4]
So I took this remix and rearranged
Gotham City (City of love)
(City, city of love)
A city of peace for everyone of us (For everyone of us)
'Cause we all need it (Can't live without it)
(Uh-huh, uh-huh, yo, can't live without it, uh, yeah)
Gotham City for the ghetto, yeah (Gotham City for the ghetto)
(That's what I'm talkin' about)
[Verse 5]
Ghetto fabulous, to a **** health be hazardous
If you wanna test wrath in us, for the respect
S-T-R-I-N-G-S, yes, fuck the rest
Give me the best, why should I have to settle for less?
When I could push V-12s with finesse
And all the mess
You can try to hold me back but I
Keep on truckin' till I hit the sky
Even if you wanted to you can't deny
Gotta feed baby girl, do or die
[Verse 6]
We keep talkin' about escalatin' (Escalatin')
Well, who's gonna go first?
Guess I'll be the one to step up
If you don't follow me it would be the worst, mmm
Every time somethin' goes down
Somebody's cryin' ghetto tears
Hope I'm not rainin' on your parade
But this is not what keepin' it real is
Now ain't that ghetto for ya?
But somehow it's got to change, yeah (Gotta change, y'all)
Ghetto for ya
[Verse 7]
So I took this remix and rearranged
A Gotham City (City of love)
(Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh)
A city of peace (For everyone of us) Oh, yeah
(City of peace)
(that's right)
'Cause we all need it (Can't live without it)
Oh, yeah, yeah, woo
(Yo, a Gotham City)
A Gotham City for the ghetto (For the Ghetto)
(Uh, that's right, Strings)
[Verse 8]
Uh, uh, uh, check it out
Now motherfucker wanna act surprised
'Cause you afraid to change and scared to rise
That's why your ass getting left behind
**** outta sight, **** outta mind
'Cause ain't nobody gon' stop the dream
Talk that shit, lock my C.R.E.A.M.
Negativity, you got to let go
Have a Gotham City for the ghetto
[Verse 9]
We all need it (We all need it) Hey, hey, hey
(Uh-huh, uh-huh)
Gotham City for the ghetto (Gotham City for the ghetto)
Yeah (That's right) mm-hmm
Callin' on Heaven
Send your love down to the ghetto, yeah
Mm-hmm, mmm-mmm
[Verse 10]
Talkin' about a land where, oh, yeah
Where there will be no more cryin'
No more cryin', no, oh, yeah
A place where we can all just get along, yeah
And children will sing ghetto love songs (Sing y'all, and smile)
In a land where (City of love)
In a land where (For every one of us)
Written by: R. Kelly