A boy is born in part time Los Angeles
Surrounded by four walls that ain't so dirty
He's giving work everywhere from Junior College
He also likes to become a baseball player
Living just enough,just enough for New York City

The vending machine got him all pissed off
His chips won't drop but soon he asked for help too
His teacher does not know how to work machines
And he's very concerned by the way it starts to work
Living just enough,just enough for New York City

His sister's black but she doesn't know good spanish
She talks on the phone and wastes all the phone bills
Her daddy works for days for 40 days & hours
And you best believe she hardly gets a good grade
Living just enough,just enough for New York City

He goes to Study Hall to finish up his school work
The school gives him work that doesn't make no sense
He forgets about the work and throws it away
He goes to the library to read about phonography
Living just enough,just enough for New York City

His brother's white he talks to friends all day
He goes to detention and causes more trouble
And he also curses at subsitutes and principles
His brother's sent to another school down further
Living just enough,just enough for New York City

I Hope you hear inside my sister's laughing
All day she does is ask me some stupid questions
She just won't let me do is listen to R&B music
She doesn't like to listen to Stevie Wonder
Living just enough,just enough for New York City