City Boy
Keb' Mo' Lyrics


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l hear a voice
And l hear the sound
The sound of my shoes
shuffling on out of town
Too many people
Too many cars
Take me to Memphis,
Mercury, or Mars
`Cause l want to go
Where the buffalo roam
l`m just a city boy
Looking for a home
l can`t breathe
And l can`t see
The city`s no place for me
And l can`t seem to find my way
l`m just existing from
day to day, yes l am
`Cause l want to be
Where my soul can run free
Well, l`m just a city boy
Looking for a home
Now, l don`t
Want to be no prisoner
And l sure don`t want
to be no slave
l want look out at night
And see stars in the sky
The Little Dipper
And the Milky Way
l can`t sleep
lt`s too loud
And everywhere
Everywhere l go, you know,
there seems to be a crowd
And l`m tired of
all these concrete streets
l want to feel the dirt
Up under my feet
`Cause l want to go
Somewhere where the buffalo roam
l`m just a city boy
Looking for a home
l want to go
Somewhere, somewhere where
the buffalo roam
Oh, l`m just a city boy
Looking for a home
Well, now, just a city boy




And l`m looking for a home
Whoa, just a city boy

Overall Meaning

The song "City Boy" by Keb' Mo' is an introspective piece about the singer's longing for a different kind of life than the one he's currently living. The opening lines describe his dissatisfaction with the city life; he hears the sounds of his own shoes shuffling as he leaves town, overwhelmed by the crowds of people and cars. He yearns to escape to a place where he can breathe and see more clearly, and where he feels free. He wants to be where the buffalo roam, a reference to the wide open spaces of the American West, a place where he can feel rooted in the natural world.


The second verse expands on this theme of feeling cramped and suffocated in the city. He can't sleep because it's too loud and everywhere he goes, he's surrounded by crowds of people. He's tired of the concrete streets and wants to feel the dirt under his feet. He wants to be free, and to see the stars in the sky, particularly the Little Dipper and the Milky Way. The song ends with a repetition of the desire to go where the buffalo roam, and the assertion that he's just a city boy looking for a home.


Overall, the song speaks to the human need for connection to nature and a sense of place. It's a longing for something deeper than the superficiality of city life, and a search for a place to call home.


Line by Line Meaning

l hear a voice
I'm listening to someone or something calling out to me


And l hear the sound
I can hear background noise


The sound of my shoes
I can hear the noise my shoes make as I walk


shuffling on out of town
I'm leaving the city in a hurry


Too many people
The city is overcrowded


Too many cars
The city is congested with vehicles


Take me to Memphis, Mercury, or Mars
I want to go somewhere far away from the city, even if it's another planet


`Cause l want to go
I have a strong desire to leave the city


Where the buffalo roam
I want to be in a natural, open environment


l`m just a city boy
I'm someone who grew up and lived in the city for a long time


Looking for a home
I'm searching for a place to belong


l can`t breathe
The air quality in the city is poor and makes it difficult to breathe


And l can`t see
The air pollution is so dense that it obstructs my vision


The city`s no place for me
I don't fit in or feel comfortable in the city


And l can`t seem to find my way
I'm lost and unsure of how to leave the city


l`m just existing from day to day, yes l am
I'm just surviving in the city with no purpose or direction


`Cause l want to be
I have a strong desire to


Where my soul can run free
I want to be in a place where I can feel free and happy


Now, l don`t
I don't want to


Want to be no prisoner
I don't want to feel trapped or restricted


And l sure don`t want to be no slave
I don't want to feel like I'm being controlled or forced to do something


l want look out at night
I want to gaze at the stars in the night sky


And see stars in the sky
I want the night sky to be clear and free of light pollution


The Little Dipper
I want to see constellations like the Little Dipper


And the Milky Way
I want to be in a place where I can see the Milky Way galaxy


l can`t sleep
The city is too noisy and prevents me from sleeping


lt`s too loud
The city is too loud and noisy


And everywhere
In every place


Everywhere l go, you know,
No matter where I go


there seems to be a crowd
There are too many people everywhere I go


And l`m tired of
I'm exhausted from


all these concrete streets
The city is too developed and lacks natural surroundings


l want to feel the dirt
I want to walk on natural ground like soil or grass


Up under my feet
Beneath my shoes


Somewhere where the buffalo roam
I want to be in a natural, open environment


Oh, l`m just a city boy
I'm someone who grew up and lived in the city for a long time


Whoa, just a city boy
I'm someone who grew up and lived in the city for a long time




Contributed by Alaina G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Angel Flores


on The Whole Enchilada (Bonus Acoustic)

You gon die if u put yo hands on me nigga

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