Living For The City / A Man Gotta Do Lyrics
Stevie Wonder
Lyrics
A boy is born in hard time mississippi
Surrounded by four walls that ain't so pretty
His parents give him love and affection
To keep him strong moving in the right direction
Living just enough, just enough for the city...ee ha!
His father works some days for fourteen hours
And you can bet he barely makes a dollar
His mother goes to scrub the floors for many
And you'd best believe she hardly gets a penny
Living just enough, just enough for the city... yeah!
His sister's black but she is sho'nuff pretty
Her skirt is short but lord her legs are sturdy
To walk to school she's got to get up early
Her clothes are old but never are they dirty
Living just enough, just enough for the city...um hum
Her brother's smart he's got more sense than many
His patience's long but soon he won't have any
To find a job is like a haystack needle
Cause where he lives they don't use colored people
Living just enough, just enough for the city...
Living just enough...
For the city... ooh, ooh
repeat several times
His hair is long, his feet are hard and gritty
He spends his life walking the streets of new york city
He's almost dead from breathing in air pollution
He tried to vote but to him there's no solution
Living just enough, just enough for the city...
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
I hope you hear inside my voice of sorrow
And that it motivates you to make a better tomorrow
This place is cruel no where could be much colder
If we don't change the world will soon be over
Living just enough, stop giving just enough for the city!!!!
La, la, la, la, la, la,
Da ba da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da da da
repeat to end
Song & Lyrics Facts
Stevie Wonder's 1973 classic "Living for the City" is a soulful, funk-infused anthem about the struggles of inner city life. The song was released as a single from his album Innervisions and peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Written by Stevie Wonder himself, the lyrics tell the story of a young man who leaves his small town in search of opportunity in the big city, only to discover that it is filled with poverty and violence. The song features an all-star cast of musicians including bassist Nathan Watts, guitarist Michael Sembello, and drummer Steve Ferrone. It also includes additional background vocals from Deniece Williams and Lynda Laurence. With its powerful message and infectious groove, “Living for the City” has become one of Wonder’s most iconic songs and continues to be a favorite among fans today.