The City
Da' T.R.U.T.H. feat. B.Reith Lyrics
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Everybody thinks we're wrong (mother, mother)
Who are they to judge us (judge us, mother)
Simply 'cause we wear our hair long, ooh (ooh)
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la
Rockets, moon shots
Spend it on the have-nots
Money, we make it
Before we see it, you take it
Oh, make me want to holler
The way they do my life, ooh
Make me want to holler
The way they do my life
This ain't living, this ain't living
No, no baby, this ain't living
No, no, no, no, no
Inflation, no chance
To increase finance
Bills pile up sky high
Send that boy off to die
Oh, make me want to holler
The way they do my life, yeah
Make me want to holler
The way they do my life
Oh, baby
Hang ups, letdowns
Bad breaks, setbacks
Natural fact is
Oh, honey that I can't pay my taxes
Oh, make me want to holler
And throw up both my hands
Yeah, it makes me want to holler
And throw up both my hands, oh
Crime is increasing
Trigger-happy policing
Panic is spreading
God knows where we're heading
Make me wanna holler, they don't understand, no
Make me wanna holler, they don't understand, no
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da (oh, baby)
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Oh yeah
Ooh, yeah, ooh
Ooh, no
The lyrics of "The City" by Da' T.R.U.T.H. feat. B.Reith, are a tribute to "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", a classic song by Marvin Gaye. The opening lines, "Mother, mother, everybody thinks we're wrong, who are they to judge us simply cause we wear our hair long" is a direct reference to the original song, which addresses issues related to social inequality and injustice. In "The City," the artists continue the conversation by highlighting the plight of low-income neighborhoods, particularly the African-American community. The lyrics touch on multiple issues affecting these areas, such as poverty, police brutality, fear, and injustice.
The chorus, "Make me want to holler, the way they do my life" is a powerful message about how the system has failed these communities. The artists' lyrics use various metaphors to describe the intensity and urgency of this problem, such as "Rockets, moon shots, spend it on the have-nots." This phrase is in reference to the billions of dollars spent on space exploration while people in inner-city neighborhoods lack access to basic necessities like clean water, food, and housing.
Overall, "The City" is a powerful commentary on societal issues coupled with a call to action, emphasizing the need for change and equality.
Line by Line Meaning
Mother, mother (mother, mother)
Addressing the mother, everyone thinks they are wrong
Everybody thinks we're wrong (mother, mother)
All think they are wrong
Who are they to judge us (judge us, mother)
The question is why they have the right to judge someone simply because they wear their hair long
Simply 'cause we wear our hair long, ooh (ooh)
People make judgments based on appearance only
Rockets, moon shots
High ambitions and achievements
Spend it on the have-nots
Helping those who have less than us
Money, we make it
Money is earned
Before we see it, you take it
However, the government takes some of it before we even receive it
Oh, make me want to holler
The situation is frustrating
The way they do my life, ooh
How the government is handling the situation is unacceptable
This ain't living, this ain't living
The quality of life is not satisfactory
No, no baby, this ain't living
This is not how anyone wants to live
Inflation, no chance
Inflation limits opportunities
To increase finance
It is difficult to improve financial conditions
Bills pile up sky high
Debts are increasing
Send that boy off to die
Wars are being fought at the cost of young lives
Hang ups, letdowns
Disappointments and setbacks
Bad breaks, setbacks
Bad luck and misfortunes
Natural fact is
It is a reality
Oh, honey that I can't pay my taxes
It is hard to pay taxes
Crime is increasing
The crime rate is rising
Trigger-happy policing
The police tend to shoot without much thought
Panic is spreading
Panic and fear are becoming widespread
God knows where we're heading
No one knows where this will all lead to
Make me wanna holler, they don't understand, no
The frustration and anger arise because the authorities are not understanding what is going on
Da-da-da-la, da-da-da-da-la-da
Musical interlude
Oh yeah
Expression of affirmation
Ooh, yeah, ooh
Musical interlude
Ooh, no
Expression of negation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Marvin Gaye, James Nyx
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind