I was born in Chicago at nineteen and forty-one I was born in Chicago at nineteen and forty-one Well, my father told me "Son, you had better get a gun" Well, my first friend went down When I was 17 years old Well, 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 Well, 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 thing's just don't seem the same Oh, thing's just don't seem the same, babe