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TL;DR:

  • Elvis Presley’s “In the Ghetto” had a different title.
  • The writer of the song said the tune only became more poignant in the 21st century.
  • “In the Ghetto” was a big hit and appeared on one of the singer’s most famous albums.

Elvis Presley‘s “In the Ghetto” was originally titled “The Vicious Circle.” The country singer who wrote the song explained why he didn’t use its original name. In addition, he discussed what it was like to pen multiple hit songs for the “Can’t Help Falling in Love” singer.

The original title of Elvis Presley’s ‘In the Ghetto’ didn’t rhyme with anything

Mac Davis is a country singer most known for his tune “Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me.” In addition, he wrote Elvis songs like “A Little Less Conversation,” “Memories,” ‘”Don’t Cry Daddy,” and “In the Ghetto.” During a 2017 interview with Songwriter Universe, Davis discussed the origin of “In the Ghetto.”

“In the late ’60s, they started to use the term ‘ghetto’ to describe the riots and everything that was going on in Chicago, Cleveland, and other big cities,” he said. “The song was originally called ‘The Vicious Circle’ — it began and ended without a solution. But it was hard to come up with a rhyme for ‘circle,’ so the title was changed to ‘In the Ghetto.'”

Mac Davis discussed what he felt when he got to write songs for Elvis Presley

Davis recalled his expectations for “In the Ghetto.” “I really thought that I was gonna change the world with that song,” he said. “I was very proud of it. But unfortunately, with the way things are today, the song is probably more poignant now than when I wrote it.”

Davis said the era in the late 1960s when he wrote songs for the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was the “most exciting time” of his life. “I was a late starter,” he said. “But I finally got my first hit, and not only did I have the hits with Elvis, but I had an amazing run with hits for Bobby Goldsboro (‘Watching Scotty Grow’) and Kenny Rogers (‘Something’s Burning’).”

Related

‘Elvis’: Why a Scene Featuring ‘In the Ghetto’ Was Removed From the Movie

How ‘In the Ghetto’ and a remix of the song performed in the United States

“In the Ghetto” peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 13 weeks. The tune appeared on the album From Elvis in Memphis. That album reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 34 weeks. From Elvis in Memphis was a part of Elvis’ comeback period, and it’s still one of the most acclaimed albums in his discography.

A rap remix of the song called “In the Ghetto (World Turns Remix)” played over the credits of Baz Luhrmann’s film Elvis. The tune appeared on the film’s soundtrack as well. The soundtrack peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard 200 and lasted on the chart for 20 weeks.

“In the Ghetto” is a classic song, even if it took Davis a few tries to get it right.

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