“In the Ghetto” live performance
“In the Ghetto” original studio recording
The cold is heartless. As the wind chills us, the cold creeps into our hearts with feelings of despair, loneliness and sadness. When I face the cold, I’m in my car, not walking to a bus stop. My North Face coat keep the warmth close to my body as opposed to a coat taken from a donation box that through seasons of use has lots its effectiveness to keep out the stings of wind. I have a hot mug of tea and a lunchbox full of food while others are not sure when there next meal will be. In a way I’ve never been cold.
“In The Ghetto” is a story about what it means to feel cold. On a snowing, cold and gray Chicago morning a baby child is born. For those of you who have never lived in Chicago winter mornings can reach below 0 degrees Fahrenheit and in the depth of winter, mornings can not only be grey but black as the sun takes it’s time it to rise. This is the setting for a tragedy though fictional speaks truths about struggles and lives of those less fortunate.
When Elvis Presley recorded this song in 1969, it had been four years since his last Top 10 hit. Spending his time making mediocre films had made Elvis irrelevant in the music world. It wasn’t until his television comeback special in 1968 that Elvis reminded America that he was one of the most influential musicians in American culture. He followed this special up by jumping back in the studio. He recorded in Memphis, Tennessee and during intense midnight sessions he recorded some of the greatest work in his career including “Suspicious Minds” and “In The Ghetto.”
Elvis revolutionized music with his sexually charged performances and a voice that was a unique amalgamation of country, gospel, soul and pop. His early recordings captured his unbridled expression, which seemed to evaporate as his career progressed
“In The Ghetto” was a return to greatness. The opening guitar arpeggio, the subtle horn colors, the lush strings and the soulful back-up singers worked together to created an indescribable feeling of harmony. I’m not talking about harmony in the musical sense, but rather the feeling that you get when you are in a group of people and everyone is working together, for the same reasons, to reach the same goal. In this song, the many different elements, the many different people working together combine so well that instead of hearing each individual musician, you feel what they are expressing.
The song tells the story of a child’s life. He is born to a single mother who’s first thought after he is born is not of love but of regret as she thinks of him as another mouth to feed. The child grows up on the cold streets and gets the best education that is available to him. The school is his streets, the teachers are neighborhood boys, and their curriculum is fighting and stealing. His motivation is not grades but rather hunger, that like the cold gnaws away not only at the body but also the soul. One day he tries to steal a car and the police catch him and dies. His mother weep is at the side of her dying boy as she dies what in another part of the ghetto, another boy is being born.
This song was originally title “The Vicious Cycle” and this song posits that the story of this boy is destined to repeat. As much as people do break out of the cycle and move out of the ghetto, many more people never do rise above the economic hardship they are born into. I’m not here to debate why people are stuck in the ghetto and what we as a society should do about it but I believe we all can agree there is a cycle in which it is nigh-impossible for people born in the ghetto to get out.
People make bad choices and often pay for them. For example, someone may break a law and then lose their job, go to jail and then when they get out, the only place they can afford to live is the ghetto. On some level, we can blame that person for their situation. However, a child born in the ghetto didn’t choose to be born there. “In the Ghetto” asks us if we see that this boy needs help because the song argues that if he doesn’t get it he will grow up bitter and angry. Then the songs asks, “Are we too blind to see or do we simply turn our heads and look the other way?”
Honestly, most of the time, I simply turn my head.
I don’t always know what to do with that. I like to think that I do all I can to help those in need, but I don’t really. Often, we tell ourselves that people don’t deserve our help because their misfortune is their fault, but who are we to judge?
I believe we can do better. I don’t know if it’s through our government or private organizations but there’s no reason why the richest country in the world can’t make sure all of it’s children have enough food to eat and shelter from the cold. Just because we don’t necessarily have answers, doesn’t mean we should stop asking questions.
In 2008, Lisa Marie Presley had one answer. Elvis Presley’s only child recorded over Elvis’s original recording to create a duet and donated all of its proceeds to charity. Natalie Cole was the first musician to do this singing “Unforgettable” with her dad Nat King Cole. Since then, many artist have sung duets with musicians who have passed on and most of the time I find that these works in overdubbing and editing do not add anything real or substantial to the original recording. However, there’s something different with Lisa Marie.
When Elvis died at the age of 43, Lisa Marie was 9 years old. The whole world got to know her dad, but she barely did. Even though Lisa Marie has not made a significant impact on the music world she is the strongest tie we have to Elvis and she continuously works, despite the behavior that the tabloids often report, to honor her father and help his estate do charity work.
Elvis’ deep baritone perfectly matches Lisa Marie’s rich alto voice. Though they are similar, Lisa Marie has a slight edge and yearning that compliments the solemn and soulful delivery of her father. Elvis was taken from Lisa Marie like “In the Ghetto” describes the son being taken from his mother. Alone, Elvis expresses the tragedy of this loss. However, with Lisa Marie “In the Ghetto” becomes a celebration of what people can create beyond circumstance, beyond death and beyond life in the ghetto.
