A boy is born in hard time Mississippi
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
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 (Yeah)

Da da da, da da da da
Da da da da la la la
Da da da da
Da da da la la (Hey)

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 (MM)

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 (Yeah)

Da da da, da da da da
Da da da da la la la
Da da da da
Da da da la la (Ow)

(Living just enough for the city)
Living for the city, yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Ain't nothing but a city, ee
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Living for the city, yeah yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Nothing but a city, ee
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Live for the city, yeah yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
The funky, crowded city
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Ah, live for the city
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Ain't nothing but a city, woo
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Everybody clap their hands together now, woo
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
Hmm, for the city yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
For the city, yeah yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)
For the city, yeah
(Oh, living just enough for the city)

Da da da, da da da da
Da da da da la la la
Da da da da
Da da da la la

Bus for New York City!
Hey, bus driver! I'm getting on there, hold it
Thanks a lot
Wow, New York, just like I pictured it
Skyscrapers and everything
Hey, hey brother, hey come here slick. (Huh?)
Hey you look, you look hip man
Hey, you wanna make yourself five bucks man? (Yeah)
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, nig​ger
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 to vote 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

Da da da, da da da da
Da da da da la la la
Da da da da
Da da da la la
Da da da, da da da da
Da da da da la la la
Da da da da
Da da da la la
Da da da, da da da da
Da da da da la la la
Da da da da

Oh, oh
Oh lo lo
Lo lo, lo lo
Lo lo, lo lo
Lo lo