Living for the City
Encyclopedia
"Living for the City" is a 1973 hit single by Stevie Wonder
for the Tamla (Motown) label, from his Innervisions
album. Reaching #8 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #1 on the R&B chart, the record is driven by a slow bass synth groove (provided by the enormous TONTO
modular synthesiser) that manages to exude a certain amount of tension, an appropriate soundscape for the angry social commentary of the song. Rolling Stone
ranked the song #104 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
.
". His family is poor, but his parents work hard and encourage him, in spite of the dreadful conditions they live in, which include lack of food and money, and racism
. As the track progresses, the tension and anger build in Wonder's voice, matching the growing frustrations of the subjects in the song.
A spoken interlude midway through the song has the young boy, now a young man, arriving in New York City for a new beginning. He is tricked into transporting drugs, arrested and sentenced to 10 years in jail. The tension in Wonder's voice boils over at this point into an angry growl, but then subsides again as he ends the song on a positive note. In commercial radio airplay, the spoken dialog is usually edited out, possibly because the word "nigger" is used as he is thrown into a jail cell. Also, the last two verses, following this scenario, are omitted as well.
The spoken interlude can be seen as an electro-acoustic experiment, exploring the composer's main sensory input. Stevie Wonder's growling voice reveals the inner rage that has been building throughout the song. "Living for the City" still holds a substantial edge in social commentary.
In an interview broadcast in 2010 on UK radio station Radio 4, producer Malcolm Cecil revealed how they made the last verse obtain the raspy, angry vocal sound they were after: "We had to get find a way to get the vocal rougher and harder, sound like someone who'd been through some real shit, so we decided the only thing to do was try and get Steve real angry and get his voice hoarse, so when we were recording that vocal for the last verse again we kept on doing stuff that would get him angry and one of the things he hates is stopping the tape, you know if he doesn't say stop the tape in the middle of a vocal then... well, we broke that rule! We kept on stopping the tape, "Come on Steve, you can do better than that, this is shit" and I was really shirty with him, and we got him hoarse, we wouldn't give him tea, he likes this tea with no milk in it, with the lemon to clear the throat, We didn't give him the tea. (Laughs) He was getting real upset; I think he's still upset with me about that, but we got a great track!"
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
for the Tamla (Motown) label, from his Innervisions
Innervisions
Innervisions is the sixteenth album by American musician Stevie Wonder, released August 3, 1973 on Motown Records; a landmark recording of his "classic period"...
album. Reaching #8 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #1 on the R&B chart, the record is driven by a slow bass synth groove (provided by the enormous TONTO
Tonto's Expanding Head Band
Tonto's Expanding Head Band was a British electronic music duo consisting of Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff. Despite releasing only two albums in the early 1970s, the duo were influential because of their session work for other musicians , extensive commercial advertising work and the unique...
modular synthesiser) that manages to exude a certain amount of tension, an appropriate soundscape for the angry social commentary of the song. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
ranked the song #104 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone, issue number 963, published December 9, 2004, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"....
.
The song
The song begins with Wonder describing the life of a boy born in "hard time MississippiMississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
". His family is poor, but his parents work hard and encourage him, in spite of the dreadful conditions they live in, which include lack of food and money, and racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
. As the track progresses, the tension and anger build in Wonder's voice, matching the growing frustrations of the subjects in the song.
A spoken interlude midway through the song has the young boy, now a young man, arriving in New York City for a new beginning. He is tricked into transporting drugs, arrested and sentenced to 10 years in jail. The tension in Wonder's voice boils over at this point into an angry growl, but then subsides again as he ends the song on a positive note. In commercial radio airplay, the spoken dialog is usually edited out, possibly because the word "nigger" is used as he is thrown into a jail cell. Also, the last two verses, following this scenario, are omitted as well.
The spoken interlude can be seen as an electro-acoustic experiment, exploring the composer's main sensory input. Stevie Wonder's growling voice reveals the inner rage that has been building throughout the song. "Living for the City" still holds a substantial edge in social commentary.
In an interview broadcast in 2010 on UK radio station Radio 4, producer Malcolm Cecil revealed how they made the last verse obtain the raspy, angry vocal sound they were after: "We had to get find a way to get the vocal rougher and harder, sound like someone who'd been through some real shit, so we decided the only thing to do was try and get Steve real angry and get his voice hoarse, so when we were recording that vocal for the last verse again we kept on doing stuff that would get him angry and one of the things he hates is stopping the tape, you know if he doesn't say stop the tape in the middle of a vocal then... well, we broke that rule! We kept on stopping the tape, "Come on Steve, you can do better than that, this is shit" and I was really shirty with him, and we got him hoarse, we wouldn't give him tea, he likes this tea with no milk in it, with the lemon to clear the throat, We didn't give him the tea. (Laughs) He was getting real upset; I think he's still upset with me about that, but we got a great track!"
