Five AM, rise and shine
To feed the baby before he starts to cry
No rest, no time to play
Fifteen, the mother is a runaway
No time for dreams or goals
Pressure is so strong
Her body, she has sold, so her child can eat

What is happening to this world we live in
In our home and other lands

Drugs and crime spreadin' on the street
People can't find enough to eat
Now our kids can't go out and play
That's the state of the world today
State of the world, ooh baby

Little Johnny, all alone
His only friend, the doll he carries with him
Goes to school each and every day
To be teased because he has no place to stay
This young and homeless boy feels his life is worthless
Instead of suicide, he cries himself to sleep

And it's happenin' to this world we live in
There's got to be a better way, ooh

Drugs and crime spreadin' on the street
People can't find enough to eat
Now our kids can't go out and play
That's the state of the world today

State of the world, ooh
Ooh
Da-do, da-do, da-do, da-do
Nation

Can't give up hope now
Let's weather the storm together

Drugs and crime spreadin' on the street
People can't find enough to eat
Now our kids can't go out and play
That's the state of the world today

Drugs and crime spreadin' on the street (ah)
People can't find enough to eat (ah)
Now our kids can't go out and play (ah)
That's the state of the world today (ah)

Drugs and crime spreadin' on the street
People can't find enough to eat (starving people)
Now our kids can't go out and play (they can't even walk the streets)
That's the state of the world today (don't give up, state of the world today)
Hey, hey, hey

That's the state of the world today
That's the state
That's the state of the world today

Copyright: BMG Rights Management, JANET JACKSON DBA BLACK ICE, Kanjian Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Writer(s): James III Harris, Terry Lewis