You know, I was in
New York City a few months ago
And the garbage and the
Trash men were on strike
I'm talking about the
Maintenance people for the city
What they were trying to do was
They were trying to get
A little more money
You know, get a little raise in pay
But at that particular time
The city was broke
They were about ready
To declare default
I tell you, the garbage in some places
Was stacked up two, three stories high
At night, heh, boy, at night
It wasn't even safe to
Walk the streets, you see
Cause the rats
The roaches and the water bugs
I mean they were hustling, baby
Trying to get something to eat, see
And let me tell you something
It was stinking
Boy, there was all kind
Of disease in there
You know, but it only brought
To mind the fact that you can
No longer depend on the man downtown
To take care of business like
He's supposed to when he's supposed to
In order for us to get it
Like it's supposed to be
As far as cleanliness
You know, and safety
We gotta get together
And do it for ourselves
That's the only way it's gonna be done
And you know what I'm talking about
Let me tell you what I mean
(Clean it up, clean it up)
Well, y'all, get it
(Clean it up, clean it up)
You've gotta get it
(Clean it up, clean it up)
Get it, you know you get it
(Clean it up, clean it up)
Ghetto, talking bout the ghetto
Ghetto is our home
That's where we live
Where we live
Get your paint
Get your hammer, your nails
Get your brooms
Your mop and your pails
We gonna wash it, polish
And make it all clean
Let's wash away all of the sin
Time for a new life to begin
In the ghetto
I said
Clean it up, clean it up
I said we gonna
Clean it up, clean it up
Because the ghetto
I said the ghetto
Ghetto is our home
(That's where we live
Where we live)
Let's paint a sign
Everybody can read
Let's get rid of everything
We don't need
The pushers, the dealers
The pocketbook snatchers
And thieves, uh huh
Let's make the streets safe
For women to walk
Let's get rid of all the vulgar talk
We gotta do it
In order for us to survive
I said we gotta
(Clean it up, clean it up) do it
We, we got to
(Clean it up, clean it up)
Yeah, hey
(Ghetto) sunny ghetto, oh
(Ghetto, ghetto is our home)
That's where we live from day to day
(That's where we live
Where we live) yeah
All of you brothers
That live on the main line
You lived in the ghetto
Once upon a time
We need everybody to lend a hand
Now you've helped everybody else
Now's the time for you
To help yourself
We can't depend
Depend on the people downtown
Well, well, get it up, get it up
Clean it up, clean it up
Well, well
Clean it up, clean it up
Hey, hey, hey, hey
(Ghetto) yeah
Ghetto (ghetto) ghetto
Ghetto is our home
Yeah, that's where we live
Where we live, well
I said downtown
(Clean it up, clean it up)
Get it up, get it up
(Come on, y'all)
(Let's clean it up, clean it up)
Get a broom, well
(Come on, y'all)
(Let's clean it up, clean it up)
(Come on, y'all)
(Let's clean it up, clean it up)...
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