Chords + Lyrics | In The Ghetto
Intro
||: Bb (Bbsus4) | Bb Bbsus4 Bb :||
Verse 1
| Bb (Bbsus4) | Bb Bbsus4 Bb |
As the snow flies.
| Dm7 | Eb F |
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin’ a poor little baby child is born.
| Bb (Bbsus4) | Bb Bbsus4 Bb |
In the ghetto.
Verse 2
And his mama cries.
‘Cause if there’s one thing that she don’t need it’s another little hungry mouth to feed.
In the ghetto.
Bridge 1
| F | Eb Bb |
People, don’t you understand, the child needs a helping hand.
| Eb F | Bb |
Or he’ll grow to be an angry young man someday.
| F | Eb Bb |
Take a look at you and me, are we too blind to see?
| Eb Dm7 | Cm7 F7 | 2/4 F7 | 4/4
Do we simply turn our heads and look the other way?
Verse 3
Well, the world turns.
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose plays in the street as the cold wind blows.
In the ghetto (in the ghetto).
Verse 4
And his hunger burns.
So he starts to roam the streets at night and he learns how to steal and he learns how to fight.
In the ghetto (in the ghetto).
Bridge 2
| F | Eb Bb |
Then one night in desperation, the young man breaks away.
| Eb Dm7 | Cm7 F7 |
He buys a gun, steals a car, tries to run, but he don’t get far.
Verse 5
And his mama cries.
As a crowd gathers ’round an angry young man, face down on the street with a gun in his hand.
In the ghetto (in the ghetto).
Verse 6
| Bb (Bbsus4) | Bb Bbsus4 Bb |
And as her young man dies.
| Dm7 | Eb F | 2/4 F |
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin’, another little baby child is born.
| Bb (Bbsus4) | Bb Bbsus4 Bb |
In the ghetto (in the ghetto).
Outro
||: Bb (Bbsus4) | Bb Bbsus4 Bb :||
And his mama cries (in the ghetto).
(In the ghetto) (Ah).
In The Ghetto Chords: Understanding the Diatonic Movements and Sus4 Variations
The chords for In the Ghetto are diatonic to the key of Bb.
The main riff alternates between adding and removing a sus4 extension twice in the first bar, then only once in the second.
Intro
To simplify notation, I’ve written it like this above the lyrics:
| Bb (Bbsus4) | Bb Bbsus4 Bb |
The sus4 in brackets indicates that you briefly add and remove the extension before repeating the process. The best way to illustrate this is through TAB—here’s a link to that part of the lesson: In the Ghetto – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Verse
After this static intro, the verse ascends using III – IV – V, like this:
| Bb (I) (Bbsus4) | Bb Bbsus4 Bb | Dm7 (III) | Eb (IV) F (V) |
There’s TAB available for how to play this on a single guitar. On the original recording, the main riff is the primary guitar part, with minimal additional guitar presence.
Bridge
The section I’ve labelled as the bridge follows a V – IV – I progression, then IV – V – I, before repeating the first movements and descending IV – III – II – V, as follows:
||: F (V) | Eb (IV) Bb (I) :|| x3 Eb F | Bb |
| Eb (IV) Dm7 (III) | Cm7 (II) F7 (V) |
When the bridge returns, it’s much shorter, omitting the first line:
| F | Eb Bb | Eb Dm7 | Cm7 F7 |
Once you’ve worked through the TAB, studied the chords and lyrics, and played along with the original recording, all you’ll need for the gig is a simple chord chart—here’s one I made for you.
In The Ghetto Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
If you’d like to download this chart, here’s a PDF: In the Ghetto chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro—here’s a link to that file: In the Ghetto iReal Pro. With the iRealPro app, you can easily change the key.
Since all the chords are diatonic to Bb, transposing In the Ghetto up or down a tone won’t significantly alter its feel—unless, of course, you have perfect pitch!
In The Ghetto TAB | Course Preview
In the course, there’s TAB for everything you need to play In The Ghetto.
Here’s a preview — the main riff.
Elvis’s Comeback and Legacy
Released in 1969, In the Ghetto marked a significant moment in Elvis Presley’s career, serving as a major part of his comeback. The single was a huge success, reaching the top five in charts worldwide and selling over a million copies in the U.S. alone.
Prior to this, Elvis had been focused on film soundtracks rather than chart success. His previous album, a 1967 gospel release, had been recorded years earlier, and while his 1968 live album featured his classic hits, it didn’t introduce new material. For much of the ’60s, his manager had steered him towards movies, prioritising their accompanying soundtracks over standalone records.
With From Elvis in Memphis (1969), he finally returned to making serious studio albums, and In the Ghetto was its defining hit. Though it was placed as the last track on the B-side, its impact was undeniable. More than just a song, it played a crucial role in re-establishing Elvis as a recording artist, proving that great hits—not just nostalgia—are what truly shape an artist’s legacy.
In The Ghetto Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: In The Ghetto (Elvis) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
