I was born in Chicago 1941
I was born in Chicago in 1941
Well my father told me,
"Son, you'd better get a gun."
My first friend went down
When I was 17 years old
Oh my first friend went down
When I was 17 years old
Well, there's one thing I can say about that boy
He gotta go

Well, my second friend went down
When I was 21 years of age
Oh my second friend went down
When I was 21 years of age
Well, there's one thing I can say about that boy
He gotta pray

Well, now rules are alright
If there's someone left to play the game
Well, now rules are alright
If there's someone left to play the game
All my friends are going
And everything just don't seem the same
Things just don't seem the same, baby