Living for the City

Stevie Wonder

About Living for the City

"Living for the City" is a 1973 single by Stevie Wonder from his Innervisions album. It reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 1 on the R&B chart. Rolling Stone ranked the song number 105 on their list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Wonder played all the instruments on the song and was assisted by Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff for recording engineering and synthesizer programming. It was one of the first soul music songs to deal explicitly with systemic racism and to use everyday sounds of the street like traffic, voices and sirens which were combined with the music recorded in the studio. The song has won two Grammy Awards: one at the 1974 Grammy Awards for Best Rhythm & Blues Song, and the second for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 1975 Grammy Awards for Ray Charles' recording on his album Renaissance. 


Year:
2002
3:41
50 

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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

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

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

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, just enough for the city!

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Stevie Wonder

Stevland Hardaway Morris (born May 13, 1950 as Stevland Hardaway Judkins), known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, a child prodigy who developed into one of the most creative musical figures of the late 20th century. Blind since shortly after birth, Wonder signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of eleven, and continues to perform and record for Motown to this day. more »

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Written by: Stevie Wonder

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Release Date
"Living for the City" was released on October 1973. It is part of Stevie Wonder's 15th studio album, "Innervisions".
Chart Success
The song hit number 1 on the Billboard R&B chart, and also reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The success of the song helped cement Stevie Wonder's status as a leading figure in R&B music.
Lyrics and Theme
Wonder's lyrics narrate a story about a poor black family who move from the rural South to New York City. The song narrates the challenges of racism, urban poverty and systemic struggles, touching on a deeply political subject matter.
Self Production
Stevie Wonder not only wrote but also produced the song. He played all the instruments featured in the track, showcasing his multi-instrumental skills and musical versatility.
Grammy Award
The instrumental version of this song won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental in the 1974 Grammy Awards.
Social Commentary
"Living for the City" is noted for its innovative and bold take on social commentary at the time of its release. Wonder was applauded for addressing issues of racial inequality and poverty.
Recording Technique
The song is known for its use of the TONTO synthesizer, giving it a unique and distinct sound. It also features a mock conversation in the middle of the song, which was one of the first uses of this technique.
Cultural Influence
Rolling Stone magazine ranked "Living for the City" at number 105 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004. It has been covered by several artists and bands since its release.
Tribute Concert Performance
In 2010, Wonder performed "Living for the City" as part of a tribute concert for Paul McCartney at the White House.
Film Appearance
The song was used in the movie Jungle Fever, a 1991 American drama film directed by Spike Lee. It is also featured in the soundtrack for the movie.

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    Living for the City

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1974

    Billboard #8


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