Living For The City
Pat Rhoden Lyrics
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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
And you'd best believe she hardly gets penny
Living just enough, just enough for the city (yeah)
His sister's black but she is sho 'nuff 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 (um-hum)
Her brother's smart he's got more sense than many
His patience's long but soon he won't have any
To find job is like a haystack needle
Because where he lives they don't use colored people
Living just enough, just enough for the city
(Living just enough for the city)
Living for the city, yeah
(Believing just enough for the city)
Ain't nothing but a city
(Believing just enough for the city)
Living for the city, yeah yeah
(Believing just enough for the city)
Nothing but a city
(Believing just enough for the city)
Live for the city, yeah yeah
(Believing just enough for the city)
The fucking crud is shitty
(Believing just enough for the city)
Live for the city
(Believing just enough for the city)
Ain't nothing but a city, woo
(Believing just enough for the city)
Everybody clap their hands together now, woo
(Believing just enough for the city)
Hmm, for the city yeah
(Believing just enough for the city)
For the city, yeah yeah
(Believing just enough for the city)
For the city, yeah
(Believing just enough for the city)
Bus for New York City!
Hey, bus driver! I'm getting on that, hold it
Thanks a lot
Wow, New York, just like I pictured it
Wow, New York, just like I pictured it
Skyscrapers and everything
Hey hey brother, hey come here slick
Hey you look, you look hip man
Hey you
Wanna make yourself five bucks man
You look hip
Run this across the street for me right quick
Okay, run this across the street for me
What? Huh? I didn't know! What?
Gimme your hands up you punk!
I'm just going across the street
Put that leg up, shut your mouth
Hell no, what did I do?
Okay, turn around, turn around
Put your hands behind your back, let's go, let's go
A jury of your peers having found you guilty, ten years
What?
Come on, come on, get in that cell n
God, lord
His hair is long, his feet are hard and gritty
He spends his life walking the streets of New York City
He's almost dead from breathing in air pollution
He tried and fought but to him there's no solution
Living just enough, just enough for the city
I hope you hear inside my voice of sorrow
And that it motivates you to make a better tomorrow
This place is cruel nowhere could be much colder
If we don't change, the world will soon be over
Living just enough, stop giving just enough for the city
The lyrics to "Living for the City" by Pat Rhoden tell the story of a boy who is born into a difficult situation in Mississippi. He is surrounded by four walls that are not pretty, and his parents do their best to give him love and affection to keep him strong and moving in the right direction. However, they are barely making ends meet, with his father working long hours for very little pay, and his mother scrubbing floors just to make pennies. The boy's sister is pretty, but her family does not have much, and his brother is intelligent but struggles to find work due to his race. The song highlights the struggles and challenges that people living in the city face every day while trying to survive and make a better life for themselves.
The lyrics of the song serve as social commentary on the struggles and challenges that people face in the city, as well as the inequality and discrimination faced by people of color. The song highlights the reality of life for many people living in the city, where even the basic necessities of life can be hard to come by. The lyrics also suggest that change is needed if the world is to improve, urging listeners to make a better tomorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
A boy is born in hard time Mississippi
The song begins by setting the stage for the struggles and challenges that a boy faced as he enters the world in Mississippi during difficult times.
Surrounded by four walls that ain't so pretty
The boy grows up in a location where the environment isn't aesthetically pleasing.
His parents give him love and affection
The parents do their best to offer the child all the love and care he needs to overcome obstacles.
To keep him strong moving in the right direction
The parents hope that their love and guidance would enable him to make the right choices and decisions in life.
Living just enough, just enough for the city
Despite his parents' best efforts, the boy faces numerous challenges and has just enough to survive in the city.
His father works some days for fourteen hours
The father spends long hours working to provide for his family.
And you can bet he barely makes a dollar
Despite working long hours, his father struggles to make enough money to support the family financially.
His mother goes to scrub the floors for many
The mother works hard to ensure the home is clean and presentable for her family.
And you'd best believe she hardly gets penny
Despite her hard work, the mother earns very little money for her efforts.
Her sister's black but she is sho 'nuff pretty
The girl's sister is black but still attractive, showing that beauty is not confined by skin color.
Her skirt is short but Lord her legs are sturdy
She wears a short skirt, but she is a strong, capable woman, unafraid of facing the world.
To walk to school she's got to get up early
She has to wake up early to reach school since she does not have access to transportation.
Her clothes are old but never are they dirty
Although her clothes are not new, they are always clean since her mother takes great care to keep them presentable.
Her brother's smart he's got more sense than many
Her brother is intelligent and has much common sense.
His patience's long but soon he won't have any
He has a lot of perseverance, but his patience will soon run out due to the difficult living conditions and discrimination he faces.
To find job is like a haystack needle
It is extremely challenging for him to find work due to the prejudice against colored people in his area.
Because where he lives they don't use colored people
The area is biased against people of color, denying them job opportunities and fair wages.
(Living just enough for the city)
The theme of the song is reiterated here - that they have just enough to survive in the city.
Living for the city, yeah
Life in the city is a constant struggle, but it's the only way they know how to survive.
Nothing but a city
The urban landscape is bleak and challenging, with little hope for a better future.
Ain't nothing but a city, woo
Their situation is hopeless, as they rely on something (the city) that cannot provide for them.
His hair is long, his feet are hard and gritty
The artist is described as having weathered, rough appearance caused by his hard life in the city.
He spends his life walking the streets of New York City
The singer moves through his life walking with difficulty, going through alleys and back alleys without a clear purpose.
He's almost dead from breathing in air pollution
The air pollution in the city is affecting his health, and he is slowly dying from it.
He tried and fought but to him there's no solution
Despite his best efforts, he cannot seem to find a way out of his challenges and problems.
Living just enough, stop giving just enough for the city
The song ends bleakly with the suggestion that not only is life difficult in the city, it's unsustainable for the poor who survive there.
Writer(s): Stevland Morris
Contributed by Victoria Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jeffvoth4366
So good