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