Living For The City
Ike And Tina Turner Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

In the fire
It was burning
Sweetheart, I know
I should have been learning

But my pockets
Full of money, yes they were
I had someone, yes I did
To call my honey

But it's love (ooh, sweet love)
That makes a woman (ooh, that makes a woman)
Yes, it's love (ooh, sweet love)
That makes a woman (ooh, that makes a woman)

Something told me that this wouldn't last
Now my heartache is in the past
I had to swallow all of my pride
And admit to myself deep down inside

Diamonds and pearls
Don't you know that I've had enough
But I feel so much better, yes I do
Dressed in love

Yes it's love (ooh, sweet love)
That makes a woman (ooh, that makes a woman)
Yes, it's love (ooh, sweet love)
That makes a woman (ooh, that makes a woman)

What she is, yeah
What she is

Oh and it's love (ooh, sweet love)
That makes a woman yes it is (ooh, that makes a woman)
Yes, it's love (ooh, sweet love)
That makes a woman (ooh, that makes a woman)

What she is, yeah
What she is





And it's love (ooh, sweet love)
That makes a woman yeah (ooh, that makes a woman)

Overall Meaning

In Ike and Tina Turner's song "Living for the City", the lyrics delve into the tradeoff between material possessions and true love. The first verse describes how the singer, despite knowing that they should have been learning something important, was distracted by their pockets full of money and the allure of having someone to call their "honey". However, the chorus emphasizes that it is ultimately love that defines a woman and makes her who she is. The singer realizes that something inside them knew that their materialistic lifestyle wouldn't last, and they had to swallow their pride and admit to themselves the importance of love. The second verse contrasts diamonds and pearls with the satisfaction of being dressed in love, emphasizing the emotional fulfillment that love can bring over material possessions.


Line by Line Meaning

In the fire
Amidst the chaos and struggle of life


It was burning
The intensity of the struggle was high


Sweetheart, I know
Acknowledging the reality of the situation


I should have been learning
Realizing the lost opportunities in the past


But my pockets
Despite the struggle, I had money


Full of money, yes they were
My pockets were well lined with cash


I had someone, yes I did
I had a significant other by my side


To call my honey
My significant other was someone I loved


But it's love (ooh, sweet love)
Love is powerful and meaningful


That makes a woman (ooh, that makes a woman)
Love brings out the essence of a woman


Something told me that this wouldn't last
A sense of foreboding about the future


Now my heartache is in the past
The pain I suffered is now behind me


I had to swallow all of my pride
Overcoming ego and accepting reality


And admit to myself deep down inside
Being truthful to oneself


Diamonds and pearls
Material possessions


Don't you know that I've had enough
Sick of the superficiality of wealth and luxury


But I feel so much better, yes I do
Finding happiness and contentment without material objects


Dressed in love
Finding meaning in love and relationships


What she is, yeah
Defining the essence of a woman


What she is
Emphasizing the importance of understanding the true nature of a woman


Oh and it's love (ooh, sweet love)
Reiterating the value of love


That makes a woman yes it is (ooh, that makes a woman)
Affirming the power and importance of love in defining a woman


And it's love (ooh, sweet love)
Concluding the message of the song


That makes a woman yeah (ooh, that makes a woman)
Stating the central theme of the song one last time




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CARL DAVIS, EUGENE RECORD, GERALD MARVIN SIMS, WILLIAM NELSON SANDERS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@ruralrooster172

2:38 Tina's additional lyrics:

Oh, they're livin' just enough
'Cause they ain't got enough
Before they start
Ain't got no start
Livin' in a little one-room country shack
But it's the home
The only home they'll ever know
One day, somebody's gonna come along
Gonna take them children straight on home
Oh, yeah!
All they got
Is just enough
Sometimes they don't eat enough
They can't live enough
They ain't hardly got no pulls on their back
Ain't no covers on their bed
Hardly a roof over their head

11 seconds longer: https://youtu.be/I9yfkGRlE_c



All comments from YouTube:

@Kuzma87

Лучший голос что я слышал. А чувство ритма запредельное.

@CHIOSSO1

It was remixed for the album Golden Empire and released as a single in 1985. The original recording can be found on the 1974 album Sweet Rhode Island Red. The German maxi single was made of transparent yellow vinyl.

@hotnsassy84

is there any live version? i totally adore this rendition.

@tyana5836

Tina sang the hell outta this song! 🔥

@itsnoahonfire

I just discovered this version today and she sure did!

@quidahurt2223

Raw Soul! Pure Power!

@sweetestperfection90

thanks a million! I have a Pickwick 'soul collection vol 2' CD released in 1993, no mention of that CD online - it had a few very rare gems from the 70s and 80s on it, including this one!

@ruralrooster172

2:38 Tina's additional lyrics:

Oh, they're livin' just enough
'Cause they ain't got enough
Before they start
Ain't got no start
Livin' in a little one-room country shack
But it's the home
The only home they'll ever know
One day, somebody's gonna come along
Gonna take them children straight on home
Oh, yeah!
All they got
Is just enough
Sometimes they don't eat enough
They can't live enough
They ain't hardly got no pulls on their back
Ain't no covers on their bed
Hardly a roof over their head

11 seconds longer: https://youtu.be/I9yfkGRlE_c

@primadonna4535

I heard this in 1986 on 5FM - it was called radio 5 then ❤️

@edmundsishange3608

Really? Had no idea they ever played this ln South African radio but I was a kid in 1985

More Comments

More Versions