e |—————|
B |—————|
G |—————|
D |———-2—-|
A |–0-h2-h4—4–|
E |—————|
||: / / / [F#m/E] / | / / [F#m/E] / / :||
[Verse 1]
A boy is born, [F#m/E] in hard time Missis – [F#m/E]sippi,
Surrounded by, [F#m/E] four walls that ain’t so [F#m/E]pretty,
His parents give,[F#m/E] him love and af – f[F#m/E]ection,
To keep him strong, [F#m/E] moving in the right di – [F#m/E]rection,
[F#m/B] [F#m/E] [F#m/E]
Living just e -nough, just e -nough, for the city———-! Yah!
[Verse 2]
His father works,[F#m/E] some days for fourteen [F#m/E]hours,
And you can bet, [F#m/E] he barely makes a [F#m/E]dollar,
His mother goes, [F#m/E] to scrub the floors for [F#m/E]many,
And you’d best believe, [F#m/E] she hardly gets a [F#m/E]penny,
[F#m/B] [F#m/E] [F#m/E]
Living just e -nough, just e -nough, for the city———-! Yeah!
[E/D]
Na -na, na! Na–, na, na, na—-! Na -na, na -na, na, na -na!
[A#7/G#]
Na, na, na, na—! Na -na, na -na, na——!
[Verse 3]
Woo! His sister’s black,[F#m/E] but she is sho’ nuff p[F#m/E]retty,
Her skirt is short, [F#m/E] but, Lord, her legs are [F#m/E]sturdy,
To walk to school, [F#m/E] she’s got to get up [F#m/E]early,
Her clothes are old,[F#m/E] but never are they [F#m/E]dirty,
[F#m/B] [F#m/E] [F#m/E]
Living just e -nough, just e -nough, for the city———-!
[Verse 4]
Hummm! Her brother’s smart,[F#m/E] he’s got more sense than [F#m/E]many,
His patience’s long, [F#m/E] but soon he won’t have[F#m/E] any,
To find a job, [F#m/E] is like a haystack [F#m/E]needle,
‘Cause where he lives, [F#m/E] they don’t use coloured [F#m/E]people,
Living just e – nough, just e – [F#m/B]nough,
[F#m/E] [F#m/E] [F#m/E]
For the city—————————–! Yeah!
[E/D]
Na -na, na! Na–, na, na, na—-! Na -na, na -na, na, na -na!
[A#7/G#]
Na, na, na, na—! Na -na, na -na, na——!
| / / / [F#m/E] / | / / [F#m/E] / / |
[Keep repeating and ad lib]
||: Living ..[F#m/E].just e – nough, …for the [F#m/E]city! Woh -oh! :||
[E/D]
Na -na, na! Na–, na, na, na—-! Na -na, na -na, na, na -na!
[A#7/G#]
Na, na, na, na—! Na -na, na -na, na——!
[Narrative break]
[Verse 5]
His hair is long,[F#m/E] his feet are hard and [F#m/E]gritty,
He spends his life, w[F#m/E]alking the streets of New York [F#m/E]City,
He’s almost dead,[F#m/E] from breathing in air pol – l[F#m/E]ution,
He tried to vote,[F#m/E] but to him there’s no so – [F#m/E]lution,
[F#m/B] [F#m/E] [F#m/E]
Living just e -nough, just e – nough, for the city————!
[Verse 6]
I hope you hear,[F#m/E] in – side my voice of [F#m/E]sorrow,
And that it motivates[F#m/E] you to make a better to – m[F#m/E]orrow,
This place is cruel,[F#m/E] no where could be much [F#m/E]colder,
If we don’t change,[F#m/E] the world will soon be [F#m/E]over,
Living just e -nough, stop giving just e -n[F#m/B]ough …for the[F#m/B] ci – ty!
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
[E/D]
Na -na, na! Na–, na, na, na—-! Na -na, na -na, na, na -na!
[A#7/G#]
Na, na, na, na—! Na -na, na -na, na——!
[E/D]
Na -na, na! Na–, na, na, na—-! Na -na, na -na, na, na -na!
[A#7/G#]
Na, na, na, na—! Na -na, na -na, na——!
[E/D]
Na -na, na! Na–, na, na, na—-! Na -na, na -na, na, na -na!
[A#7/G#]
Na, na, na, na—! Oh—, oh—, oh—! No,no—, no,no—!
No,no—, no,no—! No,no—, no,no————-!
