Living For The City
Ike And Tina Turner Lyrics
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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
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)
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
@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
@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