“In the Ghetto” original studio recording
The cold is heartless. As the wind chills us, the cold creeps into our hearts with feelings of despair, loneliness and sadness. When I face the cold, I’m in my car, not walking to a bus stop. My North Face coat keep the warmth close to my body as opposed to a coat taken from a donation box that through seasons of use has lots its effectiveness to keep out the stings of wind. I have a hot mug of tea and a lunchbox full of food while others are not sure when there next meal will be. In a way I’ve never been cold.
“In The Ghetto” is a story about what it means to feel cold. On a snowing, cold and gray Chicago morning a baby child is born. For those of you who have never lived in Chicago winter mornings can reach below 0 degrees Fahrenheit and in the depth of winter, mornings can not only be grey but black as the sun takes it’s time it to rise. This is the setting for a tragedy though fictional speaks truths about struggles and lives of those less fortunate.
When Elvis Presley recorded this song in 1969, it had been four years since his last Top 10 hit. Spending his time making mediocre films had made Elvis irrelevant in the music world. It wasn’t until his television comeback special in 1968 that Elvis reminded America that he was one of the most influential musicians in American culture. He followed this special up by jumping back in the studio. He recorded in Memphis, Tennessee and during intense midnight sessions he recorded some of the greatest work in his career including “Suspicious Minds” and “In The Ghetto.”
Elvis revolutionized music with his sexually charged performances and a voice that was a unique amalgamation of country, gospel, soul and pop. His early recordings captured his unbridled expression, which seemed to evaporate as his career progressed
“In The Ghetto” was a return to greatness. The opening guitar arpeggio, the subtle horn colors, the lush strings and the soulful back-up singers worked together to created an indescribable feeling of harmony. I’m not talking about harmony in the musical sense, but rather the feeling that you get when you are in a group of people and everyone is working together, for the same reasons, to reach the same goal. In this song, the many different elements, the many different people working together combine so well that instead of hearing each individual musician, you feel what they are expressing.
The song tells the story of a child’s life. He is born to a single mother who’s first thought after he is born is not of love but of regret as she thinks of him as another mouth to feed. The child grows up on the cold streets and gets the best education that is available to him. The school is his streets, the teachers are neighborhood boys, and their curriculum is fighting and stealing. His motivation is not grades but rather hunger, that like the cold gnaws away not only at the body but also the soul. One day he tries to steal a car and the police catch him and dies. His mother weep is at the side of her dying boy as she dies what in another part of the ghetto, another boy is being born.
This song was originally title “The Vicious Cycle” and this song posits that the story of this boy is destined to repeat. As much as people do break out of the cycle and move out of the ghetto, many more people never do rise above the economic hardship they are born into. I’m not here to debate why people are stuck in the ghetto and what we as a society should do about it but I believe we all can agree there is a cycle in which it is nigh-impossible for people born in the ghetto to get out.
People make bad choices and often pay for them. For example, someone may break a law and then lose their job, go to jail and then when they get out, the only place they can afford to live is the ghetto. On some level, we can blame that person for their situation. However, a child born in the ghetto didn’t choose to be born there. “In the Ghetto” asks us if we see that this boy needs help because the song argues that if he doesn’t get it he will grow up bitter and angry. Then the songs asks, “Are we too blind to see or do we simply turn our heads and look the other way?”
Honestly, most of the time, I simply turn my head.
I don’t always know what to do with that. I like to think that I do all I can to help those in need, but I don’t really. Often, we tell ourselves that people don’t deserve our help because their misfortune is their fault, but who are we to judge?
I believe we can do better. I don’t know if it’s through our government or private organizations but there’s no reason why the richest country in the world can’t make sure all of it’s children have enough food to eat and shelter from the cold. Just because we don’t necessarily have answers, doesn’t mean we should stop asking questions.
In 2008, Lisa Marie Presley had one answer. Elvis Presley’s only child recorded over Elvis’s original recording to create a duet and donated all of its proceeds to charity. Natalie Cole was the first musician to do this singing “Unforgettable” with her dad Nat King Cole. Since then, many artist have sung duets with musicians who have passed on and most of the time I find that these works in overdubbing and editing do not add anything real or substantial to the original recording. However, there’s something different with Lisa Marie.
When Elvis died at the age of 43, Lisa Marie was 9 years old. The whole world got to know her dad, but she barely did. Even though Lisa Marie has not made a significant impact on the music world she is the strongest tie we have to Elvis and she continuously works, despite the behavior that the tabloids often report, to honor her father and help his estate do charity work.
Elvis’ deep baritone perfectly matches Lisa Marie’s rich alto voice. Though they are similar, Lisa Marie has a slight edge and yearning that compliments the solemn and soulful delivery of her father. Elvis was taken from Lisa Marie like “In the Ghetto” describes the son being taken from his mother. Alone, Elvis expresses the tragedy of this loss. However, with Lisa Marie “In the Ghetto” becomes a celebration of what people can create beyond circumstance, beyond death and beyond life in the ghetto.
A very articulate description of what this song says, means, and stands for. A very nice read. :D
ReplyDelete