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Track: Ghetto Life
Artist: Rick James
Album: Street Songs (Deluxe Edition)

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Name: Rick James
Spotify Genres: funk, motown, disco
Followers: 1,286,149
Popularity:

62/100

Biography

American vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer. Born: 1 February 1948 in Buffalo, New York, USA. Died: 6 August 2004 in Burbank, California, USA (aged 56). Growing up in the Buffalo ghetto as the third oldest child in a family of eight, by age 14 he already had legal troubles. In 1964 James went AWOL from the Navy because it interfered with his music career, and he fled to Canada for a few years. His first band, formed in the 1960's with future [a=Steppenwolf] member [a=Nick St. Nicholas] was initially called the Sailor Boys, but soon changed their name to [a=The Mynah Birds]. He also formed the blues band The Main Line, and was singing and writing in [a=The Great White Cane]. In 1977 he formed the [a=Stone City Band]. His first album “Come Get It,” reached position #3 on the R&B charts, “You and I,” went gold in September and “Mary Jane," a barely-disguised hymn to marijuana, hit US R&B #3 in October 1977. He also helped launch the [a=Mary Jane Girls] in the mid-1980s. Rick James is also credited for establishing the “Punk Funk,” style. On the morning of August 6th, 2004, James was found dead in his Burbank, California home. He died from pulmonary and cardiac failure with his various health conditions of diabetes, stroke, a pacemaker and a heart attack.

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Discogs Release Info

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Release: Rick James - Ghetto Life
Year: 1981
Genres: Funk / Soul
Styles: Disco, Funk

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Source: MusicBrainz

LYRICS

When I was a young boy
Growing up in the ghetto
Hanging out on corners
Singin' with the fellas
Lookin' for the cute chicks
Trying to find a bit of fun
Looking for some trouble
Or anyone 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

You wanna know what I'm talkin' bout?
Talkin' 'bout ghetto life
Ghetto Liiiiiiiiiiiife
You wanna know what I'm singin' 'bout?
Talkin' 'bout ghetto life
Ghetto Liiiiiiiiiiiife

When I was a young man
Kind of free and fancy
Met this little cute girl
She said her name was Nancy
She 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 want to go

She was very kinky
In the ghetto
She laid her pigtails down on me
In the ghetto
And I was feeling oh so sneaky
In the ghetto
I had to see what love could be
In the ghetto

I knew it all along
That my game was strong
But I was wrong that time
I knew I had to pray
And give myself away
Did you think I was man enough?
Yeah
Did you think I was smart enough?
Yeah
Did you think I was strong enough?
Yeah
Did you think I'd work it out?

The Ghetto Life

Sing it to ya, hit it baby baby
Talkin 'bout ghetto life
You got to get on over
Talkin 'bout ghetto life

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 hurry
It'll be there tommorow
So brother don't you worry

Ghetto Life
Talking 'bout ghetto life
Talking 'bout Ghettoo Liiiiiiiiife
Ghetto Life, baby
Talkin' 'bout ghetto life

Life

Life
Ghetto Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii(Talkin' 'bout ghetto life)iiioooooo la la la la life
Shoop Shoop Shoop Shoop, Shoop be doop in the ghetto
People we got to get over
Shoop Shoop Shoop Shoop, Shoop be doop in the ghetto
Talkin' 'bout the life
Shoop Shoop Shoop Shoop, Shoop be doop in the ghetto
Life

Where's the place we funk?
Ghetto Land that's the place we funk
The place we like to funk
Ghetto Land that's the place where we funk
Say where the place we funk
Ghetto Land that's the place where we funk
The place we like to funk
Ghetto Land that's the place where we funk
Ho!
The place we like to funk

Ghetto Land, we like to funk
Where the place, we like to funk

Ghetto Land, that's the place
Where we funk from day to day
Ghetto Land Ghetto Land