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Living For The City

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-------------------------.................
*CAPO 4th FRET*
(Original Key: F#)
[Intro]
D   Em/D   Dm7   Em/D(x4)
[Verse 1]
DA boy is born, Em/Din Dm7hard time Missis-Em/Dsippi,
DSurrounded by, Em/Dfour Dm7walls that ain't so Em/Dpretty.
DHis parents give, Em/Dhim Dm7love and af-Em/Dfection,
DTo keep him strong, Em/Dmoving Dm7in the right di-Em/Drection.
[Chorus 1]
Living Gjust enough, Ajust e-A7nough, for the Dcity..Em/D. Dm7ee ha!Em/D  
[Verse 2]
DHis father works, Em/Dsome Dm7days for fourteen Em/Dhours,
DAnd you can bet, Em/Dhe Dm7barely makes a Em/Ddollar.
DHis mother goes, Em/Dto Dm7scrub the floors for Em/Dmany,
DAnd you'd best believe, Em/Dshe Dm7hardly gets a Em/Dpenny.
[Chorus 2]
G   A   A7   D   Em/D   Dm7Em/D, D  
Living just enough, just e-nough, for the city...
[Bridge 1]
Da ba da D7da, da da, G7da, Bbda da da da, da da Abda.
Ab7Da da da Fda, Ebda da da da Dda.
[Verse 3]
DHis sister's black, Em/Dbut Dm7she is sho'nuff Em/Dpretty,
DHer skirt is short, Em/Dbut Dm7Lord, her legs are Em/Dsturdy.
DTo walk to school, Em/Dshe's Dm7got to get up Em/Dearly.
DHer clothes are old, Em/Dbut Dm7never are they Em/Ddirty.
[Chorus 3]
Living Gjust enough, Ajust e-A7nough, for the Dcity..Em/D.Dm7  Em/D  
[Verse 4]
DHer brother's smart, Em/Dhe's Dm7got more sense than Em/Dmany.
DHis patience's long, Em/Dbut Dm7soon he won't have Em/Dany.
DTo find a job, Em/Dis Dm7like a haystack Em/Dneedle,
D'Cos where he lives, Em/Dthey Dm7don't use coloured Em/Dpeople.
[Chorus 4]
G   A   A7   D   Em/D   Dm7Em/D, D  
Living just enough, just e-nough, for the city...
[Bridge 2]
Da ba da D7da, da da, G7da, Bbda da da da, da da Abda.
Ab7Da da da Fda, Ebda da da da Dda.
DLiving Em/Djust e-Dm7nough, for the Em/Dcity, yeah,
DLiving Em/Djust e-Dm7nough, for the Em/Dcity.
DLiving Em/Djust e-Dm7nough, for the Em/Dcity, yeah,
DLiving Em/Djust e-Dm7nough, for the Em/Dcity.
DLiving Em/Djust e-Dm7nough, for the Em/Dcity, yeah,
DLiving Em/Djust e-Dm7nough, for the Em/Dcity.
DLiving Em/Djust e-Dm7nough, for the Em/Dcity, yeah,
DLiving Em/Djust e-Dm7nough, for the Em/Dcity.
[Interlude]
D   Em/D   Dm7   Em/D(x4)
[Verse 5]
DHis hair is long, Em/Dhis Dm7feet are hard and Em/Dgritty,
DHe spends his life, Em/Dwalking the Dm7streets of New York Em/DCity.
DHe's almost dead, Em/Dfrom Dm7breathing in air pol-Em/Dlution,
DHe tried to vote, Em/Dbut to Dm7him there's no so-Em/Dlution.
[Chorus 5]
Living Gjust enough, Ajust e-A7nough, for the Dcity..Em/D.Dm7  Em/D  
[Verse 6]
DI hope you hearEm/D, in-Dm7side my voice of Em/Dsorrow;
DAnd that it motivates Em/Dyou to Dm7make a better to-Em/Dmorrow.
DThis place is cruel, Em/Dno Dm7where could be much Em/Dcolder,
DIf we don't change; Em/Dthe Dm7world will soon be Em/Dover.
[Chorus 6]
Living Gjust enough, Ajust e-A7nough, for the Dcity..Em/D.Dm7  Em/D  D  
[Outro]
Da ba da D7da, da da, G7da, Bbda da da da, da da Abda.
Ab7Da da da Fda, Ebda da da da Dda.
CHORD DIAGRAMS:
---------------
D Em/D Dm7 G A A7
D7 G7 Bb Ab Ab7 Eb
All chords in this song (13)

The story behind the song

"Living for the City" tells the powerful story of a young Black man born into poverty and discrimination in Mississippi, witnessing his parents' struggle. He travels to New York City for a new beginning, only to be immediately ensnared by a drug setup, leading to his arrest. The song, from Stevie Wonder's 1973 Innervisions album, vividly portrays the systemic challenges and injustices faced by many. It plays as a poignant narrative of hope met with harsh reality.

AI-written from these sources:Living for the City — Wikipedia ↗Stevie Wonder — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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About Living For The City Chords by Stevie Wonder

Learn how to play Living For The City by Stevie Wonder with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Living For The City chords”, “Living For The City guitar chords”, or “Stevie Wonder Living For The City chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Living For The City chords and for experienced players who want accurate Living For The City lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include F, D, Em/D, Dm7, A, G.

FAQ — Living For The City by Stevie Wonder

How do I play "Living For The City" by Stevie Wonder on guitar?

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Can I transpose "Living For The City" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Living For The City" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

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Is "Living For The City" easy to play on guitar?

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What key is "Living For The City" in?

The chords for "Living For The City" show the original chord names (including F, D, Em/D, Dm7, A, G). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.