Living For The City
by Stevie Wonder
What is “Living For The City” really about?
If you’ve ever wondered what “Living For The City” by Stevie Wonder is really about, you’re not alone. Let’s break it down.
Stevie Wonder's 'Living For The City' explores the struggles and systemic injustices faced by African Americans in urban settings, depicted through vivid storytelling and emotional depth.
So… what’s this song really about?
Stevie Wonder's 'Living For The City' uses a blend of soulful melodies and poignant lyrics to shed light on the harsh realities faced by African Americans in urban landscapes. The song narrates the story of a family striving for survival in the city, emphasizing systemic barriers like employment discrimination and racial profiling. Wonder captures the cyclical trap of poverty and discrimination in an emotive call to action, urging listeners to acknowledge and address these societal issues. The inclusion of real-world sound effects and spoken word passages heightens the song's sense of urgency, making it a powerful protest against urban inequality and a plea for social reform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What year was 'Living For The City' by Stevie Wonder released?
The song was released in 1973.
Q: What album features the song 'Living For The City'?
'Living For The City' is featured on Stevie Wonder's album, 'Innervisions'.
Lyrics to “Living For The City”
59 ContributorsLiving for the City Lyrics
[Verse 4]
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 (Yeah)
[Chorus]
Da da da, da da da da
Da da da da la la la
Da da da da
Da da da la la (Ow)
[Post-Chorus]
(Living just enough for the city)
Living for the city, yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Ain't nothing but a city, eee
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Living for the city, yeah, yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Nothing but a city, eee
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Live for the city, yeah, yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
The funky, crowded city
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Ah, live for the city
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Ain't nothing but a city, woo
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Everybody clap their hands together now, woo
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Hmm, for the city, yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
For the city, yeah, yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
For the city, yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
[Chorus]
Da da da, da da da da
Da da da da la la la
Da da da da
Da da da la la
[Spoken Interlude]
Bus for New York City!
Hey, bus driver! I'm getting on there, hold it.
Thanks a lot.
Wow, New York, just like I pictured it.
Skyscrapers and everything.
Hey, hey, brother, hey, come here, slick. (Huh?)
Hey, you look, you look hip, man.
Hey, you wanna make yourself five bucks, man? (Yeah)
You look hip, run this across the street for me right quick.
Okay, run this across the street for me.
What? Huh? I didn't know! What?
Gimme your hands up, you punk!
I'm just going across the street.
Put that leg up, shut your mouth.
Hell no, what did I do?
Okay, turn around, turn around.
Put your hands behind your back, let's go, let's go.
A jury of your peers having found you guilty, ten years.
What?
Come on, come on, get in that cell, nigger.
God, Lord.
[Verse 5]
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
[Verse 6]
I hope you hear inside my voice of sorrow
And that it motivates you to make a better tomorrow
This place is cruel, nowhere 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
[Chorus]
Da da da, da da da da
Da da da da la la la
Da da da da
Da da da la la
Da da da, da da da da
Da da da da la la la
Da da da da
Da da da la la
Da da da, da da da da
Da da da da la la la
Da da da da
[Outro]
Oh, oh
Oh lo lo
Lo lo, lo lo
Lo lo, lo lo
Lo lo