Living for the City
Gillan Lyrics

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A boy is born in hardtime 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
You'd best believe she hardly gets a penny
Living just enough just enough for the city

His sister's black but she is good and 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 coloured people
Living just enough just enough for the city

His hair is long his feet are hard and gritty
He spends his life walkin' the streets of New York City
He's almost dead from breathing air pollution
He tried to vote but to him there's no solution
Living just enough just enough for the city

I hope you hear inside my voice of sorrow
That motivates you to make a better tomorrow
This place is cruel nowhere could be much colder
If we won't change the world will soon be over
Living just enough stop giving just enough for the city

Living just enough just enough for the city
Living just enough just enough for the city

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Living for the City by Gillan tell the story of a boy who is born and raised in Mississippi during hard times. He is surrounded by four walls that "ain't so pretty" and his parents work extremely hard just to provide their family with love and affection. The boy's father works for long hours and barely makes a dollar, while his mother works as a cleaner and hardly earns any money. The boy's sister is black and pretty with sturdy legs, but her clothes are old and she has to wake up early to walk to school. Her brother is intelligent, but he struggles to find a job and the discrimination against colored people in his town makes it hard for him to succeed. The boy himself spends his life walking the streets of New York City, breathing in air pollution and feeling like there is no solution to the problems he faces.

The lyrics are a commentary on the social and economic struggles faced by people in America during the time the song was written. It highlights the effects of discrimination, lack of opportunities, and poverty on people's lives. The song expresses the hope that people will be motivated to make a better tomorrow, to stop giving just enough for the city, and to make changes for the betterment of society.

Line by Line Meaning

A boy is born in hardtime Mississippi
The song sets the backstory of a boy born in Mississippi during difficult times.

Surrounded by four walls that ain't so pretty
The boy grows up in a less than ideal environment.

His parents give him love and affection
Despite their circumstances, the boy's parents show him love and care.

To keep him strong moving in the right direction
The parents aim to raise their child to have a good future.