Chords for Elvis Presley - The Story Behind: In The Ghetto (Track Explainer Series)
Tempo:
93.575 bpm
Chords used:
Bb
Eb
F
Dm
Cm
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[Bb] Did you know that one of Elvis' [Bb] biggest hits was also one of his most controversial?
In 1969, Elvis hadn't had a top ten hit in four years.
[Bb] In the midst of putting together a comeback [Dm] album in his hometown of Memphis, [Eb] the pressure
was on to [F] find songs that would refresh [Bb] his career and reestablish his relevance for a modern audience.
One of the songs that made the greatest impact on the King was In the Ghetto, written by
established country songwriter [Eb] Mac Davis, [F] who also penned other Elvis songs.
The [Eb] song was inspired by [Bb] Davis' own childhood growing up near [Eb] the Chicago ghettos.
[F] As a boy, [Bb] he'd been confused by a society that dealt some [F] children a fate of poverty
and crime, [Bb] while [Eb] others like him lived [Bb] comfortably only a few streets [Eb] away.
[Dm] Complete with his signature guitar lick, [Cm] Davis wrote the song [F] in just a few hours.
Everyone agreed it was [Bb] incredibly moving, but Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was
afraid its overt political message might be too [Dm] polarizing for Elvis' wide range [Eb] of fans.
After some [F] hesitation, [Bb] however, Elvis insisted on recording the song.
Moved by its message at the height of the civil rights movement, he wanted a song that
took a stand in turbulent times.
On January 20th, [Dm] Elvis and the American Studio House band began [Eb] recording In the Ghetto at
[F] 9 p.m.
After [Bb] 23 takes with the slower instrumental, producer Chip Smoman felt the song needed
[F] urgency, so he had the band pick up its pacing.
[Eb] Smoman also asked Elvis, [Bb] who preferred to record [Eb] vocals with a live band, [Dm] to perform
his track [Cm] separately, landing a more [F] personal feel.
In the [Gm] Ghetto was released as a single that April and entered the [Bb] Hot 100 in May.
It replaced the Beatles' [D] Get [Dm] Back at No.
1 on Cashbox [Eb] magazine's list of top 100 bestselling
[F] singles, [Bb] and by the end of that year, was joined by two more Elvis hits, Suspicious
Minds and Don't Cry Daddy.
Today, In the Ghetto is still remembered for its career-reviving impact, but is perhaps
most revered for merging powerful lyrics with a passionate performance, bringing a historical
message to light through unforgettable music.
In 1969, Elvis hadn't had a top ten hit in four years.
[Bb] In the midst of putting together a comeback [Dm] album in his hometown of Memphis, [Eb] the pressure
was on to [F] find songs that would refresh [Bb] his career and reestablish his relevance for a modern audience.
One of the songs that made the greatest impact on the King was In the Ghetto, written by
established country songwriter [Eb] Mac Davis, [F] who also penned other Elvis songs.
The [Eb] song was inspired by [Bb] Davis' own childhood growing up near [Eb] the Chicago ghettos.
[F] As a boy, [Bb] he'd been confused by a society that dealt some [F] children a fate of poverty
and crime, [Bb] while [Eb] others like him lived [Bb] comfortably only a few streets [Eb] away.
[Dm] Complete with his signature guitar lick, [Cm] Davis wrote the song [F] in just a few hours.
Everyone agreed it was [Bb] incredibly moving, but Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was
afraid its overt political message might be too [Dm] polarizing for Elvis' wide range [Eb] of fans.
After some [F] hesitation, [Bb] however, Elvis insisted on recording the song.
Moved by its message at the height of the civil rights movement, he wanted a song that
took a stand in turbulent times.
On January 20th, [Dm] Elvis and the American Studio House band began [Eb] recording In the Ghetto at
[F] 9 p.m.
After [Bb] 23 takes with the slower instrumental, producer Chip Smoman felt the song needed
[F] urgency, so he had the band pick up its pacing.
[Eb] Smoman also asked Elvis, [Bb] who preferred to record [Eb] vocals with a live band, [Dm] to perform
his track [Cm] separately, landing a more [F] personal feel.
In the [Gm] Ghetto was released as a single that April and entered the [Bb] Hot 100 in May.
It replaced the Beatles' [D] Get [Dm] Back at No.
1 on Cashbox [Eb] magazine's list of top 100 bestselling
[F] singles, [Bb] and by the end of that year, was joined by two more Elvis hits, Suspicious
Minds and Don't Cry Daddy.
Today, In the Ghetto is still remembered for its career-reviving impact, but is perhaps
most revered for merging powerful lyrics with a passionate performance, bringing a historical
message to light through unforgettable music.
Key:
Bb
Eb
F
Dm
Cm
Bb
Eb
F
[Bb] Did you know that one of Elvis' [Bb] biggest hits was also one of his most controversial?
In 1969, Elvis hadn't had a top ten hit in four years.
[Bb] In the midst of putting together a comeback [Dm] album in his hometown of Memphis, [Eb] the pressure
was on to [F] find songs that would refresh [Bb] his career and reestablish his relevance for a modern audience.
One of the songs that made the greatest impact on the King was In the Ghetto, written by
established country songwriter [Eb] Mac Davis, [F] who also penned other Elvis songs.
The [Eb] song was inspired by [Bb] Davis' own childhood growing up near [Eb] the Chicago ghettos.
[F] As a boy, [Bb] he'd been confused by a society that dealt some [F] children a fate of poverty
and crime, [Bb] while [Eb] others like him lived [Bb] comfortably only a few streets [Eb] away.
[Dm] Complete with his signature guitar lick, [Cm] Davis wrote the song [F] in just a few hours.
Everyone agreed it was [Bb] incredibly moving, but Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was
afraid its overt political message might be too [Dm] polarizing for Elvis' wide range [Eb] of fans.
After some [F] hesitation, [Bb] however, Elvis insisted on recording the song.
Moved by its message at the height of the civil rights movement, he wanted a song that
took a stand in turbulent times.
On January 20th, [Dm] Elvis and the American Studio House band began [Eb] recording In the Ghetto at
[F] 9 p.m.
After [Bb] 23 takes with the slower instrumental, producer Chip Smoman felt the song needed
[F] urgency, so he had the band pick up its pacing.
[Eb] Smoman also asked Elvis, [Bb] who preferred to record [Eb] vocals with a live band, [Dm] to perform
his track [Cm] separately, landing a more [F] personal feel.
In the [Gm] Ghetto was released as a single that April and entered the [Bb] Hot 100 in May.
It replaced the Beatles' [D] Get [Dm] Back at No.
1 on Cashbox [Eb] magazine's list of top 100 bestselling
[F] singles, [Bb] and by the end of that year, was joined by two more Elvis hits, Suspicious
Minds and Don't Cry Daddy.
Today, In the Ghetto is still remembered for its career-reviving impact, but is perhaps
most revered for merging powerful lyrics with a passionate performance, bringing a historical
message to light through unforgettable music. _ _ _
In 1969, Elvis hadn't had a top ten hit in four years.
[Bb] In the midst of putting together a comeback [Dm] album in his hometown of Memphis, [Eb] the pressure
was on to [F] find songs that would refresh [Bb] his career and reestablish his relevance for a modern audience.
One of the songs that made the greatest impact on the King was In the Ghetto, written by
established country songwriter [Eb] Mac Davis, [F] who also penned other Elvis songs.
The [Eb] song was inspired by [Bb] Davis' own childhood growing up near [Eb] the Chicago ghettos.
[F] As a boy, [Bb] he'd been confused by a society that dealt some [F] children a fate of poverty
and crime, [Bb] while [Eb] others like him lived [Bb] comfortably only a few streets [Eb] away.
[Dm] Complete with his signature guitar lick, [Cm] Davis wrote the song [F] in just a few hours.
Everyone agreed it was [Bb] incredibly moving, but Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was
afraid its overt political message might be too [Dm] polarizing for Elvis' wide range [Eb] of fans.
After some [F] hesitation, [Bb] however, Elvis insisted on recording the song.
Moved by its message at the height of the civil rights movement, he wanted a song that
took a stand in turbulent times.
On January 20th, [Dm] Elvis and the American Studio House band began [Eb] recording In the Ghetto at
[F] 9 p.m.
After [Bb] 23 takes with the slower instrumental, producer Chip Smoman felt the song needed
[F] urgency, so he had the band pick up its pacing.
[Eb] Smoman also asked Elvis, [Bb] who preferred to record [Eb] vocals with a live band, [Dm] to perform
his track [Cm] separately, landing a more [F] personal feel.
In the [Gm] Ghetto was released as a single that April and entered the [Bb] Hot 100 in May.
It replaced the Beatles' [D] Get [Dm] Back at No.
1 on Cashbox [Eb] magazine's list of top 100 bestselling
[F] singles, [Bb] and by the end of that year, was joined by two more Elvis hits, Suspicious
Minds and Don't Cry Daddy.
Today, In the Ghetto is still remembered for its career-reviving impact, but is perhaps
most revered for merging powerful lyrics with a passionate performance, bringing a historical
message to light through unforgettable music. _ _ _