Papa hit him, Mama him him go to Catechism With the sisters in their black and And all the time those city Were teaching him another of wisdom When to run and to fight Up at the playground after Listening to of the prison system And those avenues Down on a half street A child's footsteps And there turns them Down lawless avenues Silent Joe went so bad He was the strongest fighter the had Stabbed in the chest-- he went swinging Someone from other part of town No one even seen it down And you don't hear no church ringing And in the violent the police light Sweeps across the and the yards Following those avenues Down on a darkened street advance and retreat And to take control From those lawless sister Rosa Ran away a surfer from Hermosa Manuelito, cuida a Hay mira estan las cosas! (Manuelito, take of Rosa Look at how are) But who could blame her she saw Every boy die who could gotten close to her es joven y solo quiere ver la belleza del (Rosa is and only wants to see the of the world) Manuel "You fight for what you want in this life" Just they shipped him overseas to 'Nam Otra guerra sin Otra guerra sin fin, sin (Another war reason Another war without end, honor) And she was fighting to When they shipped Manuelito's body All she heard was one more down lawless avenues Hoy amigo, tal como ayer, La lucha en el barrio no Nuestros son los que han de crecer Por ley de la calle, entre abrazos Y (Today my friend, like yesterday, The struggle in the doesn't change Our children are the ones to up By the law of the street, Living hugs and blows) Down on a half darkened and sons' lives repeat And something there turns Down those avenues En el de la calle (In the of the street) el valor en la calle (Looking for in the street) Hasta final de la (Till the end of the street)