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 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
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 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