Living For The City
Turner Ike & Tina 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
And you can believe he barely makes a dollar
His mother goes to scrub the floors for many
And you'd best believe she hardly gets a penny
Living just enough
Just enough for the city
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 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 colored people
Living just enough
Just enough for the city
Living just enough
For the city, ooh, ooh
The lyrics of "Living for the City" by Ike & Tina Turner tell the story of a young boy growing up in difficult circumstances in Mississippi. The first verse highlights the tough environment he is born into, with four walls that are not visually appealing. However, his parents provide him with love and support to help him navigate through life in the right direction.
The chorus, "Living just enough, just enough for the city," conveys the idea that the main character is barely surviving and making ends meet in the city. Despite his parents' hard work, they struggle to earn enough money to provide for their family.
The second verse focuses on the boy's father, who works long hours but earns very little. This emphasizes the financial hardships faced by the family. Meanwhile, his mother works as a janitor, enduring the physically demanding job without earning a fair wage.
In the third verse, the focus shifts to the boy's sister, who is described as beautiful but from a disadvantaged background. She wakes up early to walk to school and despite wearing old clothes, she takes pride in keeping them clean. This verse highlights the determination and resilience of the character despite her circumstances.
The final verse introduces the boy's smart brother who, despite his intelligence, struggles to find employment due to racial discrimination. The metaphor of a haystack needle represents the difficulty of finding a job in a racially divided society. This verse sheds light on the systemic racism that limits opportunities for people of color.
Overall, the lyrics of "Living for the City" expose the harsh realities faced by individuals and families living in impoverished urban environments, with money and racial discrimination being significant obstacles to achieving a better life. The song serves as a social commentary on the struggles of African Americans in America during that time, shedding light on the inequalities and injustices they faced in their daily lives.
Line by Line Meaning
A boy is born in hard time Mississippi
A child is born in a challenging and difficult environment in the state of Mississippi.
Surrounded by four walls that ain't so pretty
Living in a cramped and unpleasant living space.
His parents give him love and affection
His parents provide him with care and emotional support.
To keep him strong moving in the right direction
To help him develop resilience and guide him towards a positive path.
Living just enough
Surviving with the bare minimum.
Just enough for the city
Only having the minimum resources required to survive in the urban environment.
His father works some days for fourteen hours
His father labors for long hours on certain days.
And you can believe he barely makes a dollar
Despite his hard work, his earnings are meager.
His mother goes to scrub the floors for many
His mother works tirelessly cleaning floors for numerous households.
And you'd best believe she hardly gets a penny
Her earnings are extremely low, hardly enough to sustain the family.
His sister's black but she is sho' 'nuff pretty
Despite her ethnicity, his sister is undeniably attractive.
Her skirt is short but Lord her legs are sturdy
Her clothing may be revealing, but she is physically strong and resilient.
To walk to school she's got to get up early
She has to wake up early to commute to school on foot.
Her clothes are old but never dirty
Although her clothes may be worn-out, she keeps them clean and presentable.
Her brother's smart he's got more sense than many
Her brother is intelligent and possesses a greater understanding than most.
His patience's long but soon he won't have any
He has been tolerant for a long time, but his patience will eventually run out.
To find a job is like a haystack needle
Finding employment is extremely challenging and difficult.
'Cause where he lives they don't use colored people
In the place he resides, racial discrimination and exclusion are prevalent.
Living just enough
Existing with just the bare minimum.
Just enough for the city
Having only enough resources to barely survive in the urban setting.
Living just enough
Surviving with the bare minimum.
For the city, ooh, ooh
In order to navigate and survive in the urban environment.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Stevie Wonder
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
@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.
@tyana5836
Tina sang the hell outta this song! 🔥
@itsnoahonfire
I just discovered this version today and she sure did!
@JerjerB
1973... ahead of its time.... this was released basically at the same time as the original...
@applecake122
Ike liked this song because it is about a boy in hard time Mississippi.
@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
@Outverb
I think 1986. It's on CD I bought in France. If you search "Ike & Tina Turner Livin' in the City album" you'll find several different albums - one with 10 tracks, one with 11, and one with 18... released in 86, 93, 95, and 06!
@quidahurt2223
Raw Soul! Pure Power!
@dinorockwell7670
Wow! This lady whoops it out!!!