About the song
Background
- Release: 1973, part of his album Innervisions.
- Inspiration: Wonder drew upon his own experiences visiting New York City and witnessing the harsh realities of urban poverty and systemic inequality.
- Thematic Power: The song is a multi-layered masterpiece of social commentary. It’s both a personal story and an indictment of broader social structures.
- Sonic Landscape: “Living for the City” blends funk, soul, and rock, with striking sound effects (police sirens, dialogue snippets) adding a gritty, realistic edge.
Themes
- Urban Inequality: The song confronts the stark realities faced by many inner-city African Americans: poverty, lack of opportunity, and limited social mobility.
- Systemic Racism: Wonder doesn’t shy away from criticizing systems of power – lines like “His hair is long, his feet are hard, he’s black as coal” and “where he lives they don’t use colored people” expose the racism underlying the protagonist’s struggles.
- Injustice: The song highlights both economic injustice (long hours for meager pay) and injustice within the legal system (the brother’s wrongful arrest).
- Perseverance Through Adversity: Despite a bleak landscape, there’s a flicker of resilience. The family gives the protagonist “love and affection,” and he maintains hope in the face of hardship.
Lyrics
A brilliant aspect of “Living for the City” is its storytelling:
- The Protagonist: A young man from Mississippi seeking a better life in the city.
- His Family: We see their love and sacrifices, highlighting the human cost of poverty.
- Urban Obstacles: He faces limited job prospects, racial bias, and an unjust arrest.
- Spoken Word Climax: The chilling spoken section near the end simulates a racially motivated arrest, highlighting the stark reality of police brutality.
Legacy
“Living for the City” resonates sadly even today. Its unflinching portrayal of systemic racism and inequality make it a timeless protest song, as well as a musically compelling and emotionally powerful work of art.
Video
Lyrics
A boy is born in hard time MississippiSurrounded by four walls that ain’t so prettyHis parents give him love and affectionTo keep him strong, moving in the right directionLiving just enough, just enough for the city
His father works some days for fourteen hoursAnd you can bet, he barely makes a dollarHis mother goes to scrub the floors for manyAnd you’d best believe, she hardly gets a pennyLiving just enough, just enough for the city
His sister’s black, but she is sho’nuff prettyHer skirt is short, but Lord her legs are sturdyTo walk to school, she’s got to get up earlyHer clothes are old, but never are they dirtyLiving just enough, just enough for the city
Her brother’s smart, he’s got more sense than manyHis patience’s long, but soon he won’t have anyTo find a job is like a haystack needle‘Cause where he lives they don’t use colored peopleLiving just enough, just enough for the city, yeah
Everybody, city, yeah(Living just enough for the city, whoa) Ain’t nothin’ but the city(Living just enough for the city, whoa) Everybody, city, yeah(Living just enough for the city, whoa) Ain’t nothin’ but the city(Living just enough for the city, whoa) Living for the city, yeah(Living just enough, for the city, whoa) The funky, cryin’ city(Living just enough, for the city, whoa) Living for the city
Ain’t nothin’ but the city(Living just enough, for the city, whoa) Everybody clap you hand together now(Living just enough, for the city, whoa) For the city(Living just enough, for the city, whoa) For the city, yeah, yeah(Living just enough, for the city, whoa)(Living just enough, for the city, whoa)
The bus for New York City!Hey bus driver, I’m getting on that, hold itThanks a lotWow, New York, just like I pictured itSkyscrapers and everything
Psst, hey, hey brother, hey come here slickHey you look, you look hip manHey, you wanna make yourself five bucks, man?Yeah, brotherLook here, run this across the street for me right quickOkay, run this across the street for me
What? (Up against that goddamn car!) Huh? (Let’s go)I didn’t know, what?Gimme your hands up, you punkI’m just going across the streetPut that leg up, shut your mouthHell no, what did I do?Okay, turn around, turn aroundPut your hands behind your back, let’s go, lets go
A jury of your peers having found you guilty, ten yearsWhat?Come on, come on, get in that cell, niggerGod, Lord
His hair is long, his feet are hard and grittyHe spends the life walking the streets of New York CityHe’s almost dead from breathing in air pollutionHe tried and fought, but to him there’s no solutionLiving just enough, just enough for the city (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I hope you hear inside my voice of sorrowAnd that it motivates you to make a better tomorrowThis place is cruel, nowhere could be much colderIf we don’t change, the world will soon be overLiving just enough, stop giving just enough for the city