Michael McDonald - Living for the City lyrics

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 floor 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 are they 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

His hair is long
His feet are hard and gritty
He spends his love walking the
Streets of New York City
He's almost dead from breathing
On 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 no where
Could be much colder
If we don't change the world
Will soon be over
Living just enough, just enough for the city!