"Living For The City" de Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder publie Living For The City (Face B : Vision) aux Etats-Unis pour le label Tamla Records.
Le titre, tiré de son album "Innervisions", est écrit et composé par Stevie Wonder lui-même.
La chanson évoque l'histoire d'un garçon, né dans le Mississsippi durant une époque difficile. Sa famille est pauvre, mais ses parents n'ont de cesse de l'encourager, en dépit du manque de nourriture, d'argent, et du racisme ambiant .
Au fur et à mesure que le morceau progresse, la tension et la colère se font sentir dans la voix de Stevie Wonder, renvoyant directement à la frustration croissante du petit garçon.



Paroles:

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...ee ha!

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...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 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
[repeat several times]

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...yeah, yeah, yeah!

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!!!!

La, la, la, la, la, la,
Da Ba Da Da Da Da Da Da
Da Da Da Da Da Da
Da Ba Da Da Da Da Da Da Da
[Repeat to end]