Stevie Wonder says his 1973 hit Living for the City is the song in which he explored his deepest political and social concerns.
The singer, 73, made the admission in a recent Rolling Stone interview. “I regard that song as the deepest I really got,” he began.
“I put all my feelings about the injustice people face into it... about poverty, discrimination, and the struggle to survive in a world that often seems against you.”
The track, from his Innervisions album, tells the story of a young boy growing up in Mississippi, facing systemic racism and poverty, only to encounter crime and injustice in New York City.
Wonder layered the song with sounds of urban life, bustling streets, honking horns, and sirens to immerse listeners in the boy’s harsh reality.
He also spoke of his inspiration behind the song. “You still have that same mother that scrubs the floors for many, she’s still doing it. Now what is that about? And that father who works some days for 14 hours. That’s still happening.”
He credited collaborators Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff for encouraging him to push beyond romantic themes and address social inequities directly.