Chart performance
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Pop Singles | 8 |
| U.S. Billboard Black Singles | 1 |
| U.K. | 15 |
Covers
- Ray CharlesRay CharlesRay Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
recorded the song for his 1975 "Renaissance" album. The song includes all six verses and for the spoken interlude Charles testifies to the extremes of his abject poverty. Wonder was appreciative of Charles' version and the two recorded the song in duet for television. - In 1982, British heavy metalHeavy metal musicHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band GillanGillanGillan was a rock band formed in 1978 by Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan.-History:In 1978 Ian Gillan had become dissatisfied with the jazz fusion style of his band called the Ian Gillan Band and dissolved it, retaining only keyboard player Colin Towns, and formed a new band entitled Gillan...
covered this song on their album MagicMagic (Gillan album)Magic is an album by British rock band Gillan, their final collaboration, released in 1982. It was reissued in 1989 with seven "bonus" tracks, including cover versions and B-sides. "South Africa" /"John" was a single Ian had written and recorded with guitarist Bernie Marsden.Although the album was...
. - Danny BowesDanny BowesDanny Bowes was the lead singer with the rock act, Thunder. Previously, he was a member of Nuthin' Fancy, 1980s group Terraplane, as well as occasionally playing the odd gig or two with his group Danny and the Doowops...
and Luke MorleyLuke MorleyLuke Morley is the lead guitarist and co-songwriter for the rock band The Union. From 1989 to 2009 he was the guitarist, chief songwriter and producer for the hard rock band Thunder...
of rock band Thunder (band)Thunder (band)Thunder were an English hard rock band, who originally formed in 1989 when the band Terraplane broke up, leaving lead singer Danny Bowes and guitarist/main songwriter Luke Morley to form a new group, namely Thunder...
covered the song on their second Bowes and Morley project album Mo's Barbeque - Jazz pianist Ramsey LewisRamsey LewisRamsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. is an American jazz composer, pianist and radio personality. Ramsey Lewis has recorded over 80 albums and has received seven gold records and three Grammy Awards so far in his career.-Biography:...
released an instrumental version of "Living for the City" on his 1974 album Sun Goddess. - A medley of "Living for the City" and The O'JaysThe O'JaysThe O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005...
' "For the Love of MoneyFor the Love of Money"For the Love of Money" is a soul/funk song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Anthony Jackson; and recorded by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays for the album Ship Ahoy. Produced by Gamble and Huff for Philadelphia International Records, "For the Love of Money" was issued as a single in...
" was recorded by TroopTroop (band)----Troop is an R&B group from Pasadena, California. TROOP has had three number one singles and ten top ten singles on the Billboard R&B Charts. They have also completed five albums, which include three certified gold and one certified platinum album...
, LeVertLeVertLeVert is a R&B/pop music singing group, formed in Ohio in 1984, comprising Sean and Gerald Levert, the sons of O'Jays founder Eddie Levert, as well as Marc Gordon.-Biography:The group released their first single, "I'm Still", for Harry Coombes' Tempre label...
, and Queen LatifahQueen LatifahDana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
. The medley is featured prominently in Mario Van PeeblesMario Van PeeblesMario "Chip" Cain Van Peebles is an American director and actor who has appeared in numerous Hollywood films. He is son of filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles.-Life and career:...
' 1991 film New Jack CityNew Jack CityNew Jack City is a 1991 crime film starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Mario Van Peebles, Judd Nelson, and Chris Rock. Snipes stars as Nino Brown, a rising drug dealer and crime lord in New York City during the crack epidemic...
, and appears on the film's soundtrackNew Jack City (soundtrack)New Jack City is the original soundtrack to the 1991 film New Jack City released by Giant Records through Reprise Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. The soundtrack consists of eleven original songs, most of which were performed by chart-topping R&B and hip-hop artists of the time....
. - The song is featured during the memorable Taj Mahal crackhouse scene in Spike LeeSpike LeeShelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
's Jungle FeverJungle FeverJungle Fever is a 1991 American drama film directed by Spike Lee, starring Wesley Snipes and Annabella Sciorra. It was Lee's fifth feature-length film. The film mainly explores interracial relationships...
. - The song was performed by Jonny LangJonny LangJonny Lang is a Grammy award-winning American blues, gospel, and rock singer, songwriter and recording artist. Lang's music is notable for both his unusual voice, which has been compared to that of a forty-year-old blues veteran, and for his guitar solos...
as a tribute to Wonder during the 2004 Songwriter's Hall of Fame award ceremony. A different live version appears on Lang's 2003 album Long Time ComingLong Time Coming (Jonny Lang album)Long Time Coming is an album by Jonny Lang, recorded at MF Studio and The Attic, Monrovia, California, and released on October 14, 2003....
