born in chicago lyrics

I was born in Chicago 1971
I was born in Chicago 1970
What my father told me
"Son, you'd better get a gun?

My first friend went down
When I was sixteen years old
Oh, my first friend went down
When I was sixteen years old
There's one thing I can say about that boy
He gotta go

My second friend went down
When I was seventeen years of age
Oh, my second friend went down
When I was seventeen years of age
There's one thing I can say about that boy
He gotta pray

Oh, life is a lie
If you don't know how to play the game
Oh, life is a lie
If you don't know how to play the game
All my friends are going
And everything's gonna stay the same