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 floors 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 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...   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, stop giving 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 Da Da Da Da Da Da Da Da   (Repeat to end)