. - The song was performed by Melissa O'NeilMelissa O'NeilMelissa Crystal O'Neil is a Canadian singer who was the winner of the third season of Canadian Idol in 2005. She was the first female winner and is the second youngest idol winner in the world, with the youngest being 2004 Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan...
during the top 9 week dedicated to Stevie on Canadian IdolCanadian IdolCanadian Idol is a Canadian reality television competition show which aired on CTV, based on the British show Pop Idol. The show was a competition to find the most talented young singer in Canada, and was hosted by Ben Mulroney. Jon Dore was the "roving reporter" for the first three seasons...
s third season and by Taylor HicksTaylor HicksTaylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season of American Idol. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released...
during the top 12 and finals of the fifth season of American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. Siobhan MagnusSiobhan MagnusSiobhan Evelyn Magnus is an American singer-songwriter from Barnstable, Massachusetts who was the sixth place finalist on the ninth season of American Idol.-Early life:...
and Paige MilesPaige MilesPaige Sade Miles is an American singer from Naples, Florida, who was the eleventh place finalist on the ninth season of American Idol.- Early life :...
both sang this song in the final rounds of Hollywood Week on American Idol before making it to the Top 24. - The song was covered by The DirtbombsThe DirtbombsThe Dirtbombs are an American garage rock band based in Detroit, Michigan, notable for blending diverse influences such as punk rock and soul while featuring a dual bass guitar, dual drum and guitar lineup...
on their album Ultraglide in BlackUltraglide in Black-External links:* [ Ultraglide in Black] at Allmusic...
. - The song was released as a picture disk single by vocalist Ian GillanIan GillanIan Gillan is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple. During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd...
. - Comedian Richard PryorRichard PryorRichard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was an American stand-up comedian, actor, social critic, writer and MC. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful vulgarities, and profanity, as well as racial epithets...
referred to this song in Biblical terms on one cut from his album …Is It Something I Said? - The song was also covered by Ike and Tina Turner and appears on their Nutbush City Limits album (1973).
- Alicia KeysAlicia KeysAlicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
performed it as part of a medley during Live Earth on July 7, 2007. - Covered by Brooklyn native Noel PointerNoel PointerNoel Pointer was an American jazz violinist and record producer.He was nominated for a Grammy award in 1981. Pointer's reputation as an outstanding jazz musician and literary advocate garnered him honorary citizenship in cities across the United States...
, jazz violinist, on his debut album Phantazia, released in 1977. - More recently by Michael McDonaldMichael McDonald (singer)Michael McDonald is a five-time Grammy Award winning American singer and songwriter. McDonald is known for a soulful baritone singing style and a multi-octave range. He began his career singing back-up vocals with Steely Dan...
who had sung it in the past during concerts and featured it on his 2008 album Soul Speak. - Covered by the band TotoToto (band)Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
in 2002 on the album Through the Looking GlassThrough the Looking Glass (Toto album)Through the Looking Glass is the 11th studio album by the American band Toto. It was released in 2002, three years after their last studio release, "Mindfields." The album consists of covers of songs that have inspired the band.-Reception:...
. - The Wu-Tang Clan's "The City", released on Wu-Tang ForeverWu-Tang ForeverWu-Tang Forever is the second studio album of American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released June 3, 1997 on Loud/RCA Records in the United States. Pressed as a double album, it was released after a long run of successful solo projects from various members of the group, and serves as the follow-up...
, could be considered a loose cover of the song. The song's hook is the same, lyrically, as the repeated lines in "Living for the City", though Inspectah Deck sings them with a very different and more forlorn melody. Themes in both songs' verses are similar, but the lyrics are not the same. - In 2010, R&B singer UsherUsher (entertainer)Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
sampled a sped up version of the song for his single, "Lil FreakLil Freak"Lil Freak" is a song by American recording artist Usher, taken from his sixth studio album, Raymond v. Raymond. Featuring guest vocals by Trinidadian recording artist Nicki Minaj, the song was written by her, Usher, Ester Dean, Blac Elvis and Polow da Don, the latter two producing the track...
" featuring Nicki MinajNicki MinajOnika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
for his album Raymond v. Raymond. - Bonnie TylerBonnie TylerBonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:...
covered this song on her album Natural ForceNatural ForceNatural Force is the second album from the Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. Released in 1978, the album contains one of Tyler's biggest hits "It's a Heartache"...
. - Zapp & Roger covered this song as a single.
- Destiny's ChildDestiny's ChildDestiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
- Living For The City Live At the 2004 Billboard Awards (Tribute To Stevie Wonder) - Disco singer Sylvester released a cover of this song which reached #2 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club PlayHot Dance Club PlayThe Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart in 1986.