Ghetto Heaven

Album: Chain (1990)
Charted: 10
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is all about finding inner peace, or "ghetto heaven," after a long and strenuous day.
  • The Family Stand were unable to break into the US mainstream but they had significant international success with this song, which cracked the UK's Top 10. Songfacts asked The Family Stand's Peter Lord why this song was so successful over the pond: "I have no idea why the UK audience loved it... The Jazzy B remix? The fact that it was a very different and poignant song within the grooving beat. They got a fair chance to hear it. It went to #3 on the urban charts in America. The executive decision made was NOT to cross it over to the pop charts in America."
  • Lord is an accomplished songwriter best known for his work on Paula Abdul's second album, Spellbound. Stevie Wonder played harmonica on that album, meaning Lord was able to meet his idol, who just so happened to love this song. "He knew our hit 'Ghetto Heaven,' so we were amped," said Lord. "It was one of the highlights of my music career to work with my hero."
  • This is lifted from The Family Stand's second album, Chain, the predecessor to Moon in Scorpio, a cult classic which made The New York Times' "Top 10 Albums of 1992" list and which Lord called "the Family Stand's greatest artistic achievement... so far."
  • The tune was revived in 2000 by the rap artist Common as "Geto Heaven Part 2" on his Like Water For Chocolate album as a duet with D'Angelo. Macy Gray featured as the female vocalist on the European remix video for the song.

Comments: 1

  • Petr Šíp from PrahaWhat a beautiful masterpiece.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers

Tom Johnston from The Doobie BrothersSongwriter Interviews

The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Jon Anderson of Yes

Jon Anderson of YesSongwriter Interviews

From the lake in "Roundabout" to Sister Bluebird in "Starship Trooper," Jon Anderson talks about how nature and spirituality play into his lyrics for Yes.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Psychedelic Furs lead singer Richard Butler talks about their first album since 1991 and explains what's really going on in "Pretty In Pink."