Cover art for The Slums by Donny Hathaway

The Slums

Donny Hathaway
Track 26 on Someday We’ll All Be Free 

Producer

Arif Mardin
Jun. 18, 19731 viewer

The Slums Lyrics

The Slums (Repeat 8X)
[Instrumental]
The Slums (Repeat 4X)
[Instrumental]
The Slums (Repeat 4X)
[Instrumental]
The Slums (Repeat 4X)
[Instrumental]
The Slums (Repeat 4X)
[Instrumental]
The Slums (Repeat 4X)
[Instrumental]
The Slums (Repeat 4X)
[Instrumental]
The Slums (Repeat 4X)

How to Format Lyrics:

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  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
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  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

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Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Donny Hathaway say about "The Slums"?
Genius Answer

In the album’s liner notes, Donny wrote about this song, the sequel to his 1969 hit “The Ghetto”:

It is of the same idiom as “The Ghetto” – being happy, lively and reflecting on the joys of a people in a suppressed area. I recruited the entire Atlantic gang to rap some of that “good ole alley talk” that has made the Ghetto a haven (as well as a hell) shared by all included in the immediate area just around the corner from the suburbs!

Who produced “The Slums” by Donny Hathaway?
When did Donny Hathaway release “The Slums”?
Who wrote “The Slums” by Donny Hathaway?
Someday We’ll All Be Free (2010)
  1. 1.
    Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)
  2. 2.
    Je Vous Aime (I Love You)
  3. 3.
    I Believe To My Soul
  4. 4.
    Misty
  5. 5.
    Sugar Lee
  6. 6.
    Tryin’ Times
  7. 7.
    Thank You Master (For my Soul)
  8. 8.
    The Ghetto
  9. 10.
    Giving Up
  10. 11.
    A Song for You
  11. 12.
    Little Girl
  12. 13.
    He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother
  13. 14.
    Magnificent Sanctuary Band
  14. 15.
    She Is My Lady
  15. 16.
    I Believe In Music
  16. 17.
    Take A Love Song
  17. 18.
    Put Your Hand In The Hand
  18. 19.
    I Love the Lord, He Heard My Cry
  19. 20.
    Someday We’ll All Be Free
  20. 21.
    Flying Easy
  21. 22.
    Valdez in the Country
  22. 23.
    I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know
  23. 24.
    Come Little Children
  24. 25.
    Love, Love, Love
  25. 26.
    The Slums
  26. 27.
    Magdalena
  27. 28.
    I Know It’s You
  28. 29.
    Jealous Guy
  29. 30.
    No Other One But You (1974 Demo) (Missing Lyrics)
  30. 31.
    The Essence Of Destiny (1974 Demo) (Missing Lyrics)
  31. 32.
    Going Down (1974 Demo) (Missing Lyrics)
  32. 33.
    Make It on Your Own (1978 Demo)
  33. 34.
    This Christmas
  34. 35.
    Little Ghetto Boy
  35. 36.
    A Dream
  36. 37.
    Be There
  37. 38.
    Lord Help Me
  38. 39.
    You Were Meant For Me
  39. 40.
    What A Woman Really Means
  40. 41.
    What’s Going On
  41. 42.
    The Ghetto (Live at The Bitter End, New York City, 1971)
  42. 43.
    Hey Girl (Live)
  43. 44.
    You’ve Got A Friend
  44. 45.
    Little Ghetto Boy (Live Version)
  45. 46.
    We’re Still Friends (Live at the Bitter End, New York City, 1971)
  46. 47.
    Jealous Guy (Live)
  47. 48.
    Voices Inside (Everything is Everything) (Live)
  48. 49.
    To Be Young, Gifted and Black
  49. 50.
    A Song for You (Live @ the Troubador, Los Angeles, CA)
  50. 51.
    I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know (Live at The Bitter End, New York City, 1971)
  51. 52.
    We Need You Right Now
  52. 53.
    Sack Full of Dreams
  53. 54.
    He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother (Live at The Bitter End, New York City, 1971)
  54. 55.
    Yesterday
  55. 56.
    Superwoman
  56. 57.
    Flying Easy (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York City, June 30, 1973)
  57. 58.
    Valdez in the Country (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York City, June 30, 1973)
  58. 59.
    Someday We’ll All Be Free (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York City, June 30, 1973)
  59. 60.
    Nu-Po (Live at Newport Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, 1973)
  60. 61.
    Love, Love, Love (Live) (Missing Lyrics)
Credits
Producer
Writer
Arranger
Electric Piano
Background Vocals
Bass
Electric Guitar
Acoustic Guitar
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Trombone
Trumpet
Tuba
Drums
Released on
June 18, 1973
Tags
R&BInstrumentalFunkJazzSoul
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