Cloud Nine Edwin Starr

I'd like to tell you a story about me and my family
And the neighborhood in which I was raised
I chose to do this particular number because
It describes my childhood to a tee, you see

Childhood part of my life wasn't very pretty
See, I was born and raised in the slums of the city, huh
It was a one room shack we slept in, other children beside me
We hardly had enough food or room to sleep
Hard times, my, my, my
Let me tell you 'bout my papa

My father didn't know the meaning of work
He disrespected mama, oh yes he did
I left home seekin' a job that I never did find
Depressed and down-hearted, I took to Cloud Nine

I'm doing fine
Up here on Cloud Nine
Do-dang-dang-dang-dang-dang-a-dooga-dang
Fine, on Cloud Nine

Folks down there tell me, said
Give yourself a chance, son, don't let life pass you by
But the world of reality's a rat race
Where only the strong survive
It's a dog-eat-dog world and that ain't no lie
Listen, it ain't even safe no more, to walk the streets at night